The world number ones chose the same night to reclaim a throne that had eluded them since Cancún. Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, in the men’s draw, and Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, in the women’s, were crowned champions of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel before a packed Foro Italico with over 9,000 spectators. It was the perfect end to a week that will go down in the history of the circuit: from the longest match ever played in Premier Padel — the semi-final between Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero against Paula Josemaría and Bea González — to the first Major semi-final reached by an Italian player, Giulia Dal Pozzo.
The finals rounded off an unforgettable spectacle. Sánchez and Ustero, on one side, and Fede Chingotto and Ale Galán, on the other, put in great performances, but ultimately succumbed to the number one pairs, who returned to their best form. For Coello and Tapia, it was their second title in Rome following their 2023 victory; for Brea and Triay, it was their second in a row, with Triay also adding the title she won in 2023 alongside Marta Ortega.
Coello and Tapia regain the upper hand in the ‘Clásico’
The men’s final of the Italy Major delivered the most eagerly anticipated clash: the Clásico between Coello–Tapia and Chingotto–Galán, with the latter having racked up four consecutive head-to-head victories and two back-to-back titles at the Foro Italico. This time, however, the number 1s regained control.
The first break points came at 5-5 in the first set, and Coello–Tapia seized the opportunity to close out the set 7-5. In the second set, an early break seemed to set them on course for victory, but an error by Coello whilst serving for the match reopened the contest. The outcome was decided in the tie-break, where a volley error by Galán at 5-4 gave the number 1s the decisive advantage, and they closed out the match 7-5, 7-6.
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The statistics reflect the intensity of the clash: 58 winners and 21 unforced errors for Coello–Tapia, compared to 49 winners and 24 errors for Chingotto–Galán.
Coello put it this way: “It’s a special victory. Rome is a very important stop and we’re very happy with this title. Now it’s time to celebrate”. Tapia added: “It’s difficult to keep up this pace, playing finals every week — this was the 23rd in a row — but we’re happy to keep this momentum going”.
Brea and Triay, champions in Rome once again
The toll of the 4 hours and 12 minutes of the Italy Major semi-final took its toll on Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero, though only at the start.
Brea and Triay dominated the first set with two early breaks and closed it out in style. The second set was much more evenly matched: Sánchez and Ustero fought back, went 4-2 up and had the chance to force a third set when serving at 5-4. But the world number ones responded with two consecutive breaks and closed out the match 6-1, 7-5.
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Triay summed it up as follows: “Winning this tournament is very important after losing five consecutive finals. There were 2,000 points at stake and we played a great final after a difficult week”. Brea, overcome with emotion, celebrated with her family and team: “We’ve won in a packed stadium, with a truly special atmosphere. We’re so happy”.
The champions reflected on the difficulty of holding onto the number one spot. Triay was clear: “Reaching number one is very difficult, but defending it is even harder. Expectations rise even without meaning to”. Brea added: “It doesn’t all depend on you. It also depends on your opponents. We always try to go in with the utmost conviction”.
The tour continues: the players head to Valencia
After a historic week in Rome, the Premier Padel Tour now travels to Spain. This Monday sees the start of the Valencia P1, where the world’s best will return to action.
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