Josemaria/Sanchez: "In women's padel there is more competition, the game is more aggressive"

"With the increase in prize money, there are many more players who can devote themselves solely to training. Many more athletes make a living from padel, and this helps. I think it's important because we have better teams, better athletes, and the level of play is higher." Undoubtedly significant, the message from Spanish player Ari Sanchez, world number 1, who, together with Paula Josemaria, aims to win the second Major of 2024 in Rome.

"I believe we have had a good season so far; we have won three titles, including the first Major in Doha," she recalled. "Then there was a challenging period when we didn't play at our best. New pairs emerged, like the one formed by Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez, who I believe will compete for the number 1 spot."

Certainly, putting things in perspective, their 'challenging period' would be a delight for many pairs on the circuit: round of 16 at the P1 in Acapulco, two semifinals and a final in the P2 events in Brussels, Asuncion, and Seville. Then came the victory in Mar del Plata and the semifinal in Santiago. In Rome, Bea Gonzalez and Delfi Brea, one of the top three pairs in the world women's padel, will be absent. "The more pairs there are at the top, the better it is for us because it pushes us to improve; the same goes for the fans and for padel itself" said Sanchez.

The increase in competition, understood as the number of pairs fighting to win the major tournaments and the overall level of the circuit, is a sign of the circuit's evolution, explains Paula Josemaria. "The players are more athletically prepared and more resilient; the game is becoming more aggressive and faster," she said. "I have these kinds of characteristics, and I like to see pairs playing a more powerful, offensive padel. In some ways, women's padel is approaching the men's game, while still maintaining the unique characteristics of women, which are somewhat different."

After achieving her dream of becoming world number 1, she now aspires to stay there as long as possible. In Rome, she explains, she would like to show her best version but without looking too far ahead, to the final or ranking prospects. It's better to think one match at a time and to build the growth of the entire movement step by step. "Women's padel is growing because we have more visibility. The ultimate goal for the growth of this sport," she concluded, "is to ensure that more and more athletes can make a living from padel and dedicate themselves professionally only to this."