How Coello defused Chingotto's game plan

In the spring, Federico Chingotto seemed to have found the formula to unsettle Arturo Coello: moving him around, playing behind his back or towards the net, then charging down before the Spanish left-hander could regain his balance. A few months later, the dynamic has reversed. Coello is no longer content to simply resist on this crosscourt rallies: he now has two responses that allow him to gain ground on the player who, until then, had constantly been taking it away from him.

The numbers clearly reflect this shift. After losing four consecutive matches against Galán and Chingotto at the start of the season, Tapia and Coello have won their last five head-to-head encounters. Their victory at the London P1, 6/3 5/7 7/5 allows them to now lead 6-4 in the 2026 matchups .

But this run of form isn't solely explained by Coello's power or Tapia's talent. In the diagonal between the two right-wing players, a tactical shift seems to have gradually taken place.

When Chingotto prevented Coello from playing

During Galán and Chingotto's early-season successes, and especially during their demonstration in the Buenos Aires P1 final, which they won 6 / 2 6 / 1 The visual impression was striking.

Chingotto wasn't necessarily looking to finish the point immediately. His initial objective was to move Coello around and force him into an uncomfortable defensive position. A deep vibora at his feet, a ball towards the net, or a trajectory placed behind his back was enough to unbalance the number 1.

The Argentinian then advanced at an impressive speed. No sooner had Coello touched the ball than Chingotto was already at the net, ready to pounce on a short return. The tall left-hander had neither the time to regain his position nor to prepare his attacking play.

This ability to take away his time was probably one of Galán and Chingotto's best weapons against number 1 opponents.

First response: counter the víbora with a half-volley

The first visible development in recent confrontations concerns Coello's defense on Chingotto's víbora.

Rather than consistently retreating and waiting for the ball near the glass, Coello now tries to take it early, sometimes on the half-volley. The shot is difficult because the margin above the net is reduced, but it completely changes the sequence.

When Coello catches that low ball at Chingotto's feet, the Argentinian no longer has time to set up a comfortable first volley. He finds himself having to play while moving forward, often below the net. The player who was supposed to be attacking now becomes the one who has to negotiate a tricky ball.

Coello also uses this early ball contact to lob directly. This half-volley lob is certainly riskier, but when executed well, it forces Chingotto to interrupt his approach and return to the back of the court.

The tactical effect is twofold. Coello is immediately relieved of pressure, while Chingotto has to make numerous forward and backward runs. Over the course of a final, this physical exertion is significant.

Most importantly, Coello regains the element he was missing: time. Once back in place, he can gradually move forward and eventually set up his game.

Second answer: close along the line towards Galán

The other adjustment lies in the direction chosen by Coello.

Chingotto was long able to anticipate many of the left-hander's cross-court responses and advance very quickly down his diagonal. Coello now uses the parallel play more regularly to attack Galán directly.

When perfectly executed, this shot travels along the side rail before dying near the glass. Galán then has to defend in his corner, with very little space to let the ball through and set up his response.

This change of direction doesn't need to be a winning move every time to be effective. Its mere presence alters the opponent's positioning. Chingotto can no longer advance so freely towards the net by simply anticipating the diagonal pass. Galán, for his part, has to protect his flank more and can't always close down the center.

Coello thus creates a form of uncertainty. He can continue to play cross-ball on Chingotto, but he now has a parallel exit precise enough to prevent the number 2s from locking down the track around him.

Coello has not only become more powerful

Coello's smash, volley, and ability to cover the net are obviously nothing new. They already made him one of the most dominant players on the tour.

The change lies elsewhere: he better defends the areas used by Chingotto to unbalance him.

Coello not only wins more direct points, but he also concedes fewer shots in unfavorable positions. His half-volley allows him to neutralize Chingotto's approach, and his parallel shots towards Galán prevent number 2 players from focusing their entire game on the crosscourt.

Once this initial pressure is absorbed, the balance of power shifts back in favor of the number 1s. Coello can regain the net, Tapia has more space to create and their power eventually weighs on the exchange.

The first set of the London final perfectly illustrated this. Coello immediately controlled his crosscourt shots, and Chingotto needed time to regain his effectiveness with his vibora. When he finally did so in the second set, he and Galán managed to level the score. But in the third set, the number 1s once again made the difference. 6/5 , at the moment when a few mistakes by Chingotto opened the door.

A series of defeats, but still very little difference in margin.

However, Tapia and Coello's last five victories should not lead one to believe that a gap has opened up between the two pairs.

In Rome, the number 1s prevailed. 7 / 5 7 / 6 In Valencia, Galán and Chingotto led 5/2 in the third set then 5-1 in the decisive tie-break , before bowing 6/7 6/1 7/6 In Bordeaux, they won the first leg before losing 5/7 7/6 6/2 Finally, in London, only one break at 6/5 in the third set separated the two teams.

With the exception of the Valladolid final, which they won 6 / 4 6 / 3 For the number 1 teams, the matches remain extremely close.

Galán and Chingotto are therefore close to finding a solution. But they can no longer maintain the intensity that allowed them to dominate this rivalry in the spring. They create their opportunities, regularly push their opponents to a deciding set, but ultimately succumb in the final games.

Pretoria, a counter-example that speaks volumes

The defeat of Coello and Tapia against Javi Leal and Fran Guerrero in the semi-final of the Pretoria P1 nevertheless reminds us that the number 1s can still be put in difficulty when they do not have time to set up their game.

In conditions made extremely fast by Pretoria's altitude, located at approximately 1 338 meters Leal and Guerrero refused to be passive. They sought to take the net, avoided accumulating globes, and maintained constant pressure. They prevailed. 7 / 5 7 / 5 ending a run of 27 consecutive tournaments with a final for Coello and Tapia.

The South African conditions were unique, and it would be risky to derive a universal formula from them. But the principle is similar to what Chingotto and Galán achieved at the beginning of the season: preventing Coello and Tapia from breathing, reducing their preparation time, and forcing them to play every ball under pressure.

The challenge now is to reproduce this pressure in less extreme conditions and throughout the entirety of a final.

Madrid, the next laboratory for this diagonal.

The resumption of play in Madrid P1, scheduled from August 29 to September 6 will allow us to observe the next developments in this duel.

Chingotto may need to vary the depth of his vibora more, adjust the timing of his approach, or accept building an extra shot before lunging for the net. Galán might also try to anticipate Coello's parallel shot more in order to close off this new opening.

The final is obviously not just between Coello and Chingotto. Tapia and Galán are still capable of turning a match around in a few points. But this diagonal line currently seems to dictate a large part of the balance of power.

When Chingotto managed to move Coello and immediately attack him, he and Galán gained the upper hand. For several tournaments now, Coello has been better able to absorb this initial attack, counter earlier, and change direction more frequently. He can then establish himself, advance, and let his natural abilities shine.

Chingotto was the player who was taking away Coello's time. Now, Coello isn't giving him the time to capitalize on the imbalances he himself has created. Perhaps that's where the turning point in this rivalry occurred.

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.