The ueno bank Asunción Premier Padel P2 will deliver the final that everyone expected this Sunday. After the women’s draw confirmed another classic clash between the two dominant pairs on the circuit, the men’s semifinals also set the stage for the great duel of this padel era: Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia against Alejandro Galán and Fede Chingotto. The number one and number two pairs will face off once more in a new battle for the title.
Galán and Chingotto were the first to secure their spot in the final. They did so just hours after surviving a brutal quarterfinal war against Juan Tello and Maxi Arce, which turned into the second-longest match in Premier Padel history. The physical toll seemed inevitable, but both players took it in stride when asked which opponent they preferred for the final. “Whoever it is, but I hope they play for three hours and thirteen minutes today,” they joked.
Once the semifinal against Edu Alonso and Aimar Goñi began—the surprise of this tournament after eliminating the third and seventh seeds—there was no room for doubt. The number two pair dominated the first set with a resounding 6-1, and although the second set was much more competitive, they managed the key moments to close it out 7-5 and reach another final. The Spanish-Argentine duo continues to prove they are the biggest threat to the number one reign.
Coello and Tapia, on the other hand, arrived in style. The ranking leaders have played a nearly flawless tournament, dispatching both their quarterfinal and semifinal matches in under fifty minutes, projecting an aura of absolute authority. If Chingotto and Galán had hoped for a titanic struggle lasting over three hours, the reality was far different. The Golden Boys steamrolled Juan Lebrón and Leandro Augsburger with an emphatic 6-2, 6-1 victory. The Spanish-Argentine pair gave their opponents almost no chances and once again showed why they set the pace on the circuit. Tapia unleashed his usual brilliance, while Coello dominated at the net in an almost impeccable performance.
Thus, Asunción gets the anticipated ending: number one vs. number two, the rivalry that defines modern padel, and another opportunity to measure who truly rules the circuit. This season, there have been three previous encounters, with Chingotto and Galán winning two, though Coello and Tapia come off a title in Brussels after a great match against Lebrón and Augsburger. The swords remain high.
