The 2026 season of Premier Padel It begins with an unexpected scenario. Right from the Riyadh P1Two highly anticipated projects are forced to wait… and two players are forced to unite out of necessity. Jon sanz et Javi leal will ultimately form a makeshift pairing in order not to withdraw and to stay in the running from the first major event of the year.

For Jon Sanz, the long-awaited return alongside Coki Nieto will have to wait a little longer. The Madrid player has been suffering from persistent pain in his right elbow for several weeks, which has already kept him out of action. Generali Hexagon CupDespite the stated goal of being ready for Riyadh, the recovery time was insufficient, forcing Nieto to prioritize his health.

The same situation applies to Javi Leal. The player from Cádiz had chosen to partner with paul cardonawith the idea of ​​building one of the most explosive pairs on the circuit. But the young Spaniard is still not recovered from the injury that had already sidelined him from competition at the end of last season, preventing him in particular from playing in Madrid with the Rafa Nadal Academy.

A setback with serious consequences

These absences disrupt their plans. The Sanz/Nieto duo clearly aimed for a rapid rise to prominence, with the ambition of challenging for the world number four ranking from their current position as the fifth-ranked pair. For Leal and Cardona, the blow is even harder: outside the top eight, Cardona's unavailability forces them to lose the valuable points Cardona earned in the 2025 semifinals.

An opportunity to seize nonetheless

The good news comes from the flexibility of the regulations. In the event of a justified injury, Premier Padel allows for an exceptional entry. As a result, Jon Sanz and Javi Leal will indeed be present in Riyadh, reunited in an impromptu but formidable pairing on paper. They already have a place in seed n ° 7 according to the official list of participants.

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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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