The padel team if the Universitat de Valencia competed last week in the Spanish University Padel Championship, hold in Antequera (Malaga).
The team led by Jorge Bellmont attended the event with two couples, the male pair formed by Javier Santoja and Emilio Plantada and the female pair formed by Elena Molina and Paula Pastor.
The female team passed the group stage but fell in the quarter final, with no chance to fight for the medals.
The head coach explained that this Championship “it has left a weird sensation. On one hand, we are very happy with the attitude of our players in all the matches played. Competing at top level as a result of the hard and disciplined training. On the other hand, the bad news is that the luck was not on our side. Luck is of crucial importance. This is what we have learnt during our experience in the Spanish University Championships. Luck is always important not only during the Championship draw but also in group phases and quarter finals.”
Regarding the performances, Bellmont said that “women’s were from lowest to highest, they classified for the final stage and they won a hard match against Univerisdad Pablo Olavide in Seville. During the quarter finals they were playing a great game against Universidad Jaume I de Castellón, but they lost the third set 4-6 after almost 2 hours. Just one step away from reaching the semi-finals and the bronze medal. Men’s team could not get beyond the group phase. It saddened us deeply. They won against Universidad de Lleida and lost the other two matches after almost 2 hours and finally losing the third set 4-6 against Universidad de Burgos and also against Universidad Católica de Valencia. In our opinion they deserved and needed more luck and at least they deserved the chance to fight for medals.”
Regarding the aims of the team, the head coach added that “our aim now is to continue training every week as we are doing and next year we hope to attain the success that we are waiting.”
