Even the stars applaud Sara: it feels like a victory

The win didn’t come, but the test was passed. With flying colours. Just two days after claiming her second Roland Garros title, Sara Errani came close to winning at the Foro Italico too – this time with a padel racket, in her debut at the BNL Italy Major. The final scoreline read 7-6 7-5 for “Laia” Rodriguez and Sandra Bellver, but Sarita, supported by a brilliant 20-year-old partner with a bright future – Giulia Dal Pozzo – claimed her own kind of victory by pushing two solid professionals (ranked 43 and 57 in the FIP rankings) to the limit for over two hours. Classic Errani – the eternal competitor who, at 38, still finds ways to surprise. In fact, she left the court with more than one regret – chiefly the 7 missed set points in the opener, spread across three different games, and a few missed chances in the second. But she’s a tennis champion lending her talents to padel for a week – no one could have asked for more.

At the Foro Italico, as expected, curiosity and enthusiasm won the day – from the crowd filling the marble stands of Pietrangeli, to key figures from the sport. Present were FIP president Luigi Carraro, Italy football star Valentina Giacinti, and a host of padel pros who stopped by to watch. Even world number one Ari Sanchez kept her word and showed up, as did reigning champion Federico Chingotto, 2024 Major finalists Llaguno/Sainz, Claudia Fernandez, and Spanish former tennis player Lara Arruabarrena – who, unlike Errani, has made the full switch to padel while maintaining her close friendship with Sara.

It’s fair to say that Errani impressed everyone with her low-risk, near-flawless padel – unsurprising for someone whose patience is second nature. Her opponents quickly realised that simply setting the pace wouldn’t be enough, and the match turned into a real battle – worthy of a Major. The disappointment will soon fade, but the satisfaction of this high-level experience will stay with her – and makes the idea of a future in padel all the more compelling. Soon, Sara will return to her usual tennis racket to prepare for the grass season and chase the dream of glory at Wimbledon. But after this Roman afternoon, it’s clear that a future in padel is a real possibility.