Dehnike and Arredondo, the future of padel that enchanted Doha

The stars of the FIP World Padel Championships had finished playing a while ago, but Tuesday night at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha still offered the fans a rare moment of sport beauty. On Court 4, where Paraguay and Mexico faced off, the first world-stage showdown — one that promises to be the start of a long series — took place between two leading representatives of the NextGen in padel: Facundo Dehnike and Diego Arredondo, just 33 years old between them, showcased one of the most beautiful and intense matches of the day.

Confidence of adults, grit of champions, and pure talent in their shot: over two hours on the court, they displayed the best of their skills to lead their respective teams, though it was the Paraguayan Dehnike who came out on top, securing his first win in this prestigious competition. The 6-3 2-6 6-4 win with teammate Samuel Rodriguez clinched the point for Paraguay and marked another milestone for the 16-year-old from Hohenau, a standout in what has been a memorable season. After his first victory on the CUPRA FIP Tour with the FIP Promotion in Castellón, Spain, the runner-up of the 2023 Under-16 Open World Championship in Asunción made headlines again in May by debuting in the Premier Padel circuit, also in Asunción, at just 15 years old. Last summer saw him reach both a semifinal and another final on the CUPRA FIP Tour, followed by his call-up to the World Championships. “I’m thrilled to be experiencing this moment; it’s my first ‘grown-up’ World Championship, and today we played an extremely tough match against the Mexican duo”, said Facundo at the end of the match, after embracing Arredondo courtside. “It was an incredible thrill to have earned the deciding point for my team. On Wednesday, we’ll face Spain, and I can’t wait. My idol, though, is Tapia”. Spain is also one of Dehnike’s dreams: “My goal is to train there; I’ll go in January and stay as long as possible. I want to earn all the points I can to return to the Premier Padel tournaments”.

This global enthusiasm resonates with that of the 17-year-old Arredondo, runner-up in the Open and with Team Mexico at the recent Junior Panamerican Padel Championships, and fresh off his victory at the FIP Rise in Metepec just last week. The loss against Paraguay left a bit of disappointment, but for Diego, the essence remains unchanged: “I’m so excited to be here; it’s even hard to find the words”, he commented after the match. The hint of disappointment suddenly disappeared, and his eyes lit up as he talked about his win at the Rise event: “Metepec is my hometown; winning there was fantastic”. From Mexico to Qatar and back to Mexico for his next challenges: “I’ll play the FIP Gold in Potosi immediately after the World Championships and the Platinum in Mexico City in the second half of November. Then I want to aim for the Major in Acapulco”. For now, he will continue savoring this special moment, sharing it not only with his teammates but also with other very special people: “Here in Doha, my mother and brother came to watch me. It makes everything even more beautiful”.