Men’s Day1: big wins for the Netherlands and Germany! Argentina and Spain get off to a good start

The Dutch beat France and Germany overcome Chile: two victories in the third tie, highlighting the rising level of national teams and the widening horizons of international padel. Italy and Portugal also make a good start

 

DOHA – There was a special atmosphere on Court 5, with the stands packed and crowds gathered around the court. It was here that reigning men’s world champions Argentina made their debut at the FIP World Cup 2026. At the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, the Albiceleste made a flying start, winning all three ties against Australia. Franco Stupaczuk and Fede Chingotto got things underway with a 6-1 6-1 win over Bechard/Melisi; Leo Augsburger and Martin Di Nenno then beat Zelba/Navarro without dropping a game. The final point came from Gonza Alfonso and Maxi Arce, who defeated Brown/Velickovic 6-1 6-0.

 

The clash between France and the Netherlands, the other Group A fixture, went right down to the final match. The Oranje got the first breakthrough as Sten Richters and Thijs Roper beat Guichard/Fonteny 6-1 7-5. France hit back through Maxime Joris and Johan Bergeron, who defeated Meijer/Nolten 1-6 6-3 7-5, before Bart Van Opstal and Julian Prins secured the decisive point against Leygue/Blanqué, winning 6-4 1-6 6-3.

 

The head-to-head between France and the Netherlands is one example of how the gap between national teams is gradually narrowing. The same signal came from the match between Sweden and Spain, where Willy Slaryd and Adam Axelsson pushed Mike Yanguas and Aimar Goñi to a third set, and from the clash between Chile and Germany, which was only decided in the third tie. These results reflect a growing sport and an increasingly broad international footprint for padel. In Group B, Spain still managed a 3-0 win. Alongside Yanguas and Goñi (6-7 7-5 6-2), Arturo Coello and Paquito Navarro (6-3 6-2 against Vasquez/Windahl) and Juan Lebron with Jon Sanz (6-0 6-2 against Olsson/Frost) also secured victories on Day1. Paraguay also recorded a clean sweep against the United Arab Emirates, with wins from Mariano Gonzalez and Samuel Miltos, Matias Fernandez/Sebastian Rodriguez, and Martin Abud/Facundo Dehnike.

 

Christian Bohenke and Nick Merten (2-6 6-3 6-4 against Muñoz/Campos) came from behind to seal Germany‘s victory over Chile in Group C, following the opening win by Agustin Reca and Matthias Wunner (6-1 4-6 6-3) and the equaliser from Javi Valdes and Cristobal Molina (6-4 7-6 against Lindmeyer/Fitzon). Portugal also claimed two points in Group C, beating Qatar 3-0. The winners were Pedro Araujo and Pedro Graça (6-2 6-2 against Saadon Alkuwari/Waly), Diogo Jesus and Pedro Perry (6-4 6-4 against Rashed and Mashari Nawaf), and the Deus brothers, who beat Aljufairi/Alharrasi 6-3 6-1.

 

 

Italy also made a strong start in Group D. Alvaro Montiel and Simone Cremona claimed the first win against the USA (6-3 7-5 against Humphreys/Osses Konig), followed by Aris Patiniotis and Giulio Graziotti (6-2 6-2 against Di Francesco/Segura) and Marco Cassetta/Simone Iacovino, who beat De Armas/Ruiz Alvarez 6-1 6-3. Brazil also beat Mexico without dropping a tie: Matheus De Avila Simonato and Joao Pedro Flores secured the first win (6-4 6-1 against Montoya/Rivero), followed by Lucas Bergamini and Diogo Correa (7-6 6-3 against Torre/Arredondo), and Julio Julianoti with Stefano Palma Flores (6-1 6-3 against Padilla/Amora Hernandez).