Day6. Ustero-Sanchez reach another final after almost four hours. Brea-Triay also win a marathon. Tello and Arce make history

The same pairs were on court and, once again – just as they were in June at the Foro Italico – a place in a Major final was at stake. Kuwait came close, by around half an hour, to breaking the Rome record of 4 hours and 12 minutes. In the end, after an incredible three-hour-and-44-minute battle, Andrea Ustero and Ari Sanchez secured another final, giving themselves the chance to win their fourth title in the last five tournaments (following Paris, Rotterdam and Milan) and draw level with the top two seeds on six titles in an increasingly balanced and unpredictable 2026 season. Having lost the first set against Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez (who had raced into a 5-1 lead before closing it out 6-4) and fallen 3-0 behind in the second, the number 3 seeds nevertheless showed tremendous composure, with an outstanding performance from Ustero in particular. They held their nerve in the two tie-breaks that decided the match, winning 4-6 7-6 7-6. The third set had featured six breaks in the first seven games. Waiting for them in Saturday’s final (scheduled for 16:00 local time, 14:00 CET) will be Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, who had not reached a final since Madrid and secured their return with a 6-4 2-6 7-6 victory over Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo after another marathon lasting three hours and seven minutes. Their opponents had even held a match point. The final will therefore be a repeat of the Rome Major, where Brea and Triay won 6-1 7-5. It will also feature the only two pairs to have already won a Major this season, with Sanchez and Ustero having triumphed at Roland-Garros. There is another contest within the contest: Triay and Sanchez, alongside Ale Salazar, lead the all-time title standings with 58 trophies each. The winner will move clear at the top.

 

MEN While the women’s final will feature two pairs accustomed to competing for major honours – with 2,000 points on offer in both the FIP Ranking and the FIP Race – the men’s final will see Juan Tello and Maxi Arce team up for the first time. El Gato will return to a Premier Padel final for the first time since the one he lost in Paris in 2022, when he was partnered by Fede Chingotto and they were beaten by Juan Lebron and Ale Galan. Arce, meanwhile, had never previously reached a Premier Padel final. In the semi-final in the bottom half of the men’s draw, the two Argentinians beat Edu Alonso and Aimar Goñi in straight sets, 6-4 6-3. It was also a hugely important result in the Race to the Finals, with 1,200 points reserved for the runners-up. Standing between Tello and Arce and the title, however, are Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia, who are aiming for their fifth consecutive title of the season and, with another victory in Kuwait, could also mathematically secure top spot at the end of the year. The world number ones brought the outstanding run of Tino Libaak and Gonza Alfonso to an end, winning 6-2 6-2. Their opponents had previously eliminated the number 3 seeds (Juan Lebron and Leo Augsburger) and the number 5 seeds (Paquito Navarro and Martin Di Nenno).