Padel
Inside Riyadh P1: Best moments and winners from Premier Padel’s opener
The women's third seeds completed an epic comeback victory as Coello and Tapia got off to a winning start in the men's competition. Here's everything you need to know.
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Andrea Ustero Prieto and new partner Ariana Sánchez Fallada made history by becoming the first all-Catalan Premier Padel winners at the 2026 P1 season opener in Riyadh. Meanwhile, men's top seeds Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia defeated Alejandro Galán and Fede Chingotto to take the men's title.
Read on for a full a rundown of the winners, scores and highlights, before attention turns to the next event – Gijón P2 – in Spain on March 2-8.
Watch the Riyadh P1 highlights
Relive the best moments from Premier Padel’s season opener at the state-of-the-art Padel Rush Arena in Riyadh, including the biggest rallies and both finals in the official highlights on Red Bull TV.
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Riyadh Premier Padel P1 highlights
Watch the highlights from Saudia Arabia as the Riyadh Premier Padel P1 took centre stage.
- Winners: Ustero – Sánchez took the women's title and Coello – Tapia were the men's winners.
- Scores: 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 (women). 6-4, 6-2 (men).
- Big moment: Ustero – Sánchez took down the women's top seeds with a thrilling comeback victory.
- Record-breaker: Tapia overtakes Galán as the most decorated active padel player.
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Riyadh P1 results – winners and finals recap
- Women's final: Triay – Brea vs Ustero – Sánchez (3-6, 6-1, 6-4). Having lost the first set 6-3, the third seeds hit back spectacularly 6-1 in the second set, before holding their nerve in the decider 6-4 to claim their first title together on the Premier Padel circuit in one hour and 56 minutes. "We had plenty of chances, but we stayed composed in the end," said Sánchez. "It was hard to imagine such a strong start to the year. In the second and third sets, we were almost perfect."
- Men's final: Coello – Tapia vs Galán – Chingotto (6-4, 6-2). Despite dropping just 16 games on their way to the final, Galán and Chingotto came up against a brick wall as Coello and Tapia needed just 65 minutes to triumph in straight sets. "We're proud of our level," said Coello. "We worked extremely hard during the preseason to win here today. I also want to congratulate Fede and Ale - they remain a great team."
Ariana Sánchez takes aim during the 2026 semi-final in Riyadh
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
Ustero and Sánchez celebrate their first victory
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
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Event highlights
- Epic semi-final: Triay – Brea defeated fourth seeds Claudia Fernández Sánchez and Sofia Araújo 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a draining two hours and 25 minutes of play.
- Shock avoided: Coello – Tapia were given a scare in the round of 32 against lucky losers, losing the first set before ultimately prevailing 3-6, 6-1 6-2.
- Top seeds dig deep: In a classic semi-final, Coello – Tapia dug deep to overcome fourth seeds Leandro Augsburger and Juan Lebrón 7-6, 6-7, 6-4.
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Players who impressed
Andrea Ustero Prieto
Ustero, who has rotated through partnerships already in her young career, secured her maiden P1 title with this dramatic victory in Riyadh. She adds that to the P2 title she won in Bordeaux last season alongside Portugal's Sofia Araújo.
Agustín Tapia
After hard-fought wins in the round of 16 and semi-final, the men's top seeds wasted no time in collecting their fourth title in a row with a commanding and efficient win over their closest rivals in the final.
The victory also brought a landmark moment for Tapia, who notched up his 54th title to overtake Galán as the most decorated active padel player.
Tapia and Coello made it four wins in a row
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
Bastien Blanqué and Dylan Guichard
Having progressed from the qualifiers as lucky losers, Bastien Blanqué and Dylan Guichard made a name for themselves in the round of 32, by taking a set off the world's number one duo Coello – Tapia.
It was one of the biggest talking points of the tournament, serving not only to announce a rising partnership, but also providing a wake-up call for the most dominant team in the men's game.
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What this means for the Premier Padel season
18-year-old Ustero's new pairing with former world number one Sánchez looks set to be a promising partnership. After this win at the season opener, they're expected to challenge the likes of world number one duo Triay and Brea, as well as new Spanish pair Beatriz González and Paula Josemaría Martín from the outset.
Coello and Tapia held off Galán and Chingotto at the back end of last year to retain their number one world ranking heading into 2026, and it seems there's still no stopping the pair. The 'El Clásico of padel' looks set to rumble on for another season, with Tapia – Coello now leading the head-to-head 19-7.
Tapia - Coello will be the pair to beat in the men's game
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
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Where to watch full matches and replays
Final – Riyadh
See the two remaining teams battle it out for the top prize at the Riyadh Premier Padel P1 tournament.
You can also follow schedules and results via Premier Padel.
Up next: Gijón P2
The padel action returns to Spain from March 2-8 for the Gijón P2. Last year, there was a shock win at the season's second event, when teenage duo Francisco 'Curro' Cabeza and Diego García went on a fairytale run to lift the trophy. In the women's competition, Triay and Brea will be hoping to return to winning ways at the scene of their first victory together last year.
- Gijón P2
- March 2-8
- Gijón, Spain
- 500-600 ranking points to the winners of this P2 event
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Premier Padel Riyadh P1 FAQs
FAQs
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