Day6. Lebron-Augsburger produce a stunning comeback. Josemaria against Sanchez: only one can claim the glory

Twenty-three minutes, 6-0. The semi-final between Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan and Juan Lebron and Leo Augsburger began as a one-sided affair and looked set to be over in less than an hour, with the ‘Clasico’ against Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia ready to return to the Allianz Cloud, as it had in each of the previous two years. However, the ‘Lobo’ and the Argentine talent decided to write a different ending and deny, for the sixth time in the last eight tournaments, the final that has dominated Premier Padel worldwide for the past two years. Lebron and Augsburger produced dominant second and third sets to turn the match around and win 0-6 6-2 6-2, sending the number 3 seeds into the final in search of their second title of the season, following their success in Brussels. Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia, meanwhile, will be chasing their 12th title together and their fourth in a row. Already champions in Milan in 2024, they defeated Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 18 minutes in the first semi-final. Stupaczuk and Sanz had already lost to Coello — the first player to reach 300 Premier Padel wins — and Tapia in the Rotterdam and Düsseldorf finals.

 

WOMEN While the men’s final will start not before 17:00, the women’s final, scheduled for 15:00 CEST, will open an unmissable Sunday. The number 2 seeds will face the number 3 seeds. Above all, Paula Josemaria will take on Ari Sanchez: they were champions together at the Allianz Cloud a year ago, but on Sunday they will be opponents. Both semi-finals ended in straight sets, but while Ari and Andrea Ustero — playing their fourth consecutive final after winning in Paris and Rotterdam and losing in Düsseldorf, and having already reached the final at the Rome Major — never looked in danger of allowing Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay back into the match, losing 6-1 6-4 in one hour and 14 minutes, Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo appeared to have enough left in the tank to take the second semi-final into a third set. However, Paula and Bea Gonzalez, at their second match point and after an interminable rally, secured the chance to win a title they have not claimed since Valladolid. It would be their seventh, while Sanchez and Ustero are chasing their fifth. Everything is set at an already sold-out Allianz Cloud to crown Milan’s kings and queens, who will take home 1,000 FIP Ranking points (and Race points), the trophy and the Champions’ Rings, specially designed for this tournament.