Franco Stupaczuk, Martin Di Nenno, Juan Lebron and Alejandro Galan have given us an authentic match in the final of the Milan P1 of Premier Padel. The match, which ended up being won by the Spanish couple, goes straight into the top of the best matches of this season and in the history of padel, with a heart-stopping outcome in the tiebreak of the third set.
The pairing from Madrid and Andalusia win their fifth title in Premier Padel, since it started in 2022, and also their fifth trophy in 2023, counting the four they’ve won on the World Padel Tour. They also extend their magnificent winning streak, which shows the great end of the year they are living.
Lebron and Galan, champions of Milano P1 2023
With the rumours of a split hanging over what has been the number one couple for the last three years, Juan Lebron and Alejandro Galan have shown why they are true legends of the sport.
The match started with an early break in favour of Stupaczuk and Di Nenno, who entered the Allianz Cloud with a very good start. However, the Spanish pairing were able to overcome this great start to level the score. Ale Galán played an outstanding role in this stage of the match, showing his best version on the 20×10. Nobody was able to give the final blow, so the opening set was decided in the first tie-break of the afternoon. In it, anyone could have won, but in the end it was Lebron and Galan who were more solid to take the first set.
In the second set, the equality that marked the entire match continued. The tactical proposals from the Spanish couple were having an effect, but the ‘Superpibes’ continued to survive based on good defence. The level was incredible, with spectacular points and the players bringing out their best repertoire on court. However, some errors in Stupa’s hitting allowed Lebrón and Galán to have several chances to close the match at 5-4 in their favour. However, the Argentines never gave up, taking the set to a tie-break, which they would eventually win.
The match deserved to end on the level of what they were experiencing and so it was. With an exchange of breaks in favour of both couples and with all the players giving their best on court, it went to a tie-break in the third set. Every point was an ode to padel and the tension could be felt in every shot. Despite the equality, it was Lebron and Galan who gave the final blow at the key moment to rise above the Italian sky after three hours of play.
Victory in their penultimate tournaments together?
After the final, Lebron and Galan were very emotional in what could be their penultimate tournament as a couple.
Juan Lebron was almost speechless in the post-match interview: “I had so much pressure. I’ve never felt this on a padel court. We live for this, to win tournaments and we had two warriors in front of us. Thanks to Ale, who put up with me the whole match, even though I didn’t feel comfortable in the second set. We’ve been going through a bad patch during this time without playing, but this is incredible”.
For his part, Ale couldn’t hide his joy either: “It was spectacular for us. After such a difficult year, there is no better way to close the Premier season with this brooch. It has been an incredible battle against two great warriors like Martin and Franco. Very proud of the work, which comes from behind, and that we have reflected on the court. We have reinvented ourselves to find our essence again, so very happy. It was a game that still has me shaking in my boots”.
However, despite the excitement of the victory, they did not want to talk about their future: “We are still focused on this and whatever happens, will happen. We are very happy about the title and for the moment we just want to celebrate it with a good party”, said ‘El Lobo‘.
No glory for the ‘Superpibes’.
The tournament was won by Lebron and Galan, but that can’t detract from the great match that Franco Stupaczuk and Martin Di Nenno played. They pushed the most in-form couple of the moment to the limit.
After beating Coello and Tapia in the semifinals, they came into Sunday looking to win their second Premier Padel of 2023. It wasn’t possible, but they reaffirmed once again what a great duo they are and why they’ve been fighting for the number one spot in the world until the end. One more excellent tournaments for an impressive season for these two players.
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