Bea and Claudia, the 'young guns' chasing a Major: "Hard work and happiness, that’s how we grow together"

A final in Riyadh, four more semifinals in Miami and Brussels, and then the big breakthrough at the P2 in Asuncion: Bea Gonzalez and Claudia Fernandez have made an explosive start to their first season together — despite some injury setbacks for Bea — and now they’re set to challenge for the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel. "Missing the 2024 edition was disappointing," said the world No. 7 during media day at the Foro Italico. "That’s why this year I’m even more motivated. This tournament isn’t just a Major, it’s one of the most beautiful in the entire tour. I couldn’t wait to return, not only to play but also to enjoy great food and have fun, especially with the incredible support from the Italian fans".

After winning in Asuncion and reaching the final in Buenos Aires, Bea shared her goals for the coming months: "I’m really enjoying myself on court. We work every day to get the results we want — it’s hard work, but we try to enjoy every moment, on and off the court". Bea also spoke fondly of her new partner: "We’ve known each other since we were little, playing Junior World Championships. Now we’re still ‘little’, but five years older — she just got her driver’s license!", she laughed. "Claudia brings a lot of joy and smiles, and that’s super important. And even though she’s young, she’s really mature and responsible".

That maturity, Claudia says, comes partly from her experience partnering with Gemma Triay last season: "I learned how to handle high-pressure moments, like in semifinals and finals. That gave me confidence and self-awareness. We’re doing a great job now, and I feel very comfortable with Bea. I hope we keep growing together". At just 19, Fernandez is one of the most promising faces of padel’s Next Gen, followed closely by young stars like 16-year-old Martina Calvo, who reached the semis in Buenos Aires: "It’s great to see young girls with so much talent. Junior tournaments already have a high level, and Martina’s run in Argentina was incredible. We need more players like her to grow the sport".

On the topic of former partners, Bea sees similarities between Claudia and Delfina Brea, with whom she played until late 2024: "They’re both tactically organized and help bring order to my game. They each have unique qualities, but I don’t like comparisons. Right now, I’m focused on building something strong with Claudia, especially now that I’ve found some consistency." That consistency was missing last year due to injuries: "I was unlucky, but that’s part of the sport. You need patience — injuries affected my ranking and rhythm, but I’m working well now and feeling confident".

Claudia summed it up: "We haven’t set a specific goal, we just want to improve as a team. It’s going to be a long season with lots of tournaments, so we’re taking it day by day, without putting too much pressure on ourselves about the ranking".