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Top four hold firm, but Sánchez and Ustero are pushed to the limit
The men's draw at the Kuwait Major lost three favourites in the quarter-finals. The women's draw went the other way. All four top seeds won on Thursday, 29 October, at The Arena Kuwait, which sets up two heavyweight semi-finals on Friday. One of the four results was very close.
Third seeds Ariana Sánchez and Andrea Ustero beat sixth seeds Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 after 2 hours and 53 minutes, according to Padel Magazine. Icardo and Jensen controlled the first set. In the decider they led 1-3, and Spanish reports say Sánchez and Ustero saved break points at that stage before turning it around. Diari de Tarragona, from Sánchez's home region, called it "a match worth framing".
A ninth meeting with Josemaría and González
The win sends Sánchez and Ustero into the most loaded match of the women's tournament: a semi-final against second seeds Paula Josemaría and Beatriz González. The second seeds beat 13th seeds Lorena Rufo and Victoria Iglesias 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 29 minutes.
The rivalry is very even. According to Padel Magazine, the two pairs have met eight times in 2026 and each has won four. Sánchez and Ustero have won the last two: 6-4, 6-4 at the Rotterdam P2 and 7-6, 6-3 in the Milano P1 final. Their Italy Major semi-final earlier this season lasted more than four hours and went to Sánchez and Ustero 5-7, 7-6, 7-6. Sánchez and Josemaría are former partners and former world number ones, which adds a personal edge. Spanish outlets point out that Friday's result could directly affect the race for the women's number one ranking.
Triay and Brea, Calvo and Fernández cruise
The other two quarter-finals were over quickly. Top seeds Gemma Triay and Delfina Brea beat Nuria Rodríguez and Giulia Dal Pozzo 6-1, 6-0. That ended a strong week for Rodríguez and Dal Pozzo, who had come through a three-hour battle in the round of 16 to reach the last eight.
The same score came on the next court. Claudia Fernández and Martina Calvo needed just 57 minutes to beat Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo 6-1, 6-0. Their consistency as a pair continues: according to Argentine outlet News Digitales, Fernández and Calvo have reached at least the semi-finals in all eight tournaments they have played together.
Kuwait Major: Rodríguez and Dal Pozzo Win Three-Hour Battle
Friday's women's semi-finals
Ariana Sánchez / Andrea Ustero vs Paula Josemaría / Beatriz González – first match on centre court, 14:00 local time
Gemma Triay / Delfina Brea vs Claudia Fernández / Martina Calvo – third match of the session
The winners meet in Saturday's final on 31 October. It will be the first women's title decided at a Kuwait Major, the event's debut on the Premier Padel calendar. Triay and Brea come in as the top seeds and on the strongest form of the week, having dropped just one game in their quarter-final.
