The crown contenders strike first in the World Padel Tour
A change of cycle is possible in padel after the number one seeds were defeated in Abu Dhabi
The race is on in the World Padel Tour. Last weekend saw the beginning of the biggest professional padel circuit on the planet, which is in its tenth anniversary. Abu Dhabi was the venue for the first Master’s of the season which was full of shocking results – meaning the gap between players is not as high as it used to be.
A promising debut
The number two seeds couldn’t have started the campaign in better spirits, as they lifted the title and sent a warning to the current best pairings in the world.
The promising Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia demonstrated they could potentially fight to be number one this season after a masterclass of power and efficiency on the court. They became the youngest team to ever lift a World Padel Tour trophy after beating top ranked Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón 7-6, 6-3. They didn’t concede a single set in the whole tournament and showed a very solid net game, making the right decisions in key moments.
The Argentinian reverse – the term used to describe those who play on their backhand – player took the reins in the final, as his teammate Coello made unforced errors in the opening stages of the game. The talented duo started dominating the match, but the number one seeds reacted to send the first set into a tie-break. In that instance, the accuracy on volleys and smashes was key for the Spanish-Argentine to secure the first set.
Tapia and Coello started the second in a promising way with two breaks in a row making it 4-0 on the scoreboard. Lebrón and Galán didn’t adapt to playing outdoors, making mistakes, sending low shots into the glass and failing to earn points with smashes, usually their best weapon.
The number two seeds took advantage of the situation and, despite conceding a break, they ended up winning the game, showing aggression at the net and an ability to endure long rallies.
In the women’s draw, Paula Josemaría and Ariana Sánchez displayed an impressive performance to lift the trophy, not conceding more than three games in any set during the tournament. In the final, they faced current number ones Gemma Triay and Alejandra Salazar, who were 23 games unbeaten.
The latter duo started by leading the match with a break, but Josemaría showed her quality with impressive smashes and bandejas – the most common shot in padel, similar to a tennis serve – making their opponents spend the whole first set defending near the glass at the back of the court. Her teammate, Sánchez, also showed a solid performance to take the first set 6-2.
In the second, Triay and Salazar were more consistent but ended up conceding a break that brought their rivals closer to the title. The number two seeds demonstrated their winning desire and achieved a second and definitive break with the score at 5-3 to secure their first win of the season.
This success signals a warning for Triay and Salazar, who steal them the ranking’s number one in the last tournament of the past season after a thrilling final in Barcelona.
Exciting reunions
The bright, new team ‘Superpibes’ formed of Di Nenno and Franco Stupaczuck reached the semifinals mixing a tactic based on trying to make clinical low shots and an impressive ability to end winning hard-earned points. Galán and Lebrón had to dig deep to beat them in the third set, which means the Argentine duo could be ready to fight for the top spot this campaign if they are able to demonstrate consistency.
On the other hand, Fernando Belasteguín and Sanyo Gutiérrez started their second chapter together, as they were a team in the 2020/21 season but ended up parting ways. They are two of the best players in padel history and fans love watching them together as they mix their experience with magic. Their quality allowed them to reach the quarter finals, where the ‘Superpibes’ ultimately ended their journey at Abu Dhabi.
Ones to watch
The pairing formed of Gonzalo Rubio and Javier Ruiz was one of the surprises of the tournament, making it to the semifinals with a great defence and understanding of the game. They defeated one of the crowd’s favourites Paquito Navarro and Juan Tello in the round of 32, Jorge Ruiz and Javier Rico in the last 16 and Iván Ramírez and Pablo Cardona in the quarter finals.
In the female circuit, Jessica Castelló and Claudia Jensen did the same as they reached the semifinals for the first time in World Padel Tour at the ages of only 25 and 18. They declared themselves potential candidates for the third spot of the ranking thanks to the quality of their volleys and ability to win points from the back of the court.
Next stop: Oredoo
The show isn’t over as this weekend Qatar hosts the Oredoo Major of the Premier Padel circuit, now the main competitor of World Padel Tour. Only male players are competing in the tournament, as the sport’s women continue to negotiate a contract to bring the female circuit to Premier Padel.
The company Qatar Sports Investments, led by PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, is behind Premier Padel, which is taking advantage from the existing legal case between World Padel Tour and the world’s best players.
Despite this, it seems both circuits could reach an agreement to unite forces and create what could be a unique tour after hearing the players, who think having to face 35 tournaments in a season is excessive. That’s why the World Padel Tour and Premier Padel released an official statement recently on social media explaining that they will be meeting to discuss the future of padel in the coming weeks.
