Dec. 10 – Paquito Navarro and Juan Tello will have nightmares about Victor Ruiz and Lucas Bergamini’s faces. After the defeat a week ago in the round of 16 of Monterrey Major, here is the one in the first semifinal of Milano Premier Padel P1. The pair formed by the Spaniard and the Brazilian, who started the tournament as 13th seed, first defeated Stupaczuk and Lima (3) in the round of 16 and then Sanchez and Capra (8) in the quarterfinals, completing their masterpiece by crushing the no. 2 seeded players’ dream of winning the last Premier Padel title of the season. It ended 7-5 2-6 6-3 in two hours and 39′. For Bergamini, Italian surname and origins and already part of our national team with Circolo Canottieri Aniene in Rome, there’s nothing like playing “home”: last obstacle before glory will be the finale against Galan/Lebron or Belasteguín/Coello. The match started well for Ruiz and Bergamini, who were able to take the service at the first attempt. Navarro and Tello failed to take advantage of the counterbreak ball in the next game, still managing to get back on track in the fourth. In all of Allianz Cloud week, never had we seen such a balanced set, played point by point and with endless exchanges putting breath and legs to the test. The decisive break arrived in the eleventh game for Ruiz and Bergamini, before the applause of the entire Milan audience for the Spaniard who, on duce, spontaneously called the touch of the ball on his body before the execution of the volley, resulting in a ball to go to the tiebreak, not exploited by their opponents. And moments later, at the end of an hour and 15′ battle, Ruiz and Bergamini took their seat, leading by one set.
Paquito and “el Gato,” however, did not give up easily: a smash by Bergamini gave two immediate break points to the pair in burgundy jerseys, with Tello even “allowing” himself to reciprocate the rocket on the smash by sending the ball into the second ring to the delight of the one takin away an heirloom from Allianz Cloud. Navarro and Tello went ahead 4-1, a gap that became even larger (5-1) after a prodigious save by the 27-year-old who was playing with Chingotto until a few weeks ago. Ruiz and Bergamini, despite almost zero chances to avoid the third set, took back one of the two service disadvantage with a great save by the Brazilian coming from the outside of the court, but Navarro and Tello closed 6-2 in 35 minutes, less than half the length of the first set.
At 2-1 for Navarro and Tello in the third set, a medical timeout called by Bergamini for a minor physical problem, after what tactics blew up three times in a row, first with Ruiz and Bergamini going to lead 3-2, suffering the return of their opponents before going up 4-3 and serving. The verdict on an extraordinary match, ending with Ruiz and Bergamini quite emotional and “Freed from Desire” becoming “Paquito is on Fire” for the last time in this wonderful week with Navarro, exhausted and disappointed, standing up and applauding the audience that cheered him on. “We entered the court convinced that we could win,” Ruiz’s words. “The best tournament of my life,” added Bergamini, who had a dedication: “To Neymar, to the Seleçao and to all of Brazil, which will not win the World Cup.” He will try, tomorrow, to give a green gold smile to his compatriots.