The familiar thunderclap is back at the top of the men’s draw: Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia against Fede Chingotto and Ale Galán. New season, same heavyweight rivalry—and Riyadh Season P1 is serving it up on the biggest stage at the Padel Rush Arena.
This matchup has practically defined the last year. In 2025, a staggering 21 of the 24 titles—FIP World Cup Pairs included—were fought out between these two pairs. And now the script continues where it left off: Coello/Tapia return to the arena where they lifted the trophy 12 months ago, while Galán is no stranger to winning in Riyadh either, having triumphed in 2024 alongside Juan Lebrón.
MEN Chingotto and Galán hit the semifinals like a storm front—fast, ruthless, and impossible to escape. They needed just 58 minutes to sweep aside Paquito Navarro and Fran Guerrero 6-1, 6-2, putting a dazzling exclamation point on what had been an impressive tournament run for Navarro and Guerrero.
On the other side, Coello and Tapia had to bleed for it. Juan Lebrón and Leo Augsburger dragged them into a classic, and the battle raged for two hours and eight minutes before the defending champions clawed through 7-6, 6-7, 6-4. Now, the final is set: the sport’s premier rivalry, renewed once again.
WOMEN The real plot twist came in the women’s draw, where changes have reshaped the top-seeded pairs—everyone except the No. 1 team. Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay looked every bit like the nine-time title winners from last season, but they had to survive a marathon to get there. In a two-hour, 25-minute thriller, they edged past Claudia Fernández and Sofia Araújo 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
Waiting for them in the final is a new partnership making noise immediately: Andrea Ustero and Ari Sánchez, who punched their ticket with a straight-sets win over Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen. The women’s final will open the day at 3:00 p.m. local time in Riyadh (1:00 p.m. CET), and Ustero arrives with history already in her pocket. Last year in Bordeaux, at just 18 years, one month and 24 days old, she became the youngest champion on the Premier Padel circuit—lifting the title alongside Araújo.
Now in Riyadh, she’s chasing career title number two—and the very first of this brand-new era with Ari Sánchez. The stage is set: familiar kings, rising dreamers, and a season that’s already roaring into life.
