Italy Major: Women's semi-final set in Rome

At the Italy Major 2026 at the Foro Italico in Rome, the women's semi-finalists are now known. After two compelling quarter-finals, Paula Josemaría and Bea González will face Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero. While the second seeds had to battle through three sets in the first match, the other top duo dominated convincingly and sent a strong message to the rest of the field. The season's first Major now enters a decisive phase where experience, momentum and form all matter equally.

Josemaría and González survive the Ortega test

For Paula Josemaría and Bea González, seeded second in the world, the quarter-final against Marta Ortega and Martina Calvo started promisingly. In the first set, the favourites looked in control from the outset, applied early pressure and took the set 6-2. Ortega and Calvo struggled to find answers to the Spaniards' aggressive game and often seemed a step too late.

However, the picture changed completely in the second set. Driven by a particularly inspired Martina Calvo, the Ortega/Calvo pair returned with much more offensive intent. Calvo hit repeatedly with precision and purpose, while Ortega consistently blocked Bea González's attacks. Suddenly the match looked wide open and the seeds came under pressure. With a clear 6-2, Ortega and Calvo levelled and forced Josemaría and González into a decider.

In the third set, the experience of the world number two pair showed. In the tighter moments, Josemaría and González stayed calmer, found better solutions under pressure and regained control at the right time. With a 6-3 win, they secured victory and a place in the semi-finals. That extended their remarkable run to a 22nd consecutive victory on tour.

Sánchez and Ustero without a weak phase

In the other quarter-final, Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero delivered one of the most convincing performances of this Italy Major week. Against Marta Barrera and Jimena Velasco, both looked focused and dominant from the start. The fast conditions at the Foro Italico suited Ustero's power and Sánchez's net intelligence perfectly.

Ustero constantly kept her shots under pressure, while Sánchez controlled the tempo and put the opponents' serves under immediate stress. Barrera and Velasco found few opportunities to get into the match. They lost the first set 6-1, and the second followed the same pattern: Sánchez and Ustero stayed consistent, allowed no recovery phases and closed out 6-2.

After just over an hour of play, their semi-final place was secured. For Sánchez and Ustero, it was clear confirmation of their upward trend in Rome. Since the start of the tournament, they have looked increasingly confident and rank among the best-form teams of this edition.

A semi-final with high tension

The second women's semi-final at the Italy Major 2026 brings two different strengths onto court. On one side, Josemaría and González with their long winning streak and their ability to win tight matches. On the other, Sánchez and Ustero, who have barely been troubled in Rome and look especially dangerous in the fast conditions.

The clash combines experience and consistency with dynamism and offensive power. Josemaría and González have repeatedly shown this season that they keep their composure in key moments. Sánchez and Ustero, meanwhile, currently look like one of the best pairs of the week and should enter the match full of confidence.

For the crowd at the Foro Italico, this encounter should be one of the highlights of the tournament week. Both pairs play at a high level, know each other from international competition and understand the importance of the season's first Major title. Whoever wins will likely need top form to succeed in the final.

Rome as the stage of decision

The Italy Major 2026 in Rome is developing into an exciting race for the season's first Major title in the women's draw. Josemaría/González and Sánchez/Ustero meet after taking different paths to the semi-finals: one through a tough three-set battle, the other through a dominant two-set performance.

Ortega and Calvo are out, but showed they can seriously challenge top pairs. Barrera and Velasco leave the tournament in the quarter-finals, while Sánchez and Ustero remain serious title contenders. For Josemaría and González, the streak of 22 consecutive wins remains the central narrative – and the biggest challenge they must preserve in Rome.

The semi-final at the Foro Italico will show whether the experience and consistency of the second seeds are enough, or whether Sánchez and Ustero can turn their strong form in Rome into a final place. Either way, a high-class padel match awaits that impressively underlines the quality of the Premier Padel calendar.