Just three months ago, Andrea Ustero was off the courts. An injury had kept her away from the tournaments in Malaga and Pretoria and had forced her to pause a season that had promising prospects. The recovery, however, was swift and remarkable: barely a month later, the Madrilenian was already back on the court in the English capital.

Even more extraordinary was the pace at which Ustero and Ari Sánchez returned to competition: they needed only two tournaments – in London and Madrid, where they fell just short of the final – to regain their touch and automatic play. And now, in their fourth tournament since the break, they lift their second consecutive title. They did so after defeating Paulita Josemaría and Bea González with a commanding 6-4, 6-4 in the Rotterdam P2.

Good things come to those who wait. For Ari Sánchez, the wait for her partner paid off, and the Rotterdam P2 final was a clear evidence of this. The match began with maximum equality, until the Catalans found the first opportunity to take the lead. However, the advantage was short-lived, as Bea and Paulita reacted immediately, regained the serve, and brought the score back to 2-2.

It was necessary to wait until the seventh game for the third seeds to regain an opportunity against their opponents. They did not squander it. The 4-3 score allowed them to take the initiative once again, and this time, they knew how to protect it until the end of the set. The 6-4 was secured.

The second set followed an almost identical script. Ari and Andrea struck first again with a break, but González and Josemaría immediately responded to regain their serve and level the score again at 2-2. From there, the final entered a phase of maximum intensity. The second seeds were gaining momentum; they took the lead for the first time, but failed to defend that advantage.

On the other side of the court, the player from Reus and the one from Barcelona held firm and waited for the opportunity that came in the ninth game: they broke serve again and positioned themselves just one step away from the title. With the advantage in their hands, they did not give their opponents a final chance. They closed the match with another 6-4 and secured a victory that perfectly summarizes the wonderful moment the pair is experiencing.

The victory brings to four the titles won this season by Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero, the last two consecutively. A goal that Sánchez later acknowledged in the press conference: “We had set ourselves the challenge of winning two finals in a row, something we had never achieved before.” In the same statements, the player from Reus admitted that the pair is going through “a very good moment” and that they are “finding the consistency we were looking for.” She also takes the opportunity to “congratulate Andrea, who knew how to fight through the difficult moments and overcome them to close the match and win the title.”

The victory at the Dutch P2 also represented the second final of the season between the world’s number two and three. The first took place in Valladolid and fell on the side of Paulita Josemaría and Bea González. With today’s result, the balance is evened. However, for this encounter to be repeated under these conditions, Sánchez and Ustero will first have to overcome the number ones, Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea, or wait for another pair to eliminate them before the semifinals. In Rotterdam, the Catalans fulfilled the first requirement and defeated the ranking leaders 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals.

The MVP of the tournament and an exceptional teamwork

Beyond the score, it is worth noting an exceptional performance by Ángel González’s pupils, marked by the teamwork that this sport exemplifies. Ustero played with greater ease, enjoyed the exchanges, and showed composure in decisive moments. By her side, Ari contributed experience and strategy in the construction of each point. Between them, there were no reproaches, only conspiratorial glances that reflected trust and all the work built off the court.

For all these reasons, at Pádel Información we consider Andrea Ustero the MVP of the tournament. After overcoming the injury, the player from Barcelona has returned with an extraordinary competitive level, and she has also shown that she is once again ready to climb in the rankings.