By Estea Rademeyer, Live from SunBet Arena.
Photo Credit: Suresh Rajcoomar/Fullview.
Pretoria – If Premier Padel came to South Africa hoping to leave a lasting impression, it has achieved far more than that.
Packed crowds, flawless organisation and a level of passion that surprised even seasoned professionals have turned Pretoria P1 into one of the standout events of the 2026 season.
Now, after a gripping day of semi-final action, the tournament heads into Sunday’s finals with two compelling storylines: established champions chasing another title and fearless newcomers determined to announce themselves on the biggest stage.
While Saturday will be remembered for the stunning elimination of world No.1 men’s pair Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, every semi-final delivered its own story, ensuring the inaugural South African Premier Padel event will conclude with finals worthy of the occasion.
The biggest headline belonged to Javi Leal and Fran Guerrero, whose remarkable 7-5, 7-5 victory over Coello and Tapia ended one of the most extraordinary streaks in professional padel.
World No.1s had arrived in Pretoria as overwhelming favorites and were chasing a sixth successive title. Instead, they were outplayed by two Spaniards who have known each other since they were nine years old and are now enjoying their third spell together as partners.
Leal and Guerrero never allowed the occasion to overwhelm them. Their aggressive approach repeatedly unsettled the normally composed top seeds before they held their nerve in the closing stages to secure one of the biggest victories of the season.
After the match, Guerrero reflected on the partnership that has carried them into their first Premier Padel final. “We hug each other, we continue to play and we forget about it.” It was a fitting description of a team built as much on emotion as trust.
The closing stages tested those emotions. Having earned three break points that would have effectively ended the contest, the pair briefly lost their rhythm before regaining control.
Standing between Leal and Guerrero and an historic maiden Premier Padel title will be second seeds Alejandro Galán and Federico Chingotto.
Their path to the final was far from straightforward. Facing the surprise pairing of Sanyo Gutiérrez and Juanlu Esbri, Galán and Chingotto endured a nightmare opening, failing to win one of the first seven points.
Rather than panic, they gradually settled into their rhythm. Their intensity lifted noticeably and, with the first set delicately poised they produced their finest padel of the afternoon, claiming a tight first set.
Galán and Chingotto appeared in complete control of the second set. At 5-2, it seemed the match was over, before concentration briefly deserted them, allowing their opponents back into the contest. The lapse proved only temporary as they regained their composure to complete a 7-5, 6-4 victory and book their 11th final of the season.
Speaking afterwards to Fullview, Galán admitted the start had caught them by surprise. “We started with some mistakes that we didn’t foresee. From there we managed to get back. We needed to adapt to the conditions. It is difficult to control the ball on occasions.”
He also acknowledged the brief lapse while trying to close out the match. “I lost concentration and didn’t fully focus. I cannot allow this to happen, however I regained my concentration and we were fortunate to close the match out.”
Sunday’s men’s final now offers Leal and Guerrero an extraordinary opportunity. Having already eliminated the tournament’s third and first seeds, victory over Galán and Chingotto would complete one of the rarest achievements in Premier Padel history.
The women’s tournament has produced an equally compelling storyline.
Few expected Claudia Fernández and Martina Calvo to reach the final. Fewer still expected them to defeat the second seeds so convincingly.
The young Spanish pair delivered another mature display, defeating Bea González and Paula Josemaría 6-1, 6-4 to continue a remarkable week in Pretoria.
Fernández, just 20, and 18-year-old Calvo have looked increasingly comfortable with every match under coach Gaby Reca, combining fearless attacking padel with composure beyond their years.
Calvo now stands on the verge of history. Victory on Sunday would make her the youngest player ever to win a Premier Padel P1 title.
Despite their age, confidence is certainly not lacking. “Anyone that beats us will need to kill us out there,” Calvo said afterwards. It is the kind of belief that has carried them to their first final together.
Standing in their way are the tournament favourites. Gemma Triay and Delfina Brea have barely broken sweat throughout the week, extending their flawless run with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 victory over Alejandra Salazar and Aranza Osoro.
Fresh from lifting the Málaga title, the world No.1s have yet to drop a set in Pretoria and will now chase a fifth championship of the season.
Triay expects Sunday’s final to present an entirely different challenge. “Tomorrow will be our first match against them. We will go out and enjoy ourselves now and think about the final later. We will go out and study how they play as we haven’t been able to watch them much over the past week. It will, however, be a very tough match.”
For Brea, adapting week after week remains one of the biggest challenges on the international circuit. “It is hard to be consistent week to week. The altitude is different. The food is different. Tomorrow we fly to London which is a long flight. We do not have too many ups and downs and it’s important to stay stable and consistent.”
The inaugural Pretoria P1 has already exceeded expectations, introducing South African fans to the highest level of professional padel while proving the country is more than capable of hosting one of the sport’s premier events.
Sunday promises a fitting conclusion.
The women’s final begins at 1pm, with world No.1s Gemma Triay and Delfina Brea taking on the fearless young pairing of Martina Calvo and Claudia Fernández.
At 3pm, attention turns to the men’s showpiece as second seeds Alejandro Galán and Federico Chingotto attempt to halt the fairytale run of Javi Leal and Fran Guerrero, whose unforgettable week has already rewritten the tournament’s history.
After everything Pretoria has produced over the past seven days, few would dare predict how the final chapter will unfold.