Galán / Lebrón: a duel that is never just played on the padel court

There are matches where the score only tells part of the story. When Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón On either side of the net, the looks, the celebrations, the disputes and the referee's decisions sometimes seem to weigh almost as much as the winning shots.

In London, Galán and Chingotto once again prevailed against Lebrón and Augsburger. 7 / 6 6 / 3 However, for much of the match, the number 3 pair seemed to have the game in hand. They led by a break in the first set, then 3-0 in the second with a 4-0 lead She ultimately lost the first-set tiebreak before conceding six consecutive games in the second.

A scenario that perhaps sums up the entire complexity of this duel: Lebrón can gain the upper hand in the game, dominate Chingotto in his diagonal and impose his intensity without managing to turn this domination into a victory.

A past that accompanies every confrontation

Galán and Lebrón spent over four years together, won more than thirty titles, and dominated world padel. Such a significant history doesn't disappear with a separation.

Since then, their encounters have never been quite like any other. With their current partners, Galán and Chingotto now lead five wins to two against Lebrón and Augsburger .

But behind the numbers, each episode feeds a rivalry that still seems as mental as ever.

In Valencia, after a tense match and several exchanges between the players, Galán refused to shake hands with his former teammate. The Real Madrid player later described the situation as "shameful," while also stating his desire to quickly move on.

A month later, in Málaga, the roles were reversed.

In Málaga, a victory that mattered more than the others

Lebrón and Augsburger had overthrown Galán and Chingotto after 2 hours 25 minutes of combat: 2/6 6/3 7/6 , with two match points saved in a nail-biting tie-break.

At the final whistle, Lebrón erupted. He screamed, jumped, and then ran around the Martín Carpena arena to celebrate with the crowd. A much more demonstrative reaction than usually follows a simple qualification for the final.

At the net, Galán had barely extended his hand. Lebrón nevertheless went over to him and briefly embraced him. Even in victory, the greeting between the two men had become a scene worth watching.

This celebration mainly told the story of what this success represented for Lebrón. Beating Galán didn't just seem to allow him to reach a final: it also reversed, for the duration of a match, a dynamic largely in favour of his former partner.

The match had, however, begun in confusion. After losing the first set, Lebrón repeatedly criticized Augsburger. The Argentinian eventually asked him to focus on his own game, since he knew what he had to do.

From that exchange onwards, the pair changed their attitude and turned the match around.

To beat Galán, Lebrón may have first had to get out of his duel with Galán.

In London, the "gracias" which perhaps wasn't one

Three weeks later, London offered a further illustration of this ongoing tension.

The match was marked by several disputes: contact with the body, invasion, net… Lebrón and Galán regularly appealed to VAR to separate their opposing views of the actions.

Lebrón also got annoyed with the referee.

Then, in the final moments of the match, one scene caught everyone's attention. 5 / 3, 40 / 0 Galán himself signaled that his volley was a foul. Lebrón then called out to him twice:

"Thank you, thank you."

It's impossible to know for sure the exact meaning of those words. But the tone used suggested more annoyance than genuine gratitude. As if Lebrón felt that Galán's gesture of fair play came at a time when it cost him practically nothing, with three match points and the match almost won.

However, caution is needed regarding interpretation.

And that is precisely what makes their rivalry unique: Between Galán and Lebrón, the slightest gesture now seems liable to be interpreted .

A ball called out by Galán is no longer just a sporting decision. It can be seen as a gesture of fair play, a way of displaying composure, or, from the other side of the net, as an almost irritating serenity when victory already seems assured.

Lebrón needs to burn down the match

On the court, Lebrón often seems to draw some of his best padel from the emotional intensity of the match.

When he strings together important points, engages with the audience and senses his opponent under pressure, his level can become exceptional.

His two victories with Augsburger against Chingotto and Galán illustrate this well.

In Brussels, he notably capitalized on an unusual double fault by Galán on a break point to definitively gain the upper hand. Augsburger even explained after the match that he felt this error had mentally affected the Madrid player.

In Málaga, Lebrón had survived two match points before celebrating as if he had just won the tournament.

But when the encounter refuses to ignite in his favor, this energy can also turn against him.

In London, Lebrón and Augsburger were ahead for a long time. However, they lost the first set after serving to hold their break, then letting a break point slip away. 4/0 in the second one.

From that moment on, the game completely changed.

Galán also wins by cooling down the duel

This is perhaps one of the major current differences between the two former partners.

Galán seems to accept changes in the game better these days. Even when he's not playing well, struggling to finish points, or when his opponent is dominating part of the match, he's still able to wait for the momentum to return.

In London, he didn't necessarily win his duel through constant domination. He also won it by staying in the game long enough to see Lebrón and Augsburger begin to doubt themselves .

Chingotto obviously plays a key role in this balance.

The Argentinian accepts being targeted, defends relentlessly, and rarely responds to his opponent's agitation. By forcing Lebrón to play an extra ball, and sometimes another, he deprives him of certain quick points that can fuel his energy.

In contrast, Lebrón and Augsburger possess more immediate power. But their game also seems more sensitive to variations in their emotional dynamics.

When they are perfectly aligned, they have shown they can beat Galán and Chingotto. When doubt creeps in, their level can drop very quickly.

A rivalry that remains open

The record remains clearly favourable to Galán and Chingotto, but the two victories of Lebrón and Augsburger prevent us from talking about a one-sided contest.

Most importantly, each new encounter seems to pick up exactly where the previous one left off.

Valencia's denied greeting, Málaga's excessive celebration and embrace, the repeated calls for VAR and then London's "gracias, gracias" : the duel continues to be written well beyond the result.

Galán currently holds the advantage in their recent encounters. Lebrón, however, remains one of the players most likely to raise the temperature and transform a semi-final into a much more personal confrontation.

Perhaps that's what makes each of their confrontations so special.

Between Galán and Lebrón, the first point is never really the start of the match.

Antoine Tricolet

I discovered the Padel I stumbled into Spain at a campsite. I was instantly hooked; passionate about padel, I follow international and regional news with the same excitement as the sport itself.