Just a year ago, Ari Sanchez and Paula Josemaria lifted the crystal Duomo together, the trophy chosen for the champions of the Oysho Milano Premier Padel P1. On Sunday, however, only one of them will be able to lift it again and wear the Champions’ Ring, an NBA-style ring and one of the major new features of the 2026 edition. Ari against Paula: a duel between two players who have made history in women’s padel as a pair, winning 44 titles together, including 17 Premier Padel titles. “Before thinking about the final, we had this incredibly difficult match to win – admitted Josemaria -. Now that we’ve won it, we can focus on the final. The title is the one that’s missing, and we’ll give everything to win the match and the ring. But whatever happens, the important thing is that our hard work pays off”.
Their hard work was certainly on display during a rally lasting more than two minutes: the second match point in the second-set tie-break that gave Paula and Bea a 6-2 7-6 victory over Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo after one hour and 43 minutes. It was an incredible battle, brought to an end by Paula with a smash. “I was hoping she would finish it”, admitted Gonzalez, who will play the 50th final of her career. “Martina kept firing balls at me. I could feel the pressure, but I did everything I could to hold on, and then Paula took care of it. I have to thank her”.
While Josemaria is the defending champion, Bea holds a record of her own: she is the only player to have reached the final in all four editions of the tournament. She won in 2023 with Delfi Brea, was forced to leave the court in tears through injury in 2024, again alongside Delfi, and last year lost the final with Claudia Fernandez against Paula and Ari. “I have a special connection with this tournament and this city”, she explained. “People here live and breathe padel. I love this tournament; things have always gone very well for me here, and the court suits my game. I hope it brings me another moment of joy”.