The magnificent images from Doha, where Spain triumphed in both the women’s and men’s FIP World Cup, are still fresh in everyone’s minds. However, the stars of world padel are coming together once again for the penultimate Premier Padel tournament of the season before the Finals in Barcelona: the Dubai P1. It is the last tournament in this category ahead of the Major in Acapulco, with 1,000 points on offer for the winning pairs and further opportunities for those still hoping to secure a place at the Palau Sant Jordi.
MEN In Kuwait, by claiming their fifth consecutive title, Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia secured top spot in the FIP Ranking and the FIP Race at the end of the season. They won in Dubai in both 2024 and 2025, but only Arturito was able to celebrate the world title, scoring the decisive point for Spain alongside Coki Nieto. In a 48-pair draw, the number 1 seeds will begin their campaign against Alvaro Cepero and Pincho Fernandez, or Alex Chozas and Juani Rubini. With Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan absent, the latter also forced to miss the FIP World Cup, number 2 seeds will be Juan Lebron and Leo Augsburger, who are set to face Nuno and Miguel Deus (bronze medallists with Portugal in Doha), or Manuel Castaño and Pol Hernandez, in their opening match. While Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz will be the number 3 seeds, Paquito Navarro and Martin Di Nenno move up one place to become the fourth pair in the entry list, with their opening match against a pair coming through the qualifying rounds. Potential quarter-final match-ups: Coello/Tapia (1)-Guerrero/Leal (6); Yanguas/Nieto (5)-Stupaczuk/Sanz (3); Di Nenno/Navarro (4)-Gonzalez/Campagnolo (7); Tello/Arce (8)-Lebron/Augsburger (2).
WOMEN As has been the case at every event this season, the women’s tournament looks wide open. Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, opponents in the FIP World Cup final in Doha, arrive fresh from their triumph in Kuwait, but Bea Gonzalez has won in Dubai in the last two editions: in 2024 with Delfi, and last year with Claudia Fernandez. She will be looking to make it three in a row alongside Paula Josemaria, as the number 2 seeds in a draw where, as at every P1, the top four pairs will begin their campaigns in the round of 16. Brea and Triay will open against Saiz/Talavan or two qualifiers, while Paula and Bea will face either Alix Collombon and Ksenia Sharifova, or Martina Fassio and Veronica Virseda. Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero, also crowned world champions (with Ustero having reached the 2024 final alongside Ale Alonso), will be looking to continue their excellent run, starting with a match against Riera/Bidahorria or Manquillo/Sainz. Finally, Fernandez, alongside Martina Calvo (who will make her debut against Castelló/Rodriguez or Martinez/Martinez), will be aiming to defend the title she won 12 months ago. These are the potential quarter-final match-ups: Brea/Triay (1)-Icardo/Jensen (6); Salazar/Osoro (8)-Fernandez/Calvo (4); Sanchez/Ustero (3)-Ortega/Araujo (5); Guinart/Alonso (7)-Josemaria/Gonzalez (2).