Stupa and Lebron, third final and ‘third way’: they are the alternative to the ‘duelists’. Triay-Brea against Sánchez-Josemaria, a stellar epilogue

With Juan and Franco reaching their third consecutive final, we can finally say it: Stupa and Lebrón are the ‘third way,’ the dazzling alternative to the Galán-Chingotto and Coello-Tapia duopoly. A great piece of news for the circuit, for the fans, and for the whole sport because the more contenders there are fighting for the top tournaments, the more the passion and interest for padel grow.

And so, here comes the final between Stupa-Lebrón, who knocked out the world’s number one pair, Coello and Tapia, with a double 6-4. Also, keep an eye on Nieto and Yanguas, who are also pushing hard to carve out what might become a ‘fourth way,’ after battling until the last breath in a third-set tie-break (6-2 4-6 7-6) against Galán and Chingotto, the latter not quite his usual bulldozer self on this occasion.

Sunday in Miami will bring us Galán-Chingotto vs. Lebrón-Stupa. A spectacular showdown. Just as exciting as the clash between Paula Josemaría and Ari Sánchez against a Gemma Triay in ‘alien mode’ and Delfi Brea, who seems mentally unshakable like granite. In the women’s category, the situation is the opposite of what’s happening among the men. In the two semifinals, the world’s top two pairs left their opponents with mere crumbs. Bea González and Claudia Fernández managed to win only five games (6-1 6-4), while Marta Ortega and Sofía Araújo fared even worse, taking just three games (6-2 6-1) against Gemma and Delfi.

MEN Carlos Alcaraz was in the stands, experiencing his first time as a spectator at a major padel tournament. And there was a strong sense that this would be one of those battles fought down to the very last breath. And so it was. At the “Juan y Bela”, with a full house and the incredible atmosphere of the motorola razr Miami Premier Padel P1, the second-seeded pair – Chingotto-Galán – and the fourth-seeded team, Yanguas-Nieto, had promised a spectacle, and they delivered.

The first set was a Chingalan monologue, a solid 6-2 that seemed to foreshadow an easy win that never came. The second set turned into a tactical and rhythmic lesson by Yanguas and Nieto, fueled by talent and ambition to climb the rankings: 6-4, forcing a third set. And there, in a thriller worthy of Hitchcock or Brian De Palma, the game was decided only at the very last moment, with a breathtaking tie-break and a 7-6 final score. For Galán and Fede Chingotto, this marks their first final of the season.

Franco and Juan: The long-awaited ‘third way’ between Coello and Tapia’s dominance and the golden exploits of Ale Galán and Fede Chingotto takes the shape of Lebrón and Stupaczuk. And, let’s be honest, for the sake of spectacle, drama, and thrill-seeking, it’s a fantastic development. In the second match, against the Invincibles (only one loss in the Barcelona Finals in their last 52 matches), “Mozart” Tapia and “King Arthur” Coello, stood the pair that aims to play the role of the ultimate disruptor: El Lobo Lebrón and Franco Stupaczuk, finalists in Riyadh at the season’s start and later champions at the P2 in Cancún.

The strong impression is that Lebrón has finally found his perfect match, and the Miami court confirmed it loud and clear, regardless of the final outcome. The duo dominated the first set with a mix of tactics and personality, forcing Tapia and Coello into a reactive stance, clinching the set 6-4. In the second, Lebrón and Stupa surged ahead 3-1 but had to withstand the furious reaction of the world’s number one pair. Predictable. But a tactically stellar Lebrón held steady until 4-3 when a simple error by Stupa gifted a break point that Tapia converted.

At 4-4, the idea that the Invincibles might impose their rule could be felt in the crowd’s roar. And yet Lebrón and Stupa delivered definitive proof that they are the golden third way of the Premier Padel circuit. They didn’t waver or let themselves be influenced. They regained control, capitalized on Coello and Tapia’s off-night, and sealed a well-earned victory: 6-4.

In Juan Lebrón’s restrained celebration, there was a quiet sense of reclaiming something he once owned during his glorious partnership with Ale Galán. Will that be the case? Time will tell. For now, let’s enjoy Lebrón and Stupa’s third final, with the feeling that, like in a western, there’s a new sheriff in town… or rather, two: Franco and El Lobo.

WOMEN The most anticipated final: Triay-Brea against Ari Sánchez and Paula Josemaría. The motorola razr Miami Premier Padel P1 shines in all its glory, preparing for the most prestigious showdown of the moment, considering technical prowess and court dominance. Triay-Brea delivered a breathtaking display of strength and a tactical-technical chemistry that, if possible, is even more remarkable given that this is a newly formed pair playing only their fourth tournament of the season.

Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea merge their padel styles into a perfect symphony, almost as if they were a single entity, and their victory over Sofía Araújo and Marta Ortega sends a clear message to the world circuit. The champions of Gijón and Cancún secure yet another final (6-2, 6-1 the final score), propelled by Triay’s psychophysical peak, arguably the best moment of her career. “We are improving match by match, but we must stay extremely focused,” said the world number three after the match.

That focus is more crucial than ever, as the perfection of Gemma and Delfi will now be tested against that of the world’s number one pair, Ari Sánchez and Paula Josemaría, who also dominated their semifinal against Bea González and Claudia Fernández (6-1, 6-4). “The key to winning this match was consistency: maintaining the same level of concentration and intensity throughout the entire game”, explained Ari.

The precedent between these two teams, the Gijón final, makes the encounter even more thrilling: in Spain, the match unfolded in dramatic fashion, with an opening 6-0 loss for Triay-Brea, followed by a stunning comeback that left the FIP ranking leaders with only five games, ending in a 0-6 6-1 6-4 scoreline—arguably the perfect teaser for the grand final at the motorola razr Miami Premier Padel P1.