We had a huge surprise in Madrid P1 as the “space-man” Leo Augsburger, together with the reborn Martin Di Nenno, lifted the trophy with a real show of strength – defeating all of the Top 3! It all started in the quarterfinals, where they comfortably knocked out Chingotto/Galán. In the semifinals, they managed to turn the match around and, in a third-set tiebreak, overcame the (up to that point very strong) Lebrón/Stupaczuk. Finally, in the grand final, they completed the miracle with yet another comeback, this time against the champions Coello/Tapia!
It is no small feat to beat all three top-ranked pairs in the same tournament, and that alone is a badge of honor. It’s also worth noting that this is only the second tournament they’ve played together, which means there is plenty of room for improvement in their partnership.
Champions not convincing
It wasn’t the best of tournaments for Coello/Tapia, the champions, as they struggled right from the start – both against Gala/Campagnolo and Alex/Víctor Ruiz. In the quarterfinals things got even tougher, winning only in a third set (both first sets went to tiebreak) against Arce/Lijó, who themselves were one of the pleasant surprises of the tournament.
In the semifinals, where one might expect them to face a tough challenge against the always dangerous Yanguas/Nieto, they won comfortably. But in the final – where it once again looked like they would somehow manage to prevail – they produced a recital of errors, while an unstoppable Augsburger across the net condemned them to yet another lost title.
The good news for them is that they played two more rounds than Chingotto/Galán, who are second in the rankings, which allowed them to significantly increase their lead. The worrying news, however, is that Tapia seemed to be in considerable pain in his elbow – something that could become a problem in the next event, a major, where the points at stake are much higher than in a regular tournament.
Chingalán in crisis?
Even though they looked particularly strong in the first two rounds, comfortably defeating the always combative Diestro/Esbrí, Chingotto/Galán met their match against Di Nenno/Augsburger. These are two very similar pairs: each has a full-on attacking player on the backhand and a defensive-oriented player on the forehand. The winners played better behind Chingotto, effectively neutralizing Galán.
The difference between them, of course, is that Chingotto/Galán have been together for a year and a half, while Di Nenno/Augsburger have only been paired for a month and a half. One would expect the opposite dynamic. In any case, the enthusiasm of the new duo clearly worked in their favor.
Inevitably, “Chingalán” exited early, watching their gap from the top increase. Unless they react quickly, things will get very difficult – even for the future of their partnership.
Cold shower for Lebrón/Stupa too
Lebrón/Stupa also had a strong tournament, looking particularly sharp and renewed up to the semifinals. In the quarters, they demolished the always-tough Sanz/Momo, and one could expect them this time to even fight for the title. Even in the semis, they started strong and looked in control, but somewhere along the way they lost it – and hit a wall.
Some consecutive mistakes at key moments of the third set cost them dearly, leading to elimination. Lebrón left the court visibly frustrated, in contrast to the always calm Stupa, who exchanged a few words with his friend Di Nenno, congratulating him on the victory.
What we saw from the rest
Among the other pairs, it was a poor tournament for both Tello/Cardona and Bergamini/Navarro (after a long time). Yanguas/Nieto once again reached their ceiling (the semifinals), while Sanz/Momo showed they still need work – remembering that Sanz had been sidelined for 1–2 months due to injury.
What to expect from the winners
There is no doubt that the victory of Di Nenno/Augsburger was a major achievement, but they still have a long road ahead to prove they are here to stay. Many factors – apart from their strong performance – played a role in their success: the court conditions (relatively fast), the fact they are a new pairing (so rivals haven’t fully figured out how to counter them tactically), and the less-than-perfect form of some opponents.
We should remember there was a one-month break beforehand, during which many players lost rhythm. We’ll see whether the pair can carry this momentum into the next tournament – the Paris Major, which is already underway – where both ranking points and prize money are much higher (though still far from tennis levels).
Surprises among the women too
In the women’s draw, we had another surprise (the same paradox we’ve mentioned before), as Fernández/González once again managed to beat the top-ranked Brea/Triay, who simply cannot find answers against this pair.
Claudia Fernández looks far more mature than last year (though still only 19 and a half), and combined with a fit Bea González (injury-free), they look particularly strong. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up fighting for the No.1 spot by the end of the season.
On the other hand, it was another disappointing tournament for champions Josemaría/Sánchez, who again fell victim to an upset in the quarterfinals against Salazar/Calvo, watching their gap from the top grow. It’s worth highlighting here the 17-year-old (!) Martina Calvo, who continues to impress and looks very much like the next big thing in women’s padel.
