FIP Silver Narbonne: semi-finals and final pair

The semi-finals at the FIP Silver Narbonne have determined the two finalists. For Benjamin Tison and Ferran Insa Sotillo, the tournament ended before the grand final: after their spectacular quarter-final upset of the top seed, the Frenchman and the Spaniard fell to Maximo Jesus Maldonado and Franco Dal Bianco. The sixth seeds dominated 6-3, 6-0. In the second semi-final, Martin Abud and Marcos Gonzalez Blanco prevailed after a marathon duel against Francisco Cabeza Teres and Mariano Gonzalez San Martin.

The FIP Silver in Narbonne ranks among the most important stops on the international men's circuit in France. On Sunday, the crowd in the southern French city witnessed a day full of contrasts: clear dominance in the first match and a nerve-racking three-set drama in the second.

Maldonado and Dal Bianco too strong for Tison and Insa

For Tison and Insa, the path to the semi-finals was already a fairytale run. The day before, they had beaten Maxi Sanchez and Juan Ignacio Rubini as the top seed. Against Maldonado and Dal Bianco, the question was whether the Franco-Spanish pair could carry that momentum forward.

The opening phase initially looked promising. Tison and Insa focused their attacks on Maximo Jesus Maldonado, who on paper appeared to be the more attackable player in the Argentine pairing. But that plan never really worked. Instead of buckling under pressure, Maldonado delivered one of the best individual performances of the tournament. The Argentine retrieved seemingly impossible balls, produced highlights and systematically smothered the attacks of Tison and Insa.

The tactical focus on Maldonado was understandable, yet the Argentine became the decisive factor as the match progressed. He covered the entire court, kept the Franco-Spanish offence in check and gave his partner Dal Bianco the calm needed to strike precisely whenever an opportunity arose.

Surgical precision from Dal Bianco

Alongside Maldonado, Franco Dal Bianco also looked highly dangerous. The former number one on the A1 Padel circuit struck precisely and effectively whenever he entered the rallies. His plus-minus ratio of plus 14 documented the quality of his contributions. The 6-3, 6-0 scoreline reflected the superiority of the sixth seeds – in the second set, Tison and Insa could not win a single game.

Tison and Insa without the sharpness of the day before

Compared with the quarter-final against Sanchez and Rubini, Tison and Insa looked significantly less sharp. They were less solid, less impactful in key moments and failed to reproduce the intensity with which they had knocked the tournament's top seed out on Saturday.

Nevertheless, the tournament balance sheet for Tison and Insa remains extremely positive. The victory over Sanchez and Rubini as the top seed was a prestige success. Across the entire event they showed a level well above expectations.

Individual high-quality rallies and brief phases of strong offence were not enough for Tison and Insa to seriously keep pace with the in-form Argentine pairing. The semi-final exit was less a setback than the end of a week in which they established themselves as serious contenders.

Abud and Gonzalez defeat the second seed

The second semi-final offered a completely different picture. Francisco Cabeza Teres and Mariano Gonzalez San Martin as the second seeds faced Martin Abud and Marcos Gonzalez Blanco as the third seeds. What followed was a marathon over three sets.

What followed kept spectators on the edge of their seats until the final decision. Abud and Gonzalez Blanco won the first set in the tie-break 7-6, Cabeza Teres and Gonzalez San Martin took the second in the tie-break as well, 7-6. In the decisive third set, Abud and Gonzalez Blanco looked more focused and precise in the critical moments and won 6-3.

Final: Maldonado/Dal Bianco vs Abud/Gonzalez Blanco

The final brings together two pairings that reached the title match by different routes. Maldonado and Dal Bianco present themselves as the favourites on paper after a dominant semi-final performance. Abud and Gonzalez Blanco have shown they can keep their composure in long matches.

Both finalists have already shown in Narbonne that they can compete at the highest level. Maldonado and Dal Bianco impressed with dominant semi-final authority, while Abud and Gonzalez Blanco proved their strength in a long and mentally demanding match.

The final will be broadcast live on Padel Mag TV, with play starting at 5 p.m. For both finalist pairings, a significant title on the FIP circuit and valuable ranking points are at stake in Narbonne.

Semi-final results at a glance

• Semi-final 1: Maximo Jesus Maldonado / Franco Dal Bianco (TS6) beat Benjamin Tison / Ferran Insa Sotillo 6-3, 6-0
• Semi-final 2: Martin Abud / Marcos Gonzalez Blanco (TS3) beat Francisco Cabeza Teres / Mariano Gonzalez San Martin (TS2) 7-6, 6-7, 6-3
• Final: Maldonado / Dal Bianco (TS6) vs Abud / Gonzalez Blanco (TS3)
• Broadcast: Live on Padel Mag TV from 5 p.m.