Big move in Valladolid. For their  second tournament together  since their reunification,  Javi Leal and Fran Guerrero  secure a semi-final spot at  Valladolid Premier Padel P2  by knocking down the  seeded 4 ,  Franco Stupaczuk / Mike Yanguas , in two sets:  7 / 6 6 / 4 .

A victory that stands out, both for the result and the manner of it. Facing one of the best pairs on the circuit, Leal and Guerrero managed to hold their own in the tense moments before making the difference in the key moments.

A close first set, then a one-sided tie-break

On a very fast track, breakaway opportunities quickly became very valuable.  Stupa and Yanguas  had several opportunities from the start of the match, but Leal and Guerrero held firm to stay in touch.

The first set ultimately went to a tie-break, and that's where the Spaniards came out firing.  7-0 net , without trembling, to take control of the match and send a first message to their opponents.

In the second game, the scenario remained close, with little room for error for the receivers. But in the fifth game,  Leal / Guerrero  found the opening on one of their rare break opportunities, before concluding the match with authority.

Tennis match scoreboard: F. Stupaczuk and M. Yanguas vs F. Guerrero and J. Leal, final score 6-7(0), 4-6 with 01:20:22 elapsed; country flags shown on sides.

Javi Leal is back to his best

The star of the match is clearly  Javi leal After a difficult start to the season, marked by injuries to his partner  paul cardona  and several changes of association, the Andalusian seems to be regaining stability alongside  Fran Guerrero .

More liberated, more incisive, and more precise in his decision-making, Leal delivered one of his best performances of the season. In the fast-paced conditions at Valladolid, his explosive play caused a lot of damage, and his understanding with Guerrero is already showing very promising signs.

Valladolid, a place where they are successful

This success also has a special flavor. Last season, when they were already a pair,  Leal and Guerrero  They had secured a very strong semi-final in Valladolid. A year later, here they are back in the final four, this time in only their second tournament since their reformation.

The Spanish pair thus confirms that they can once again become that dangerous duo that no one wants to face too early in a tournament. A pair capable of taking down seeded players, playing fast, hard, and making the most of the playing conditions.

For  Stupa / Yanguas However, this defeat still raises questions. The world number four pair failed to assert their dominance and continues to search for their best form.

In Valladolid,  Leal / Guerrero  They have just reminded us of one thing: when they are confident, they can do a lot of damage.

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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