Gemma and Delfi celebrate: “Five titles already? We’d have signed up for that”

Last year, the talk of a Grand Slam in padel started with Sanchez/Josemaria, who won in Doha and then in Rome, and were on track to become the first pair to win all four Majors in the same season. The Spaniards fell short in Mexico, and now it’s Brea/Triay’s turn to try. “Winning them all? Maybe – said Gemma at the press conference – but for now we’re only halfway there and already very happy to have won two. This win means a lot, especially because it comes in Rome: a special tournament that I love, on a court full of amazing memories. Winning again here is wonderful. I dedicate it to my parents, who always struggle with me being away from home, but this week they’re here”.

Delfi Brea, meanwhile, dedicated the win to her father Nito (also at the Foro Italico), and with good reason: today is Father’s Day in Argentina. Coincidentally, the final on the Foro Italico’s Centre Court ended 6-4 6-4, just like the other Major final they won in Qatar against their main rivals. “But every match – Gemma adds – is different: playing conditions make a big difference. By now we know each other very well, so we always try to come up with a tactical plan. Beating them is never easy: they’re used to playing – and winning – finals. We saw that in the second set: from 4-1 and two breaks, they came back to have a chance at 4-4. The key was staying focused on our game plan, making few errors, and sticking to a strategy that was working”.

Her partner agrees: “We were also good at adapting to conditions throughout the tournament. We played our first two matches in the morning on the Pietrangeli, then Saturday afternoon on Centre Court, and tonight for the first time in the evening. That makes a big difference in padel”. But two players winning nearly everything, after just four months as a team – where can they still improve? “We can get to know each other even better – explains Triay – and work on some game situations to become even stronger. It’s about understanding how to move based on your partner’s shot, reading certain tactical situations, and so on. We still have room for growth”. And would they have signed up at the start of the season for five wins in the first 10 tournaments? This time, the answer comes in unison: “Absolutely yes. Now we’ll enjoy this win and celebrate it properly”.