Miami not only hosts the prestigious Masters 1000 tennis tournament these days, but also the first edition of the padel tournament. In the picturesque setting of the Miami Beach Convention Center, the champions of this sport have been putting on a show all week, and the semifinals did not disappoint expectations either.
The most electrifying match of Saturday (and perhaps of the entire tournament) was certainly that between Ale Galan/Federico Chingotto and Mike Yanguas/Coki Nieto. The world No. 2s got a really valuable victory after a very tough battle, which ended with the score of 6-2 4-6 7-6(5) leaving the fans speechless for almost three hours.
Galan and Chingotto was behind 2-4 in the deciding tiebreak and found the energies to post a five-point-to-one streak, although Yanguas and Nieto put forth a truly excellent performance that induces optimism for the future of this ‘pareja’.
In the other semifinal of the men’s tournament, Juan Lebron and Franco Stupaczuk confirmed their excellent form by eliminating world No.1s Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia thanks to a 6-4 doubles win in an hour and a half.
The match was partially affected by Tapia’s less than perfect condition, but the Spaniard and the Argentine were good at taking advantage of this situation, and their triumph in Cancun last week helped them play with more confidence.
Alcaraz loves padel
Also watching the semifinals was Spanish tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz, who chose to stay in Miami a little longer despite being eliminated by David Goffin in the second round.
The 4-time Grand Slam champion – who conversed extensively with padel legend Fernando Belasteguin – confessed that it was his first time watching this sport live.
“The truth is, I really love padel. I play it whenever I have the chance, considering my competitive schedule. It’s my first time watching it live, and I’m really excited. Watching a match in person is incredible” – Carlitos said.
No surprises in the women’s tournament, where Sanchez/Josemaria will face Triay/Brea for the title.
Tennis World USA