Ari and Paula dominate and set the bar higher: "We can still grow"

In women's padel, there are at least two pairs aiming to snatch the top spot in the world rankings from Ari Sanchez and Paula Josemaria. However, if results in the Majors are anything to go by, there's no debate. Since the inception of the circuit, there have been four women's tournaments in the top category, and after narrowly missing out on the first one, Ari and Paula have claimed the next three. "Before Premier Padel," Josemaria said in a press conference, "every tournament was more or less equally important. Not anymore, so we planned the season to peak at the biggest events. We've still managed to go far in many tournaments, but it's in the Majors that we need to perform our best".

So far, the duo has always found their best form and dominated four out of five matches in Rome, including a final that was over before it began. "Yesterday," Ari added, "we watched the semifinal won by Lucia and Patty. We knew we had to play our best from the start, otherwise the match could get complicated. We managed to stay focused and didn't give anything away. Winning a final in this manner says a lot about us. Rome was a crucial tournament: we would have done anything to win it. When you walk into a stadium like that for a Major final, you realize it's not just another tournament".

Yet, despite their dominance, the number ones are not at all satisfied. "I don't think this is our best level ever," Sanchez continues, "and I'm sure we can still improve. And keep this pace for longer, which we don't always manage to do. But with the hard work that defines us, I hope we will succeed sooner or later". Her partner agrees: "We're playing great padel, but from my perspective, we're not yet at our peak". The rivals have been warned.