Triay-Brea and Chingalan: the victory cry is theirs and padel in Miami is already a classic. Carraro: “A great American padel celebration”

Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea. Ale Galan and Fede Chingotto. The victory cry of the motorola razr Miami Premier Padel P1 is theirs. A powerful and deserved cry for what was achieved in this very successful first edition of the American tournament. A success not only technically, but also in terms of the audience, with four consecutive sell-outs from Thursday to Sunday. It wasn’t the number one seeds Sanchez-Josemaria or Coello and Tapia who won, but those who aim to dethrone them after two spectacular finals and the certainty that Lebron and Stupaczuk, despite being defeated, could represent the ‘third way’ of the season.

A success that is framed by the statements of the president of the International Padel Federation Luigi Carraro: “It’s been a great American padel celebration and this first experience in the U.S. with the Premier Padel circuit ended with a full set of certainties, both in terms of the audience, with four consecutive sell-outs to confirm it, and from a competitive point of view, with semifinals and finals of the highest technical level. I want to thank, in particular, not only everyone who worked for this success, but also the authorities of Miami Beach, who recognized the organizational effort of the tournament with an official and beautiful gesture. Padel in the U.S., after this extraordinary experience, will get an extra boost both professionally and recreationally.”

WOMEN Triay and Brea defeated Ari Sanchez and Paula Josemaria (2-6, 6-1, 6-4) after a fantastic and tight final, with four great players who climbed and descended the mountain—never was a metaphor more fitting—more than once, overturning every time the idea of a decided ending. No, in Miami we understood once again that this rivalry is the precious thread of the Premier Padel season and will be the leitmotif of the year. And not just because the two finalist pairs left only eight games to their opponents in the semifinals or the fact that neither Ari and Paula, nor Delfi and Brea dropped a single set to their opponents here in Miami. On the other hand, we’re talking about monumental pairs: Sanchez Josemaria, with their 18th final and 12 titles, and winners in Riyadh, have been number one in the FIP rankings for the last two seasons and much of 2022, when they were overtaken by Gemma Triay and Ale Salazar in the final stretch.

Triay-Brea is a new pair, true, but Gemma is the only player in the FIP world ranking who has won titles with three different partners—Ortega, Fernández, and Brea—and the “3” rule still stands this year with three finals played, two titles won in Gijon and Cancun, and the third in Miami. And it’s no coincidence that Brea hadn’t reached three finals in a row since May 2024, meaning that the lightning-fast chemistry with Triay has already led to a visible improvement in her competitive destiny.

MEN The first time Ale Galan and Juan Lebron played separated by a net in a final came in a Miami hotter than usual, as if the local climate had been affected by the confrontation between the first true dominators—Galan and Lebron together—of a padel world on its way to the future and global expansion. Ale and Juan. Juan and Ale. A match within the match, a heart affair that, no matter how hot or cold it is today, always warms up the audience, in this case, made in the USA, but not ready to pick sides.

The start for Chingotto and Galan in this first Miami final of the Premier Padel circuit was burning. Right from the get-go, the match got difficult for Lebron and Stupa, with a 6-1 scoreline that wasn’t really a reflection of the on-court values but of the perfect approach by Chingalan, in contrast to the slow start from Lobo and Stupa. Again, the sense that it could end quickly faded as Lebron and Stupaczuk rallied in the second set, where they repeatedly hinted at opening the door for a third match, an option that ultimately collided with Ale Galan’s hunger and the mechanically perfect padel of Chingotto. The final 7-6 closed the match with a result that was fair in the grand scheme but perhaps harsh for what Stupa and Lebron had accomplished in this tournament, particularly by eliminating the Invincibles Coello and Tapia in Saturday’s semifinal. For Galan and Chingotto, it’s their sixth title since the beginning of last season, though they hadn’t won a tournament since July, at the P2 in Genoa. For Stupa and Lebron, the consolation of always making it to the final in the tournaments played so far—Riyadh, Cancun, and Miami.

THE SUPERVIPS Miami also hosted superstars from sports and entertainment. The Olympic tennis gold medalist, the Italian Sara Errani, and her revelation: “I’ll play padel when I retire from tennis,” or her French colleague Caroline Garcia, former number 4 in the world rankings and ex-doubles partner of Collombon, who played in the Miami tournament; Carlitos Alcaraz, who wants to “play padel with Coello,” likely telling him this directly during the meeting with the world number one on Saturday. Or, Matteo Berrettini, who would like to pair up “with Chingotto because I play on the left and from there I challenge my father Luca,” also present in the VIP stands of the “Juan y Bela” court, even Paul Pogba: “I’m crazy about padel, I play but I need to improve,” he said. And still, music stars Alejandro Sanz and Daddy Yankee, the latter received with a standing ovation and who participated in the draw for the men’s final, tossing the coin on the court. Finally, the biggest surprise: the visit of the mayor of Miami Beach, Steven Meiner, and the Commissioner Joe Magazine, who gave the tournament organizers an official document recognizing the city’s appreciation for the organization of this grand sporting event.