Surrounded by enthusiastic fans and a crowd thrilled by their performance at the end of the match, Ariana Sanchez and Paula Josemaria shared how their connection with Miami has already become something special. “We’re excited to play the first Premier Padel event here in Miami. It’s such an important market, and we hope that padel can continue to grow in the United States,” Ariana said during the post-match press conference after defeating Bea Gonzalez and Claudia Fernandez, the tournament’s No. 3 seeds. “We’ve seen a fantastic response – there’s a big and expert crowd here”, she said.
The world’s No. 1-ranked FIP duo didn’t miss the opportunity to secure their spot in the final. “The key to winning this morning was consistency – keeping the same level of focus and intensity throughout the match,” Sanchez added. “In the second set, they picked up the pace, and we struggled a bit, but we did well to reset and raise our game even further. We stayed focused and united.”
Paula Josemaria acknowledged they faced some challenges at the start of the second set. “We lost a bit of concentration early in the second set, but credit to Bea and Claudia – they put us under pressure at that point,” she explained. “When you play with a clear strategy, like we do, it’s normal for opponents to adjust and try to disrupt your plan. They managed to do that at the beginning of the second set, but we were able to regain control, stick to our game plan, and win the match.”