The men's final of the Barcelona Premier Padel Finals It had all the makings of a classic... and it lived up to expectations. For the 28th time, Arturo Coello / Agustín Tapia found Ale Galán / Fede Chingotto in a final that has become a must-see on the circuit. Three hours of an epic battle, concluded by the victory of the world number ones: 6/7 6/3 7/6 after 2h53 game.

Another victory that brings the finals record to 20–8 for Coello / Tapia. A domination that lasts… and doesn't seem likely to end anytime soon.

But before this shock, one moment had captured attention: Ale Galán's very blunt statements at the press conferencethe day before the final.

“Yes, they have more rest”: Galán raises his voice before the final

When questioned press conference Regarding the potential advantage that Tapia and Coello might gain by being exempt from Friday's match, Galán doesn't mince words:

“Yes, they get more rest. They also play in the morning for the semi-final, so they recover more between the semi-final and the final.”

The tone is calm. Direct, unfiltered.

And the Madrid native didn't stop there. He took the opportunity to send a strong message to the organization:

“We would have preferred to start on Thursday and play the semi-finals in the morning. I asked for it several times during the year. We often finish with the last match… Yesterday, I finished physiotherapy at 1:30 in the morning.”

Galán mentions very short, almost systematic nights:

“There are many tournaments where I go to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning. It changes the rhythms, everything. We adapt, it's the life we've chosen, but we would like it to be more balanced.”

A speech that highlights a crucial point: the physical strain linked to the schedule and timetable of the circuit.

A heroic finale… but lost

It's difficult to say whether the lack of rest mentioned by Galán played a role. What is certain is that the final was gigantic :

  • a first set snatched in a tie-break by Chingotto / Galán,
  • a huge rebound for Tapia/Coello
  • a third set of crazy tension concluded… in a tie-break.

Tapia was once again unplayable in key moments. Coello was monstrous in cover. And Galán, despite his pre-match complaints, delivered one of his very best performances of the season.

But, as has often been the case this year, it wasn't enough.

A new message sent to the circuit

The Madrid player's comments will surely reignite an already existing debate:
the calendar Premier Padel Is he too demanding?
Should the schedules be reviewed to offer true fairness between pairs?

Galán said it, Tapia and Coello had more rest.
They won.
Whether it's a coincidence or not, everyone will form their own opinion.

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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