The finals

The day of finals kicked off with a match between world-ranked No. 47 Marie Stephan, France’s top seed, and world-ranked No. 50 Marina Stefanoni, the USA’s No. 2 seed. Aware of Stephan’s strength at the back of the court, Stefanoni’s strategy was to focus her attacking shots at the front, forcing the French player to cover more ground. This included her signature boasts from deep in the court and some exceptional low drop shots. Stephan also lost points to stroke and no-let calls from the referee, which appeared to demotivate her. All three games followed a similar pattern, as reflected in the scores: 11-5, 11-5, 11-4. In the end, the women’s finalist was decided in a surprisingly quick 24-minute match, with Marina Stefanoni emerging victorious.

The second final featured Ronald Palomino of Colombia, the No. 5 seed, and Veer Chotrani of India, the No. 7 seed. Despite Chotrani’s precise attacking drops, Palomino showcased exceptional court coverage, stretching Chotrani to his limits. The pressure led to errors from Chotrani, including several shots sent to the tin, with Palomino taking the first game 11-8. Chotrani rebounded in the second game, applying pressure and mirroring Palomino’s strategy by moving the Colombian around the court. With improved confidence and fewer mistakes, Chotrani secured the second game 11-7. However, the final two games, each lasting under 10 minutes, saw Palomino regain control. His relentless volleys and deep, precise drives overwhelmed Chotrani, who struggled to keep up. Backed by enthusiastic applause from the crowd, Palomino sealed the match in 44 minutes, with scores of 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6.