Le  London Premier Padel P1  was marked by a new refereeing controversy, reigniting a debate that regularly resurfaces on the circuit  Premier Padel This time, it's the match between  Marta Ortega / Sofia Araújo  et  Nuria Rodríguez / Giulia Dal Pozzo  who got people talking.

A controversial refereeing decision, despite video review, caused several minutes of interruption and anger from  Nuria Rodríguez who didn't mince his words.

 A good ball… but a point replayed 

The action takes place while Ortega  et  Araújo  lead  6 / 3 3 / 1  and have a break point that could almost seal the match.

 Giulia Dal Pozzo  plays a ball very close to the net.  Sofia Araújo  immediately stops the rally by announcing the ball is out, quickly imitated by the chair umpire.

Rodríguez and  Giulia Dal Pozzo  then request video assistance.

The verdict is final:  the ball was good .

But instead of awarding the point to Rodríguez and Dal Pozzo, the referee decides… to have the point replayed.

A decision that immediately sparked the Spaniard's anger.

 "If you're going to steal from me at every tournament..." 

Very upset,  Nuria Rodríguez  requests the supervisor's intervention and strongly contests the decision.

For her, the rule is clear: since Sofia Araújo voluntarily stopped the point on a ball that was ultimately deemed good, the point should go to her team.

The Spaniard also points out that a similar situation had already occurred during the  Valladolid P2 where she felt she had been wronged.

As the minutes tick by, the tension mounts.

"If you're going to steal from me at every tournament, I swear I won't play anymore."

Rodríguez even goes so far as to question the level of officiating on the circuit, denouncing errors which, according to her, are repeated from tournament to tournament.

 Fair play from Ortega and Araújo 

Finally, the controversy subsided thanks to the gesture of the two adversaries.

Believing the claim to be justified,  Marta Ortega  et  Sofia Araújo  have chosen to  voluntarily concede the point  to Rodríguez and Dal Pozzo.

A gesture applauded by the spectators, which brought an end to the discussions.

 A controversy with no impact on the result 

From a sporting perspective, this decision ultimately did not change the outcome of the match.

A few exchanges later,  Ortega  et  Araújo  They nevertheless manage to break away before winning  6 / 3 6 / 2  and to confirm their qualification for the round of 16.

 The debate on arbitration has been reignited. 

Even though the players' fair play prevented the situation from escalating further, this episode reignites the debate on refereeing in  Premier Padel .

In recent months, several controversial decisions have fueled discussions around the use of VAR and the interpretation of the regulations.

More and more players are calling for harmonization of decisions and more resources for referees to prevent this type of situation from recurring during major events on the circuit.

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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