Spain celebrate in women’s event: Sainz and Llaguno claim gold. Silver for Rodriguez-Velasco

The embrace at the centre of the Central Court, the look of happiness and the shout of “Vamos” after winning match point. Lucia Sainz and Patty Llaguno celebrated their gold medal victory at the XX Mediterranean Games in this way, following their success in the final against fellow Spaniards Jimena Velasco-Nuria Rodriguez (6-3 6-4). For Spain, the result in front of the large crowd gathered in the stands at the Parco del Mediterraneo Salinella in Taranto represented a double success: alongside the most prestigious medal, they also claimed silver.

 

Sainz and Llaguno made the better start to the final, immediately taking control of the match with a break in the opening game before closing out the set 6-3. The second set was more evenly contested. After losing serve at 3-2, Velasco and Rodriguez responded immediately by breaking back. At the decisive moment, however, the experience of Sainz and Llaguno, both former world No. 1s, came to the fore. They secured a break in the final game of the match to close out the second set 6-4.

 

“We are very happy. Winning this medal with Patty is a great achievement,” said Sainz. “We have enjoyed a fantastic week and a fantastic event, where we experienced a truly unique atmosphere.” The victory further confirms Sainz’s strong connection with the Spanish national team: last October, she became champion at the FIP Euro Padel Cup 2025. Sainz, however, is already looking beyond the gold medal in Taranto and shares an ambition that concerns the entire padel community: “We hope the Mediterranean Games have been another decisive step towards the biggest dream: the Olympic Games.”

 

THIRD PLACE In the morning, Italy claimed the women’s bronze medal: the Azzurre Carolina Orsi and Giorgia Marchetti defeated Portugal’s Ana Catarina Nogueira and Sofia Araújo in three sets (7-5 2-6 6-4). After winning the first set, the two Italians dropped their level in the second. In the decisive set, they managed to raise their level of play and closed it out 6-4. “Winning a medal at these Games is something unique,” said Marchetti. “Finishing on the podium again, after the gold medal that Carolina and I won at the European Games in Krakow in 2023, was not easy.”