Three months after their last tense face-off in Miami, Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón met again in the semi-finals of the Italy Major Premier Padel. If their previous confrontation had revealed a painful break, the atmosphere was very different this time on the central court of the Foro Italico in Rome.

From the warm-up, we feel a contained but respectful tension. Gone are the visible tensions, the cold stares, and the avoided gestures. This time, Lebrón and Galán greet each other at the end of the match with fair play, as if to turn the page on a long-scrutinized separation.

But it was a stint on the bench that really struck observers. With the match in full swing and the exchanges tense, Galán evokes his former teammate with a subtle but revealing remark to Chingotto :

“When Juan and I played together, you dominated this court with your changes of pace, your good lobs.”
To which Chingotto, an accomplice, responds with humor:
“If you want, I’ll give it back to you!”

An exchange that is both funny and revealing of a relationship that, despite the wounds, seems to allow room for perspective and respect. Galán doesn't deny anything, and this reference shows how much the “Galán-Lebrón” period remains a landmark in his playing.

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 !

On the same subject

Tags