AUGUST 26, 2024, SAN DIEGO – This weekend, the Las Vegas Smash were crowned champions at the Pro Padel League (PPL)’s final 2024 regular season event in San Diego. Taking place at Taktika Padel located at the award-winning Barnes Tennis Center, the Smash defeated the New York Atlantics in the final on Sunday after capturing both the women’s doubles and men’s doubles matches featuring the world’s best padel players and global superstars.
Taking the court first in the final on Sunday was the women’s doubles match featuring Marta Ortega (world no. 6 and former world no. 1) and Alejandra Alonso of the Las Vegas Smash taking on Andrea Ustero and Virginia Riera of the Atlantics who they defeated in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. Following this, the highly anticipated men’s doubles matchup took Center Court with Gonzalo Alfonso (world no. 1 doubles team) and Pablo Cardona of the Las Vegas Smash going up against with Federico Chingotto (world no. 4) and Luis Campagnolo of the Atlantics.
After a close first set, Alfonso/Cardona of the Smash secured a break of serve at 5-5 before going on to close out the set 7-5 against Chingotto/Campagnolo. In the second, the Atlantics fought back against the Smash to win it 6-3 and push the men’s doubles match to a deciding, third set tiebreaker, but they couldn’t hold off the Smash who captured the tiebreaker 10-3 to win the title in San Diego.
“Congratulations to the Las Vegas Smash for winning the event in San Diego and their incredible performance this week,” said Marcos Del Pilar, PPL Commissioner. “The level of competition in San Diego we witnessed was the highest we have seen yet, with so many exciting matches between the game’s best players coming down to a deciding tiebreaker. I am proud of all our teams and players in the League who fought for every point, and every match, and gave fans in San Diego and those watching around-the-world unbelievable entertainment.”
In addition to Sunday’s final, the third and fourth place playoff took place between the Flowrida Goats and the Cancun Waves. Going the distance in the women’s doubles match was Flowrida Goats duo Aranzazu Orso (world no. 17) and Gemma Triay (world no. 3) who took on Alejandra Salazar and Veronica Virseda (world no. 15) of the Cancun Waves. With the Goats capturing the first set 6-3, the Waves made a strong comeback in the second set winning it 6-1 and pushing the match to a deciding third-set tiebreaker. In an extremely close tiebreaker, the Goats eventually prevailed, winning it 13-11 against the Waves. Continuing the battle in the next match were Martin Di Nenno (world no. 6) and Pablo Lijo of the Goats facing Daniel Gutierrez (world no. 10) and Teodoro Zapata of the Waves. In a straight sets win, the Waves defeated the Goats 6-3, 6-3, to force the mixed doubles match and determine who would capture third place. In the final set of play between the two teams, Salazar/Zapata of the Waves went up against Osoro/Di Nenno of the Goats with the Goats’ mixed doubles duo winning the deciding set 6-4 to claim third place in San Diego.
Following an exhilarating weekend of action in San Diego with record-breaking attendance and padel’s biggest stars competing throughout the week, the top eight teams in the PPL standings will now advance to the PPL Cup and final event of the 2024 season taking place in November.
The mission of the PPL is to create the most compelling version of padel for sports fans in North America with the new league providing the biggest stage for professional padel players across the continent. The PPL is the first of its kind, and the only professional padel league in the world, to feature team-based competition in a unique and engaging, city-based, franchise format.