The fall of the giants. Gonzalez-Fernandez triumph, with Di Nenno the Augsburger’s first time

Even giants fall. The Premier Padel Comunidad de Madrid P1 ended without victory for the number 1 pairs in both draws: in the women’s draw, the number 3 pair, Bea Gonzalez and Claudia Fernandez, won, while in the men’s draw was the time of the number 7, Martin Di Nenno and Leo Augsburger, a pair who have only been playing together for two tournaments (before Madrid, they made their debut in Tarragona) but who were able to win a title by beating the top three seeded pairs. For Augsburger, world champion with Argentina in Qatar (Di Nenno was also on that team), it’s also his first title in his career on the Premier Padel circuit.

MEN Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan in the quarter-finals, Juan Lebron and Franco Stupaczuk in the semi-finals, Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia in the final. Di Nenno and Augsburger had an extraordinary week, marked by great victories, the last one in three sets against a pair that had lifted the last four trophies this season. Coello and Tapia had also won the first set 6-4, but the mix of the two Argentines is proving to be a magic formula. After breaking at 5-3 to take the match to a third set, Di Nenno and Augsburger were able to win the last three games of the match with a break at 5-4 and a smash from Leo that closed out the tournament (4-6 6-3 6-4), leaving the young Argentine in tears. “I don’t find words to explain these emotions – said Augsburger –. I will never forget this week. Thanks to everyone who supported us, but thanks to Martin who, as well as being a partner, is also a friend and a motivator”. Di Nenno regained a Premier Padel title that he had been missing for over a year: he won in Finland paired with Lebron: “We worked as a team to achieve this goal, we never stopped dreaming. We wanted this title”.

WOMEN Comeback in the men’s final, comeback in the women’s one. Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay keep their lead in the FIP ranking and will be seeded number 1 at next week’s Paris Major, but the title – the third of the season after Asuncion and Malaga – was won by Claudia Fernandez (champion at home, a special title for her as she was born in Madrid) and Bea Gonzalez, who redeemed herself after retiring in last year’s final when she was playing alongside Delfi Brea. It ended 3-6 6-1 6-4 after a two-hour and 35-minute battle, in which the Argentinean and the Spanish started well before a dip in the second set took the match to a decider, where a break in the ninth game turned the match in favour of the number 3 seeds. “We played very well – said a delighted Bea –. We didn’t start the match well, but we did well to stay in the match and find the strength to come back”. “Winning at home, in front of my family and many friends, is a special feeling”, added Claudia, on her ninth Premier Padel title after the six she won last year with Triay.

From one capital to another, from Madrid to Paris: Roland Garros is ready to reopen its doors to padel for the third Major of the season, starting on Monday with the qualifiers. The main draw runs from Tuesday to Sunday.