ALVARO Guerrero has backed the British women’s team to bounce back from the disappointment of their elimination from the World Championship European qualifiers.
Team GB found a Swedish side inspired by former World No.1 Carolina Navarro just too experienced and too good but can hold their heads up high after they came up short despite gutsy efforts in both ties.
In the opening encounter Hansie Ruddick and Claire Smith were beaten 6-2, 6-2 before Navarro and Amanda Girdo defeated Tia Norton and Lisa Phillips 6-1, 6-2 to rubber-stamp the Swedish passports for the trip to Dubai.
Reflecting on his side’s efforts Alvaro was sanguine: “I am really proud of the team they were up against a world-class side inspired by one of the strongest World No.1s in recent years in Carolina Navarro but the girls gave it everything and the great thing is they will learn from this experience.
“Our girls were competitive and they did really well. I am not happy that we lost and that we had got to within one match of qualification for the World Championships but we will only get better from the experiences we gained from this match.
“Sweden train hard, they work hard and they are focussed in every minute and our girls have had the chance to learn from them and watch how they go about their business from the other side of the net.
“That is invaluable and we will build from this weekend and come back stronger.”
Projecting forward Guerrero is already looking towards the next European Championships which are yet to be confirmed for 2023.
With the Team GB Head Coach hugely impressed by the feast of action which the World Championship European Qualifiers have thrown up, and the tournament organised and sanctioned by FIP whose Chief Sports Officer Jose Maria Catalan is the Tournament Director, Alvaro is hoping that We Are Padel Derby has put itself firmly in the shop window for the European Championships.
He said: “We don’t know yet but we hope that next year in 2023 we will have the European Championships. The last one was held in Marbella in Spain but we have just had an amazing weekend of padel here in Derby and this tournament was organised by FIP.
“So, maybe they might like to come back and hold the Europeans here, I really hope so. This has been a huge step for padel in the UK and considering this was the first time we had an event of this size it has gone so well.
“We Are Padel Derby is a great venue and I have no doubt they would do a great job if the Europeans were to be in the UK.”
