Between palpable tension on the bench and heated reproaches, the Juan Lebrón / Franco Stupaczuk pair is clearly going through a zone of turbulence. After their quarter-final defeat in Asunción against Pablo Cardona and Leo Augsburger, the signs of an impending breakup are stronger than ever.

Asunción P2 – Cardona and Augsburger strike hard by eliminating Lebrón and Stupaczuk

“I don’t see you wanting to win this match.”

On the bench, the cameras captured a particularly tense sequence. Juan Lebrón spoke sharply to his teammate:

“I don't see you wanting to win the match. You're stuck, I have to cross the field to finish the points. Come on, you're Franco Stupaczuk, run!”

Harsh words, thrown out in the heat of the moment, but which translate accumulated frustration. Lebrón, known for his volcanic temperament, did not mince his words.

An end of the match under high tension

After the defeat, The “Lobo” left the bench in a visible state of nervousness. Visibly furious, he stood up abruptly, said a few very sharp words to Stupa and Pozzoni, then took his bag and left the area alone, without even waiting for his partner. A scene which left Stupaczuk and their coach completely baffled.

This gesture says a lot about the level of tension within the pairAnd it could well seal the end of this collaboration, born with great ambitions.

But who to bounce back with?

If the separation were to materialize, the options are slim for either player :

  • Tapia / Coello ? Untouchable and inseparable.
  • Galan / Chingotto ? They seem determined to stay together.
  • Augsburger / Cardona ? The young rising stars are committed to their project.

The only plausible openings could come from:

  • From a burst at Yanguas / Nieto, in difficulty: a Yanguas / Stupa return and a Coki / Lebrón duo would then be possible.
  • Or a shake-up at Sanz / Momo González, which stagnate: why not Sanz / Stupa ou Momo / Lebron ?

But these hypotheses have their limits and are not particularly inspiring. Neither seems particularly attractive, or even obvious from a sporting point of view. And above all, in any case, both will have to start with a lower ranked partner.

The end of an ambitious project?

Lebrón/Stupaczuk, it was meant to be the explosive alliance of 2025. But the reality is that the mayonnaise doesn't set all the time. Between a lack of chemistry, sometimes disorganized play, and fragile communication, the signs are red.

The next few days promise to be decisive. Will the duo try to patch things up in Buenos Aires or will they split up soon after? One thing is certain: the quarter-final of Asunción will leave its mark.

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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