LIST: Here are the stars of each top team (Women)
With just weeks left until the European Padel Championship 2024, the excitement is building. In this list, Padel Alto highlights the most important players for each top team, players who can significantly impact their team's performance. With experience and tactical insights, these players are incredibly valuable to their teams. We cover the top five countries according to the FIP rankings and have also chosen to include Portugal.
Spain: Marta Ortega
There are many players in the Spanish team who could be considered the most important. Given that any of these players would be a top player in any other team, it's not an easy choice. However, we have chosen to highlight Marta Ortega. She is one of the best players in the world and has proven this over the past year, especially with a standout Major victory.
Ortega was also a key player in the last World Championship where Spain won quite comfortably. This year's Spanish team is very exciting with many talents and rising stars, and we believe Ortega will be able to contribute valuable experience and tactical knowledge during the championship. It will be interesting to see how the coach sets up the Spanish team. It's possible that Ortega will play alongside one of the young talents, which could provide an important learning experience for the future.
France: Alix Collombon
It’s a relatively easy choice in the French women's team. Alix Collombon is their best player and has been crucial for the development of French padel in recent years. She has been a role model for many players. The 31-year-old has reached several round of 16s in Premier Padel this year and is ranked 34th in the world.
Collombon will be part of France’s top team and regardless of who she partners with, they will be a tough team to beat if she plays at her best level. The French women’s team reached the finals in the last championship, and if they can repeat this success it would be impressive. Alix Collombon will be a player for other teams to watch out for.
Italy: Carolina Orsi
Carolina Orsi is the best Italian player and has made significant progress on the international stage over the past year. Last year, she became the first Italian player to reach a quarterfinal on the world tour – a huge step for the entire Italian padel community. Italy took bronze in the last championship, and to repeat this achievement, Orsi needs to be in top form and share her insights with the other players.
Orsi's major advantage compared to other players on her team is that she regularly competes against some of the best in the world. This provides valuable lessons that can be crucial in key matches. It’s also worth highlighting that the Italian team has star coach Marcela Ferrari as their technical director and head coach. Her and Orsi's experience will be important for the team.
Sweden: Carolina Navarro Björk
Having been the world number one in padel for nine years and a twelve-time Spanish champion, the choice is obvious. In the Swedish team, we have chosen Carolina Navarro Björk. Her importance was clearly seen in the 2022 World Championship, where she made significant contributions both in play and with tactical insights. Swedish coach Mari Andersson has stated in an interview with PadelDirekt that she learns a lot from the experienced player.
Carolina Navarro Björk will contribute enormously to the Swedish team, both in play and through her experience from winning championships.
Belgium: Helena Wyckaert
In the Belgian team, we have chosen to highlight Helena Wyckaert. Over the past year, Wyckaert has participated in numerous FIP tournaments and qualified for the world tour, where she has reached the main rounds several times.
Belgium enters the championship as the fifth-ranked team, meaning they will face some of the best players early in the group stage. To go far in the championship, they must maintain a high level of play, and Helena Wyckaert’s performance will be crucial. She needs to be at her best for Belgium to compete for top placements.
Portugal: Sofia Araújo
The easiest choice on this list is Portugal, where we have chosen Sofia Araújo. The best Portuguese player has shown that she belongs to the world elite over the past year. She is ranked 12th in the world and will be able to contribute incredible quality both in play and with valuable insights for the team.
Portugal had to qualify for the competition a few weeks ago and demonstrated that they belong in a championship. They enter the competition as one of the candidates to win medals. For this to happen, Sofia Araújo must perform at a high level and secure victories in her matches, giving the team a strong position to build on.
