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From 13 to 20 May, the Asunción padel tournament in Paraguay brought together the world's best pairs. As the one and only tournament of the year in Paraguay for Premier Padel players, it lived up to all expectations with great entertainment and a thrilling finish. Here is a look back at an action-packed week.
The rise of a formidable pair!
In the women's draw, we are currently witnessing a power grab from a pair determined to shake up the hierarchy established last year. Delfi Brea (born in 1999) and Bea Gonzalez (born in 2001) once again fired on all cylinders to claim the title in this tournament. However, they sometimes struggled to impose their game, notably in the quarter-finals where they eventually won 7-6 in the third set against Riera - Araujo. They then made their way to the final by knocking out Ortega - Virseda, where the world number ones, Josémaria - Sanchez, were expected.
Instead, it was the pair of Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez who stepped up, buoyed by their massive hard-fought win against the ranking leaders in the semi-finals. Combining the experience of Gemma Triay (31 years old, former world No. 1) with young Claudia Fernandez (born in 2006) confirmed their great current form as they booked their spot in the final, unlike Paula Josémaria and Ariana Sanchez who, after cruising through last season, hit a slight bump in the road with no titles won and only one final reached in the last 3 tournaments. Nothing insurmountable, but enough to worry about their hold on the throne. Especially as they are threatened by Delfi Brea and Bea Gonzalez, who won the final 6-3 7-5 to claim a 4th consecutive title. The pair of the moment is on fire and ready to snatch the top spot from the Spaniards.
On the French side, Alix Collombon competed in this tournoi, but unfortunately suffered a first-round defeat alongside her Argentinian partner Julieta Bidahorria against the Spanish duo Cañellas - Navarro. Teammates since the start of the year, the 2 players have experienced ups and downs and were hoping for a better run in this tournoi.
Clash of the titans in the men's draw!
In the men's draw, the form book was well and truly respected: 7 of the top 8 seeds advanced to the quarter-finals. Only Sanyo Gutierrez and Maxi Sanchez, seeded number 8, fell in the first tour against Spaniards Javier Ruiz and Pablo Cardona. A difficult opening two months for the pair, who previously played together during the 2018-2019 season but are struggling to find their rhythm and connection on court.
In the final, the 2 best pairs of the early season met to battle for the crown. The Chingotto - Galan pair overcame Ruiz - Gonzalez before facing "Los Superpibes", Argentinians Martin Di Nenno and Franco Stupaczuk in the semi-finals for a remake of the Seville final. And it was indeed the "Chingalan" duo who came out on top against the Argentinians in 3 sets, the last 2 being fairly one-sided.
On the other side of the draw, world number 1s Coello - Tapia took on padel GOAT Fernando Belasteguin and his partner Juan Tello in the quarter-finals, but youth prevailed over experience in a straightforward 6-4 6-2 win. Spanish duo Paquito Navarro and Juan Lebron then stood in their way. For the first meeting between the two pairs, fans certainly got their money's worth: 3 sets, unbearable suspense at the end of the match, and a victory for the world number 1s after saving 2 match balls in the 3rd set. Despite a strong performance from the explosive Spanish pair, Asunción will indeed get a final between the 2 best pairs right now, a rematch of Brussels where Chingalan came out on top.
In the final, the 4 players treated the crowd, delivering spectacular points across 3 sets. After an opening set wrapped up in 22 minutes, the number 2 seeds woke up in the wake of an imperial Ale Galan from start to finish, producing (as often) an excellent ratio of winners to unforced errors. At the end of the match, and especially in the tie-break, the world number 1s proved the most solid, particularly Arturo Coello who was heavily targeted by his opponents, clinching the Asuncion Premier Padel P2 title. The 2 pairs are now tied at 2-2 since the start of the season, promising a thrilling battle in the race for the top spot.
A successful edition in Asunción, crowning 2 of the standout pairs of the year and kicking off a short South American tour with Mar Del Plata in Argentina this week followed by Santiago in Chile—two P1 events that will have a huge impact on the rankings at the end of the season.
