After the world number ones were eliminated in the semifinals of the P1 in Dubai last week, Paulita and Ariana returned to their usual form and secured another title, their 9th of the season, ensuring that they will finish the year as the world’s number one duo.
At the P1 in Kuwait, there were no surprises in the women’s draw, with the top four duos reaching the semifinals, and the top seeds (1 and 2) making it to the final.
In the decisive match, which was marked by great balance, Paula and Ariana were more competent when it came to the crucial moments, defeating Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez 7-5, 7-6. This was the 11th encounter between these two pairs in 2024, with the overall record still favoring the number ones, with 7 wins and 4 losses.
The Portuguese presence in the women’s draw was limited to the usual Sofia Araújo and Ana Catarina Nogueira. Sofia Araújo and Marta Ortega made it to the semifinals, after a loss in the quarterfinals last week, and only fell to Paula Josémaria and Ari Sanchez in the semifinals, 7-6, 6-1. Ana Catarina Nogueira and Laia Rodriguez reached the round of 16, but lost to Bea Gonzalez and Delfi Brea, the third-ranked duo in the world.
NO SURPRISE COELLO AND TAPIA WIN ANOTHER TITLE
At this point in the season, it’s no longer a surprise that Coello and Tapia have won yet another title on the Premier Padel circuit. The real question everyone is asking now is “how long will they continue to win?”
This time, the final opponent was different, as Gala and Chingotto, for the first time as a duo, did not make it to a final, but the result was the same. The world number ones defeated Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas 6-4, 6-2, claiming their seventh title of the season and their 12th of the year.
Currently, the “Golden Boys” have gone 133 days without losing (their last defeat was on July 7), with 35 consecutive wins and 27 titles in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. They are closing in on the 32 titles of Galan and Lebron and the 35 of Belasteguin and Pablo Lima, but are still far from the “unreachable” 155 titles of Belasteguin and Juan Martin Diaz.