Pablo Cardona and Leo Augsburger leave no one indifferent. Their ultra-aggressive style of play, based on  punching power  and  omnipresent smash , has become their signature. Every time a lob is mistimed, it's almost a lost cause for their opponents. This constant threat has allowed them to overthrow the best pairs in the world this season:  Galan / Chingotto in Riyadh ,  Tapia / Coello in Santiago ,  Lebrón / Stupaczuk in Asunción … Their game puts them under constant pressure, and many people can't keep up.

An ultra-offensive game plan

At "Carburger",  every ball is an opportunity for attack Their opponents know: if they lob too short, it's over. As a result, many prefer to try to make them volley... except that here again,  Cardona and Augsburger draw quickly, very quickly Two strokes of the racket and the point is won. Padel then becomes more of a sprint than a game of chess.

But this "all-in" strategy has its drawbacks.  In the final of the Asunción P2 , faced with Galán and Chingotto well in place, the limits of this plan were seen.  Surgical lobs , the perfect chiquitas, the variety in rhythm, the millimetric placement… put the two young players in great difficulty. The lack of variation was felt, it's simple Augsburger did not  no vibora or bandeja  In the match, he sometimes seems to ignore these padel shots. As a result, unforced errors pile up, and points are scored without building.

Spectacular, yes… but pleasant?

Their game poses a real question:  Should padel become a race for power?  Cardona and Augsburger take this logic to the extreme. And while some fans revel in their thunderous smashes, others regret it.  lack of tactics and patience There's almost no more preparation, no more alternation. Even lobs are rare in their game. We charge. We hit. We finish. Or we foul.

This very aggressive style of play appeared with Lebrón and Galán at their beginnings, or with Tapia and Coello more recently, but Cardona and Augsburger push the cursor further.  Tapia and Coello have been able to evolve, have learned to build, to defend, to reduce fouls They have become a complete pair, capable of shining in any situation. Will the Spanish-Argentine duo be able to do the same?

And you, do you like this game?

Cardona and Augsburger have  broke the codes  of a more patient, strategic, cerebral padel. They shake up everything in their path, sometimes with panache, sometimes with haste. Their game is a revolution… but perhaps also a risky bet in the long run.

And you, do you enjoy watching Cardona and Augsburger?

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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