Some venues suit certain players. Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón own the Caja Mágica. Their third consecutive Madrid Open title — a 6-3, 6-2 demolition of Franco Stupaczuk and Martín Di Nenno — was a reminder that the world's greatest pair remain something apart when they are playing at full intensity on home turf.
The match was not competitive for long. Galán's smash on the blue clay is the definitive weapon in padel — he won 14 of 16 overhead exchanges in the first set — and Lebrón's ability to control the tempo from the right side gave Stupaczuk and Di Nenno no rhythm to build on.
Three in a Row
No pair has won three consecutive Madrid Opens in the Premier Padel era. The crowd, which had been nervously willing for an upset, ultimately gave Galán and Lebrón the ovation they deserved. This is a pairing operating at a level of consistency that the sport has never previously seen.
At 28 and 28 respectively, both players are in the middle of their prime years. Unless Coello and Tapia — or someone else — find a way to derail them consistently, this dominance has several more seasons to run.
Stupaczuk's Campaign
The semi-final defeat of Coello and Tapia by Stupaczuk and Di Nenno was the week's most significant result. It demonstrated that the Argentine partnership — often written off in favour of the younger generation — remains capable of beating anyone on their day. Watch them in London.