Madrid P1: Miguel Lamperti requests a wild card for his farewell match… and is refused

At 47 years, Miguel Lamperti is playing the final months of his professional career And as the Madrid P1 tournament approaches, one of the most popular figures in padel history was clearly hoping for one last appearance in the main draw of the Movistar Arena. It won't be through a wildcard.

According to information revealed by Padel Review The Argentinian reportedly asked for a wild card for the main draw of the Madrid P1 , in order to be able to say goodbye to the Madrid public. A request that was not accepted by the organization.

This decision inevitably raises questions in the specific context of the 2026 season: Lamperti will retire at the end of the year. , after more than two decades at the highest level.

Lamperti will indeed be in Madrid, but for the qualifiers.

An important clarification: Miguel Lamperti is not excluded from the tournament.

The Argentinian is well committed to Madrid Premier Padel P1 alongside Octavio Álvarez , a 22-year-old Argentinian with whom he currently plays. But lacking a wildcard entry into the main draw, the two men will have to go through the qualifying rounds.

Madrid P1 is planning a men's draw of 48 pairs: 37 admitted directly, eight from the qualifiers and three wild cards Two invitations are also available for the qualifiers.

Lamperti and Álvarez will therefore try to earn their place on the track during the qualifying sessions organized on August 29th and 30th at the Pro Padel Coslada , before the start of the main draw at the Movistar Arena on September 1st.

And the duo arrives with a bit of rhythm: Lamperti and Álvarez have just played together at the FIP Gold of Belgrade , where they entered the main draw after going through the qualifying rounds.

Madrid, far from being just another city for Lamperti

This is also what makes this refusal more symbolic.

Miguel Lamperti is Argentinian, born in Bahía Blanca, but Madrid occupies a considerable place in his personal and professional life. Having been based in the Spanish capital for many years, he built a large part of his European career there.

At 47, "Canoso" is obviously no longer the player who competed among the very best pairs in the world. But his popularity remains intact.

Lamperti belongs to that generation which preceded Premier Padel and accompanied the transformation of professional padel: that of Fernando Belasteguín, Juan Martín Díaz, Seba Nerone, Gaby Reca and Cristian Gutiérrez .

He never finished a season ranked number 1 in the world, but he became something else: one of the most recognizable and popular players among the public capable for more than twenty years of filling the stands simply by his presence and spectacular style.

His 2026 season is therefore unique. Each tournament could potentially be his last in a city where he has played for years.

Buenos Aires had already made the same choice

And the Madrid story inevitably brings to mind the one experienced a few months earlier in Argentina.

Last May, for the Buenos Aires P1 Miguel Lamperti had already not obtained a wild card to directly enter the main draw.

Miguel Lamperti, the end of an era: world padel bids farewell to one of its greatest icons

Here again, he had to go through the qualifying rounds.

Partnered with Martín Abud, Lamperti was ultimately eliminated by Franco Dal Bianco and Facundo López (6/2 7/6) , thus missing the main painting for what was his last Premier Padel home.

The scene had caused some unease: one of the most popular Argentinian players in the history of padel had ultimately not been able to play a single match in the main draw in front of his home crowd for his last appearance.

The tournament, however, later organized a tribute to Lamperti in front of over 13,000 spectators at Parque Roca where the Argentinian had officially confirmed that he would retire at the end of the season.

A few months later, the scenario is therefore partially repeated in Madrid: No sporting special treatment, not even for a legend on a farewell tour.

Should a wild card reward the present or history?

This is ultimately where the subject goes beyond the Lamperti case alone.

A wildcard is not an automatic honor. Organizers have a limited number of invitations and can legitimately choose to use them for to promote young players, support local pairs or offer a sporting opportunity to players on the rise .

From a purely sporting perspective, not offering Lamperti a place in the main draw can therefore be perfectly justified.

But a wild card also has another function.

Tennis regularly provides an example: invitations sometimes allow a champion to retire, a former star to play one last time in a major tournament, or simply to create an event around a personality who has made their mark on the sport.

And in Lamperti's case, the question deserves to be asked.

How many currently active players can claim More than twenty years at the highest level and such a relationship with the public?

Very little.

Madrid P1: Miguel Lamperti requests a wild card for his farewell match… and is refused

After Buenos Aires, Madrid: Lamperti will still have to earn his farewell on the track

However, there is a significant difference between Buenos Aires and Madrid.

In Argentina, Lamperti had failed to get through the qualifiers.

In Madrid, history is still being written.

With Octavio Álvarez, Miguel Lamperti can still go and get his own place at the Movistar Arena Two victories in the men's qualifying rounds would allow him to enter the main draw and give him the Madrid farewell he hoped for.

And finally, for a player who has built much of his career on fighting, showmanship and a certain ability to defy time, the scenario would not be lacking in flavor.

The wild card didn't arrive. Now all he has left is the track.

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.