Premier Padel Gijón P2 Preview: Grudge matches, new pairings and points to prove
The Premier Padel Tour arrives in Gijón for the first P2 of the 2026 season. We preview the best things to watch out, best matches and predictions.
By the time the Premier Padel caravan reaches Asturias, the early-season narratives are already taking shape. Gijón P2 does not carry the historical weight of a Major or a P1, but coming so soon after Riyadh, it offers something just as revealing: a first stress test of new pairings, early reunions and bruised favourites looking for a reset.
There is no attempt here to dress Gijón up as anything other than what it is — another important stop on a long Premier Padel calendar. But timing matters, and this one arrives with plenty unresolved.
Travel complications and availability
As of the start of the week, there has been uncertainty around a small group of players delayed in Dubai following travel disruption after the eruption of military action in the Middle East.
At the time of writing, tournament organisers remain confident the vast majority of the draw will be intact by first round play, but the situation has been monitored closely. No top seed has officially withdrawn due to travel issues.
On the injury front, there are no confirmed late withdrawals among the leading pairs in either draw. Several players are managing early-season workloads, but Gijón is expected to feature full-strength fields in both competitions.
Men’s draw: unfinished business at the top
Top four seeds (men):
- Arturo Coello / Agustín Tapia
- Alejandro Galán / Federico Chingotto
- Franco Stupaczuk / Miguel Yanguas
- Juan Lebrón / Leo Augsburger
Everything at the top of the men’s draw inevitably circles back to Coello and Tapia. Riyadh once again underlined their status as the benchmark, but the conversation is no longer about whether they are the best — it is about who can push them hardest.
That is where Juan Lebrón and Leo Augsburger re-enter the picture. Their semi-final against Coello and Tapia at the Riyadh P1 was widely regarded as the match of the tournament: explosive, chaotic, and played on a knife-edge.
The seeding in Gijón means the two pairs are on course to meet again in the finals if both progress, but perhaps more excitingly, Lebrón looks set to face former partner Ale Galán in the semi-finals – a scenario most padel fans worldwide will be hoping materialises.
For Lebrón, still navigating life outside the long shadow of his former partnership with Franco Stupaczuk, this tournament is another chance to show consistency rather than flashes. For Augsburger, it is about confirming that Riyadh was not a one-off, a tournament which he flourished as a game-changer for the duo.
Elsewhere, the questions are more about recovery. Galán and Chingotto arrive needing a response after a heavy defeat in the Riyadh final. The pairing remains one of the most tactically sound on tour, but how quickly they reassert themselves after a one-sided loss will be instructive.
There is also genuine intrigue around Franco Stupaczuk and Miguel Yanguas, a pairing already being talked about as one of the potential dark horses of the 2026 season.
A disappointingly one-sided quarter-final exit in Riyadh to Paquito Navarro and Fran Guerrero has left Yanguas and Stupa with a lot to prove in Gijón.
Women’s draw: pressure on the favourites
Top four seeds (women):
- Delfi Brea / Gemma Triay
- Paula Josemaría / Bea González
- Ari Sanchez / Andrea Ustero
- Sofía Araújo / Claudia Fernández
Can Bea González and Paula Josemaría recover from Riyadh?
The spotlight inevitably falls on Paula Josemaría and Bea González after their disappointing start to their reunion in Riyadh. Their quarter-final exit to Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen was not just a surprise, but a reminder that hype around their reunion must be backed up with elite performances on the court.
Gijón now becomes an early referendum on whether their loss was a blip or a warning sign.
Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea, meanwhile, arrive with their own questions. Their defeat in Riyadh to a resilient Ari Sánchez and the newly paired Andrea Ustero was one of the standout results of the tournament.
Triay and Brea have spoken openly about the need to build rhythm quickly, and Gijón offers a cleaner draw and an opportunity to reassert control.
Just behind them, Sofía Araújo and Claudia Fernández continue to look like a partnership on the cusp of clicking into gear. Their semi-final run in Riyadh ended narrowly against Triay and Brea, but the signs were encouraging. Gijón may be where that promise begins to convert into something tangible.
Padelvoz editor's predictions:
"The intensity shown by Coello & Tapia at the Riyadh P1, and the ease at which they saw off Chingalán in the final puts them as firm favourites for the Gijón P2 title.
Chingotto and Galán took a hammering in the Riyadh final, and I wouldn't be surprised if Augsburger and Lebrón smell blood should the two pairings meet in the semi-finals."
Men's winners: Coello / Tapia
Men's runners up: Augsburger / Lebrón
"Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea will be driven to win their first title of many this season, and Gijón poses as the perfect place to do just that. They will have sat down with the legendary Jorge Martinez to analyse their final defeat, and will come back with a game plan to bring home the trophy.
Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero showed resilience in the Riyadh P1 Final when they went a set down, but they did show signs of vulnerability which teams will be looking to exploit. I can see the new pairing making the final, but narrowly missing out to a resurgent Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea."
Women's winners: Triay / Brea
Women's runners up: Ari Sanchez / Ustero
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