World Cup: Spain's Women Sweep Sweden, France Await in Doha Semis

Spain's women are two wins away from defending their world title, and so far nobody in Doha has taken a set off them. The defending champions beat Sweden 3-0 in Thursday's quarterfinal and will meet France in the semifinals on Friday at 12:00 Spanish time. At the same hour, eight-time champions Argentina take on Italy, completing a last four made up of the same four nations that remain in the men's draw, with France in place of Portugal.

Josemaría and González set the tone

Spain's coaching staff paired Paula Josemaría with Beatriz González for the first time at this World Cup, and the new partnership responded immediately with a 6-0, 6-1 win. Marta Ortega and Martina Calvo followed with a 6-0, 6-2 victory, before Andrea Ustero and Ariana Sánchez completed the sweep 6-1, 6-2.

Sweden, runners-up to Italy in their group, won just six games across six sets. According to French outlet Padel Magazine, none of the three Spanish matches lasted longer than 50 minutes.

The win keeps Spain's record in Doha spotless. After group-stage routs of Germany, Paraguay and Great Britain, they have yet to drop a set.

Argentina match Spain's ruthlessness

Argentina were just as dominant against Portugal. World No. 1 Delfina Brea and Claudia Jensen opened with a double bagel, 6-0, 6-0. Aranzazu Osoro and Martina Fassio won 6-1, 6-3, and Virginia Riera and Julieta Bidahorria closed the 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-0 win.

Their semifinal opponents Italy needed only two matches to get past Brazil. Giulia Dal Pozzo and Stellato beat Piltcher and Abbud De Barros 6-0, 6-2, and Sussarello and Aima held off Cirne and Giusti Gomes 6-1, 7-6(5). It is Italy's fifth straight World Championship semifinal, according to Padel Magazine Italia.

France back in the last four

France's 2-0 win over the Netherlands is a statement of recovery. Alix Collombon and Louise Bahurel beat Janine Hemmes and Tess de Vocht 6-0, 6-3 in 1 hour 19 minutes. Carla Touly and Lucile Pothier then edged a tight first set against Marcella Koek and Bo Luttikhuis before winning 7-6, 6-2. Léa Godallier and Clara Mansart were not needed.

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The result is a big step for the team coached by Juan Alday. France finished seventh in 2022 and left the 2024 edition disappointed, so a semifinal place, and with it a guaranteed spot in at least the bronze medal match, marks real progress.

What's at stake on Friday

Spain against France looks like a mismatch on paper, and Padel Magazine frames it as a prestige semifinal that France can treat as valuable experience rather than a must-win. The more open semifinal could be Argentina against Italy, whose teams also met in the 2024 semifinals.

A Spain-Argentina final would put the two dominant forces of women's padel against each other once again. Both women's semifinals start at 12:00 Spanish time, four hours before the men's semifinals.