Day 5. Goenaga-Caldera, the dream comes true: into the final for the first time

The most eagerly awaited final in the men’s draw, a final that few would have expected in the women’s draw. Everything is ready at the Patinoire de Mériadeck for the two matches that will decide the Premier Padel Betclic Bordeaux P2 titles. While the men’s final will be contested by the usual suspects, Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia versus Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan, the women’s final will be the first Premier final of their careers for Carmen Goenaga and Bea Caldera, who will face a pair playing in their first final together, Sofia Araujo and Andrea Ustero.

WOMEN Only one of the four finalists in Bordeaux has already won a title on the major circuit, the Portuguese player, who triumphed last year with Marta Ortega in Genova – in the first week of July… – and in NewGiza. Tomorrow’s match at 2 p.m. will be her first with Andrea Ustero, last year’s finalist in Dubai and in the Paris Major. The second semi-final of the women’s draw lasted only one set due to an injury that forced Ale Alonso, Ustero’s long-time partner, to retire. Andrea dedicated some beautiful words to her in the post-match interview. “She’s not just a great player, she’s a sister, and it’s really awful to win a match like this”. Caldera and Goenaga, on the other hand, in the first semi-final had only conceded five games (6-3, 6-2) to Bea Gonzalez and Claudia Fernandez, who had become the big favourites of the tournament after the withdrawal of Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay and the defeat of Paula Josemaria and Ari Sanchez. Goenaga had already reached the semi-finals last year, in Genova, when she was defeated by Ortega and Araujo: tomorrow she will have her chance for revenge against the Portuguese player.

MEN After the women’s final, the men’s final will be played, with Coello and Tapia not taking to the court today due to the withdrawal of Paquito Navarro and Lucas Bergamini because of a physical problem affecting the Spanish. Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan did play, however, beating Juan Tello and Martin Di Nenno 6-3 7-6 to redeem themselves for their defeat in the semi-finals in Valladolid. Tomorrow, they will try to equal the number of titles they won last year, five. Coello and Tapia, winners at Plaza Mayor, will be looking for their second consecutive title.