Never, let us dare say, have we seen such a turnaround in the history of modern padel ! The predictions were unanimous: Nieto and Sanz had no chance against the world's number one pair, with 11 defeats in 11 matches before the final and formal statistics; and yet... After saving two match points in the second set, they managed to win in three sets, against all expectations.

The curve of Padel Intelligence perfectly sums up this crazy match. While everything seemed written, that Tapia/Coello were leading 6/3 5/4 and were heading towards an announced victory, an incredible turnaround occurred. Agustín Tapia suddenly disappeared from the match, literally and figuratively.

An unexpected finale

While Tapia and Coello were dominating the match and seemed ready to close in two sets, the scenario changed. Tapia, inexplicably, exited the match. Coello had to fight alone on the track against a duo Nieto/Sanz who was gradually regaining confidence. Despite his efforts, Coello was unable to reverse the dynamic.

Wall, he made a series of errors. On the two match points obtained in the second set, he was the one who cracked. First on a backhand volley within his reach, then on a senseless attempt at a drop shot, made without support and in an improbable position.

Certainly, there was a tactical change, and it is important to highlight positive points, such as this downwardly directed play by Sanz/Nieto. However, the failure of Wall is so striking that it is difficult to find a rational explanation for it. Argentine Mozart explodes in mid-flight.

The reasons for a collapse

Why did Tapia explode to this extent? Several hypotheses are on the table:

  • A sufficiency which would have pushed him to want to conclude in a spectacular way.
  • A mental pressure that he did not know how to manage.
  • A victory anticipated too early, which distracted him.

These errors allowed Nieto/Sanz to get back into the game. In padel, we know this effect of "communicating vessels": when one of the players drops, the opposing team regains confidence.

The role of the public

The crowd played a key role in this turnaround. When the match seemed over, spectators, even those who supported Tapia, began to cheer for the underdogs in order to see a more competitive match. This support galvanized Nieto and Sanz, who themselves could not believe it.

A prestigious victory

Nieto, as always, demonstrated a impressive regularity, with pinpoint lobs and a perfect reading of the game. For his part, Sanz took risks at the right time, particularly in the decisive points.

However, the observation remains cruel: Tapia was the main person responsible for the defeat of his pair. Despite his smiles at the end of the match, he knows that he let slip a trophy that seemed acquired.

And now ?

To Nieto/Sanz, this victory is historic, but their future together remains uncertain. The separation already seems to be a done deal for 2025, but after such an exploit, should we really leave on this note?

On the side of Tapia/Coello, the objective of the Master Finals will have to wait. Tapia will have to digest this very heavy defeat and learn the lessons from this match to start again stronger in 2025. As for Coello, if he tried as best he could to extinguish this unprecedented fire, he also ended up burning himself... There could be a few headaches during these holidays for the world number ones.

TOUR FINALS BARCELONA – 2024 Tapia Coello v Nieto SanzDownload
Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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