For a month now, the reigning Italian champions have returned to play together, starting off immediately very strong. “I was afraid it wouldn’t be like before – said Simone -, instead the alchemy and the charge have remained the same”. They set important goals: to win FIP titles and above all to get on the podium in Krakow.
Time passes, new hungry and talented young people arrive, but in the universe of Italian padel Simone Cremona always remains on the top floors, with the same grit and determination as when he started playing seven years ago. After having conquered various Italian titles and many other important results (including the victory at the Master of the Slam by Mini circuit in 2022), the player from Piacenza does not want to let go and, on the contrary, continues to work to grow and get higher and higher.
For this reason, the national player (number 116 in the FIP ranking and eighth in the Italian ranking), who has the dream of participating in the Olympic Games – in the event that padel should become a Five Circles sport – and reaching the top -30, he is continuing to train constantly, both in Milan and in Valladolid (Spain) with coach Gustavo Pratto, where he goes at least one week a month.
“In recent years – says Simone speaking of the growth of padel in the Bel Paese – the level has really risen and there are many young guys who are making their way to the top. But I am always competitive, every season I feel I have to defend the national title and past results, and the fact that there are constantly new valuable players stimulates me to continue to do better.”
The greatest recent triumphs of the expert blue player have certainly been those in the last two stages of the Slam by MINI circuit. In the first case, in Trani, the native of Codogno won the title together with Aris Patiniotis (beating Riccardo Sinicropi and Giulio Graziotti in the final), while in the second, in Osimo, he won together with Marco Cassetta, overcoming in the last act Lorenzo Di Giovanni and Daniele Cattaneo. “I am very happy with these results. They make me understand that I’m on the right track and that I have to continue like this.”
The second hit, in particular, had a special flavour, as it arrived as a pair with Cassetta. The latter was Simone’s partner for more than a year, before deciding at the beginning of this season to try a new adventure. “In January 2023, during my preparation in Spain, Marco called me and told me that he wanted to try to change projects and start playing with Chico Gomes. Obviously, I respected his choice, but I admit that I was immediately disappointed, mostly because we did very well last year and I thought it would be very useful for both of us to continue growing together.”
The two thus started this season apart, but then, after a short period of rehearsals for both, everything fell back into place. “A month ago – continues the Emilian – we spoke, we discussed and we decided to go back to playing together”. And now the two have no intention of splitting again. “We will play together in the next stages of the Slam by MINI circuit, the Italian Championships and also on the international circuit. United we can do great things. There is chemistry on the field. At the beginning I was afraid that going back to playing together wouldn’t be like before, but the alchemy and the drive remained the same and the victory in Osimo confirmed it “.
Cremona and Cassetta have already planned the entire season together and have also outlined their next goals. “We aim to win a FIP Promotion and Rise – declares the native of Codogno -. We have the qualities to make it and we will try. As for the standings, however, the goal is to get closer to the top 80. The year is still long and if we play well and get some positive results we can do it”.
A very important tournament for the Italian champion couple will obviously be the Italy Major Premier Padel, from 8 to 16 July at the Foro Italico, a very useful opportunity to understand how their growth is proceeding. “The first wish – Simone continues – is to be able to receive a wild card again for the main draw, to then hope for a not impossible first round that can allow us to aspire to the round of 32”. A milestone already achieved in the Premier Padel in Milan last December.
Before the second edition of the Roman Major, however, we need to think about the eagerly awaited European Games in Krakow (June 21-25), where Simone will have the honor – paired with Cassetta, with Sinicropi/Graziotti as another blue duo – of represent Italy in the event that will mark the entry of the padel. “We know that there won’t be the big Spanish players – he says -, so the goal is to win medals”. In addition to the men’s doubles, there will also be mixed doubles, in which there will be only two men competing, coupled with as many women. Simone, in the past champion of Italy in the specialty four times (always with Giulia Sussarello), hopes to be able to find a place, to aspire to another important result that would further enrich a career with very few equals on the national scene.
Source: www.fitp.it