Tamara Icardo has not been able to regain the title she won last year, losing in the final against the number 1 couple in the world ranking. The Spanish-Argentine duo did not make it easy for Ale Salazar and Gemma Triay. The display of strokes and defence from both pairings offered a spectacular fight to win every point during a match that lasted 3 hours and 31 minutes and thrilled the Valencian crowd.

It was a heart-stopping final and, although on this occasion the Valencian player was unable to win the title, she showed she was at a great level after her injury, from which she says she is 80% recovered. “I'm giving 100% of my 80% and focusing on enjoying myself,” said Tamara. We saw her on the court with more desire to play than ever and showing, as always, a positive attitude based on effort and dedication. 

At 25 years old, the Valencian player and graduate of the Universitat de València's track record goes beyond the two World Padel Tour titles (Santander and València), she can also boast of being the first Valencian in history to be called up to the Spanish national team and has recently been awarded the sports merit award by the València City Council.

Tamara studied at the Faculty of Teacher Training of the Universitat de València, where she graduated in 2020. She remembers her time as a student fondly, but she also remembers the great effort it took to combine both careers: “Training 4 or 5 hours a day and at the same time facing projects, exams, assignments... it wasn't easy, in the USA they give more facilities to elite athletes, but it was still worth it and when I retire from padel I will be happy to work as a teacher in a school”.

Throughout this edition of the World Padel Tour, Tamara has returned to the Universitat de València, which has been one of the locations of the international tournament. “When I studied Education at the Universitat de València, I used to train at the Tarongers Campus, as well as at my club. It is a comfort for me to be able to play at the UV facilities and at the ‘Fonteta’, victories at home always taste better", says the Valencian. 

Backhand player, with a height of 1.78 metres, she is ranked 10th in the world padel ranking. But it has not all been successes in Tamara’s sports career, this season started with an injury to her right hand that prevented her from competing. “In those moments is when you have to show mental strength, injuries are part of an athlete’s life, you have to be patient with rehabilitation, gain confidence little by little, recover and come back stronger. Once on the court, if I feel any discomfort I try not to think about it and above all I try to unblock the bad memories of when I got injured”, explains Tamara. 

Effort, discipline and hard work are part of Tamara’s philosophy of life, qualities that have brought her to the top of the world of padel, in tandem with the Argentinean player: “I live in Valencia, I love this city and I do not consider moving, but I travel a lot to Madrid to work with Delfina. It is a great effort, but the good thing is that all the work we are doing is paying off and giving us good results, we are really enjoying it”, she explains. 

With the World Padel Tour over, Tamara is very sure about what comes next: “My objective is to focus on continuing to work, recovering 100% from the injury, feeling comfortable, finding my game again, recovering my sensations and above all enjoying myself”, says the padel champion.