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Peu Araújo and Pedro Graça after winning their first FIP Silver of the year

Peu Araújo and Pedro Graça in the FIP Silver final, Sunday, September 13 | PHOTO FROM THE PLAYERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA
Peu Araújo and Pedro Graça in the FIP Silver final, Sunday, September 13 | PHOTO FROM THE PLAYERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA
  • Catarina Castanheira

Peu Araújo and Pedro Graça are enjoying a year to remember. After winning the FIP Bronze in Madeira in February and doing it again in Portimão in August, the Portuguese duo have just taken another step forward in their careers: on Sunday, September 13, they lifted their first FIP Silver title.

One was born in Lisbon and the other in Faro. Nearly 300 kilometers separate their cities, but nothing has stopped their paths from crossing on court. There, friendship has turned into pure competitive chemistry. Ambitious, hard-fighting, and with different but complementary qualities, they’ve found a balance that has helped them grow and become, today, Portugal’s number ones.

Even so, if there’s one word that defines this duo, it’s resilience: after coming close in three Silver finals, they finally broke through and claimed their third title of the season. We spoke with them after they wrote another golden chapter in their story to find out what feelings and impressions they’re taking from this win.

Pedro Graça: I think the first thing I felt was relief. It was something we’d been aiming for for a long time, and winning this title in Portugal, with a packed stadium and the whole crowd on our side, was very special.

For Peu Araújo, the emotional side was even stronger. Playing in Lisbon, his hometown, meant being close to his family, his girlfriend and his closest friends—an extra boost in a tournament that ended up becoming one of the most special of his season.

Peu Araújo: To be honest, this tournament was a bit more special than the ones we’ve played so far—at least for me—because it was in Lisbon, at home. And in the stands were some of the most important people in my life: my girlfriend, my family and my closest friends. I always want to win every tournament I play, but in this one I maybe had some extra motivation because of everything I’ve just told you.

The win wasn’t down to improvisation either. With David Pinto on the bench, the two of them studied their opponents before every match and worked on both the tactical side and the mental side.

Pedro Graça: Even though we know pretty much all our opponents quite well, before every match we sit down with David, who analyzes the opponent in more detail. We plan what we have to do in each match, the threats we’re going to face, and we also do mental preparation.

Peu Araújo: This tournament marked the start of my work with my new coach, David Pires, and honestly I’m very happy I made this decision. I consider David an exceptional coach—very professional and with huge room to grow. I’m really happy to have started working with him, and I think that showed in this tournament. I feel it’s been one of the championships where I prepared each match best and approached the competition in a more professional way. A big part –if not all– of the credit goes to David. So yes, we prepared the matches very well, and I’m glad it paid off.

In the final against Italy’s Marco Cassetta and Argentina’s Fabián Oviedo, played over three sets (6-3, 6-7, 6-2), the second set was a tricky moment for the Portuguese pair: after a tough tie-break, they had to regroup for the decisive set. Graça points to their return games as one of the keys to understanding how the match turned.

Pedro Graça: I felt we didn’t play well in our return games throughout the second set, and that was the main concern. We were very clear on the tactics, but we weren’t executing them well. That was the difference in the third set, where we managed to raise our level on return.

In tough moments, the encouragement from the stands can become the spark that shifts the mindset of the player on court and changes the course of a match. For Araújo, the support they’ve received in tournaments played in Portugal has become a source of energy for the pair. This time, playing in Lisbon, that backing felt even more unique.

Peu Araújo: I’ve said it several times and sometimes I worry it sounds like a cliché, but the truth is that this year, every time we’ve played in Portugal, Pedro and I have felt huge support. We’ve played at home—literally—in Lisbon, on the islands, in the north, in the south… And once again, I felt the crowd gave us extra motivation and helped us a lot. I’ve also played in atmospheres where the stands were against me, and I know the effect that can have. So I think, without a doubt, today the environment helped us.

The season is also giving them moments to treasure. In August, Araújo played in the Mediterranean Games, where, in the mixed category and alongside his sister Sofia, he won gold against Marco Cassetta and Giulia Dal Pozzo. For this final, fate had it that Peu and Marco would meet again. Beyond sporting respect, the two share a friendship that goes beyond the court. And, as Araújo admits, facing a friend is a bit complicated… and special.

Peu Araújo: It was pretty special. The truth is I’ve known Cassetta for a long time. I’ve played with him and I’ve even stayed at his house; I know part of his family, and he’s an incredible person. That’s why it’s always a bit complicated to face a friend, although at the same time it’s also special. In fact, one of the things that caught my attention was seeing one of the videos they later posted on social media and the way he was smiling at the end of the match. Obviously, I’m not going to say he was happy to lose or because I won, but I think it shows he’s a very positive person and in a very good mood. I’m very fond of him and I’m really happy for him.

With another title added to their trophy cabinet, both agree that, looking ahead to the end of the season, their goals are to keep improving, compete at the highest level possible and get good results in national and international tournaments. Among the latter are main draws on the Premier Padel circuit, as well as possible call-ups for the World Championships.

Pedro Graça: We’re really looking forward to playing in a Premier tournament main draw, and I’m sure that, sooner or later, that moment will come. I’m also excited, if everything goes well, to be able to play at the World Championships. It’s always been a personal goal, and it’s a very special competition for everything it represents.I can’t wait to represent Portugal in the biggest national-team competition in the world. As for the rest, I’m not really one to share my goals related to points, tournaments, rankings or training, although I have them very clearly defined.

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