The 2026 Marbella Reserve Cup drew to a close on the Manolo Santana centre court at the Puente Romano Beach Resort with a thrilling final day, decided right down to the wire, which saw Team Sierra Blanca crowned champions. Three days of top-class padel, the inclusion of the women’s draw and a unique atmosphere cemented this edition as the most special to date.
A nail-biting final with the title on the line from the very first point
After two days of absolute parity between Team Reserve and Team Sierra Blanca, the tournament reached its climax with everything still to play for. The team format, the coaches’ strategies and the importance of every single point turned the final day into a real toss-up.
The day began with a hugely tense women’s match between Alejandra Salazar and Tamara Icardo, from Team Reserve, and Ale Alonso and Lara Arruabarrena, from Team Sierra Blanca. Alonso and Arruabarrena fought back to win 4-6, 6-4 and 11-9 in a heart-stopping super tie-break, securing a decisive point for their team and confirming the success of the inclusion of women’s padel in the tournament.
Next came the most eagerly anticipated match of the entire tournament. Arturo Coello and Javi Garrido faced the new pairing of Ale Galán and Leo Augsburger. The match lived up to expectations: maximum intensity, breathtaking rallies and a super tie-break that ultimately went in favour of Coello and Garrido. That victory, celebrated with euphoria by Team Sierra Blanca, mathematically secured the title.
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Although the champion had already been decided, the day’s atmosphere remained spectacular. The final match pitted Lucas Bergamini and Gonzalo Alfonso against Jon Sanz and Javi Leal, a hard-fought contest that brought three days of top-class padel in Marbella to a close.
A historic edition: stars in the stands, $700,000 in prize money and the event’s future secured
Beyond the sporting aspect, the Reserve Cup once again became a meeting point between padel and popular culture. Carlos Alcaraz, Ana Mena, Sergio Scariolo, Patrick Rafter, Sergio Busquets, Carlos Moyá, Dean Huijsen and Dani Ceballos were just some of the personalities who visited Puente Romano, reinforcing the event’s social and media appeal.
The awards ceremony brought this historic edition to a close. With a total prize fund of $700,000, the Reserve Cup cemented its status as one of the world’s premier exhibition tournaments. Furthermore, Lara Arruabarrena and Arturo Coello were named the tournament’s MVPs for their decisive impact on their teams.
The most symbolic moment came when Lisandro Vieytes, Marbella’s deputy mayor, announced that the Reserve Cup would remain in the city for the next four years, confirming Marbella’s commitment to becoming an international benchmark for padel.
The 2026 edition paints a clear picture: a well-established tournament, a devoted audience and a format that combines spectacle, strategy and star power both on and off the court. Marbella, once again, rose to the occasion.
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