Euro Final 8: Spain beats France. Third gold in a year

Spain’s third gold in just over a year came under a summer sun that made this amazing team shine even brighter. The Spanish women beat France to win the FIP Euro Padel Cup in La Línea de la Concepción, completing a brilliant triple crown that started with the 2024 European Championship in Cagliari and continued with World Championship gold in Doha three months later. This win felt even more special because it happened at home, in front of a passionate crowd that received a group hug from the entire team after the match — a way to return the endless applause and chants that filled the Plaza de Toros.

SAINZ & CALVO: GREAT CHEMISTRY Once again, coach Icíar Montes trusted Lucía Sainz and Martina Calvo to open the tie. A super connected team that perfectly represents what Spain does so well: mixing experienced champions with Next Gen talent. Against Carla Touly and Jessica Ginier, they needed just under an hour to seal the match (6-3 6-0) and about 15 minutes to shake off the nerves. At 2-0 for Spain, with France holding three break points to get back into the set, Sainz and Calvo won five points in a row and never looked back. “We’re really happy and want to thank everyone who came to support us,” said Sainz. “We enjoyed it. The start was tough because a final always brings nerves, but then we played really well.” Martina added: “Even though we don’t usually play together, we managed to play at a very high level.” The chemistry was clear on and off court: “Playing with Martina is a luxury — I even gave her a nickname, but I’m not sure I should say it,” laughed Sainz. Martina dropped a hint: “I’ll just say one word: Tortilla.”

FRENCH PRIDE Jessica Castelló and Lorena Rufo were chosen for the decisive point after playing all week. And even if the score went as expected (6-2 6-3), the match against Les Bleues showed the pure spirit of a European final. France relied on its most experienced international players — Alix Collombon (No. 27 FIP) and Léa Godallier (No. 62) — whose effort and consistency deserved more than the scoreboard shows. Collombon had said it the day before: “We’ll be the outsiders, but we’ll give everything.” And they did. A key moment: at 5-3 Spain in the second set, the French pair had a break point, then saved two match points before Rufo closed the match. In tears, the two French players received a team hug after winning a brilliant silver.

THE CELEBRATION On the Spanish side, the celebration exploded. “A huge thank-you to everyone who came,” said Castelló. “Playing at home is always special, and today you could really feel it — the support was there from the first to the last point. I wish all Euros and World Championships could be played at home, because the feeling is amazing. I also want to congratulate France: they did a great job and showed it this week. And of course, thanks to our team. It was a long and intense week, but we should be proud: we stuck together, supported each other, no matter who was playing.” Rufo confirmed that spirit: “It’s amazing to play here, with this crowd and so much Spanish pride in the air. Thanks to Icíar for giving me the chance to represent Spain once again. We’re happy with our performance — now it’s time to keep going this way.”