Errani champion of two worlds: “I have always a pala in my bag”

“The desire to win is always there, but I’m aware it will be tough”. Just 48 hours after winning her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros 2025, Sara Errani is ready to test herself in padel, bringing the same realistic and calm optimism typical of champions. “I’m competitive in everything and curious to see the level of the top players”, she said at Foro Italico, where she will make her Premier Padel debut on Tuesday in the opening day of the main draw of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel.

Errani will be playing alongside young Giulia Dal Pozzo. “I already knew her because she lives close to me. Obviously, we haven’t trained much together, so we’ll adapt to the situation – but I saw she was calm, and I’m super happy to play with her. I really like her as a person and I think she’s really good, very strong. I’m really happy to be partnering with her”.

In the first round, they’ll face the experienced Sandra Bellver and 20-year-old Laia Rodriguez. Should they win, the next match will be a high-stakes clash with 2024 finalists Lucia Sainz and Patty Llaguno. “I don’t know them yet”, she admits, “but I’ll watch some videos”. Sarita, ever the curious champion eager to embrace new challenges with an open mind, returns to Rome “mentally prepared” as she says, and very motivated to take the court.

Switching quickly from tennis to padel — especially at Foro Italico, where she recently won the doubles title with Jasmine Paolini — doesn’t worry her. “I’m pretty used to it. Even at home in Spain, I often train in the morning and play padel in the afternoon. The last few weeks have been so busy that I didn’t have time to play padel, even though I always had my pala in the bag”.

Transitioning between sports requires adjustments, even for a champion like her. “Like for all tennis players, getting used to the wall is the hardest part. I’d also like to better understand where to play and where not to. I’m still not an expert, I can’t always read the situations perfectly”.

Her desire to learn combines with an ever-growing competitive drive. “I’m really happy to be here. I talked about it with FIP President Luigi Carraro. The Rome date was perfect — after Paris and with no other commitments. When I found out I was getting a wild card, I was thrilled. I told everyone I was coming to play. I’d definitely love to play more tournaments. Plus, padel is great training for tennis”.

No intention, however, of giving up her first love. “Results like the ones from the past weeks make me want to keep going. If I’m playing like this, it’s hard to stop. Singles and doubles are very different, and the years weigh more when you’re playing alone”, she added.

Padel is a new, exciting companion on her journey. Errani, who last year won Italy’s first-ever Olympic gold in tennis in Paris, hopes to see padel in the Olympic program. “I really hope so. It’s a beautiful sport, so why not include it? It’s growing in so many countries. I think it’s heading in the right direction”.