Le  South Africa Invitational  offered a wink that could well give ideas for the future: the ephemeral association between  Alejandro Galán  et  paul cardona For one match, the Spaniard and the 20-year-old left-hander shared the court, and the least we can say is that the try was conclusive: victory  6 / 2 6 / 1  face  Augsburger / Di Nenno , the new pair that everyone is talking about.

Galán in search of a trigger

World number 3,  Alejandro Galán  has long dominated the circuit with  Juan Lebrón , holding the number 1 spot for three consecutive years (2020-2022). Since then, he has struggled to regain the throne, despite numerous titles alongside  Fede Chingotto .
The current duo is solid and consistent, but often remains powerless against the invincibles  Tapia / Coello  :  15 losses  against the world number 1s, for 6 victories.

Cardona, the explosive left-hander who seduces

At only 20 years,  paul cardona  is one of the most promising young players on the circuit. At the start of the season alongside  Leo Augsburg , his former partner has already achieved several big performances: notably a semi-final at  Riyadh , with the key to a victory against  Galan / Chingotto , an exploit against  Tapia / Coello  à  Santiago  and a final at Asuncion P2.
His profile attracts attention:  powerful left-hander , very offensive, Cardona combines a huge initiative at the net and a formidable smash. His statistics are revealing: approximately  22 winning shots per match  to  15 unforced errors , a ratio that illustrates his aggressive style. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to handle the pressure of big matches, but his  room for improvement  remains immense.

An explosive association to imagine

Facing Augsburger and Di Nenno, the Galán/Cardona duo impressed with their intensity and aggression. Of course, it was only an exhibition, but the demonstration reignited a debate that has been brewing for months:  Does Galán need a profile like Cardona to dethrone Coello and Tapia? 
Their combination, a complete and experienced right-hander associated with a young explosive left-hander, strongly recalls the model which made the strength of the current number 1s. A complementarity very different from that which Galán maintains with Chingotto, more focused on balance and regularity.

2027 in the sights?

While this scenario remains hypothetical in the short term, the idea appeals to many observers. Galán and Cardona could form, within one or two seasons, a  formidable pair , capable of competing with the Coello / Tapia duo.
One thing is certain: the South African test made an impression. Perhaps simply a diversion, perhaps a  glimpse of the future .

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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