Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia have officially sealed their status as the #1 pair of the 2024 season following a commanding straight-sets victory over Coki Nieto and Jon Sanz (#6) in the quarter-finals of the GNP Mexico Major Premier Padel. Their triumph also confirms their unassailable lead in the FIP Race Ranking, marking an incredible milestone in their careers.
The pair’s achievement is made even more significant by the venue: Acapulco was where they first played as the #1-ranked pair earlier this year during the Acapulco P1 in March. Since then, they’ve defended their position atop the rankings with unwavering consistency throughout the season.
“Playing like that in a game where we both knew we were playing for a lot says a lot about the kind of player he [Agustín] is,” Coello said during the post-match interview. “We’re very happy with the team we’ve managed to build over the last two years. I never imagined that playing with Agus would be such a great thing.”
Tapia echoed the sentiment and extended his respect to their competitors: “I would also like to congratulate the guys who made us improve our level throughout the year, first Juan and Ale and then Ale and Chingo. Our numbers are incredible if you think about it, but so were theirs to be number one, and we fought hard until the very end. This is the fruit of so many years of work.”
Sánchez and Josemaría Stay Strong Despite a Grueling Challenge
The women’s #1 pair, Ari Sánchez and Paula Josemaría, also showcased their resilience in Acapulco. For the first time in a Major, the duo faced a three-set battle in the quarter-finals, overcoming a spirited performance from Veronica Virseda and Aranzazu Osoro (#8). Despite the challenge, Sánchez and Josemaría emerged victorious in front of an electric crowd, continuing their unbeaten streak against the pair—a record that bodes well for their title hopes.
“We suffered a lot during the match,” Josemaría admitted. “I think we found the key later on, but they made it very difficult for us. We really broke sweat—we ran all over the court. It was very difficult, but I’m very happy to have got through this match.”
Di Nenno & Lebrón Dominate, Triay & Fernández Power Through
In the men’s draw, Martín Di Nenno and Juan Lebrón (#3) demonstrated their growing synergy with a clinical 6-3, 6-3 win over Momo González and Edu Alonso (#7). The pairing has now reached their sixth semi-final in just eight tournaments together this season, blending Di Nenno’s tactical acumen with Lebrón’s explosive power.
On the women’s side, Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernández (#2) overcame an early scare to defeat Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen (#7). After trailing 2-4 in the first set, Triay and Fernández flipped the momentum, taking four consecutive games to clinch the set and dominating the second to book their semi-final spot.
Other Quarter-Final Highlights
Acapulco’s tournament has delivered its share of upsets, but the quarter-finals proved a step too far for unseeded competitors in both the men’s and women’s draws.
Mike Yanguas and Franco Stupaczuk (#4) secured back-to-back Major semi-finals with a hard-fought victory over “giant killers” Javi Barahona and Javi García. Meanwhile, Delfi Brea and Bea González (#3) demonstrated their championship credentials with a commanding performance against Alix Collombon and Araceli Martinez (#16), advancing to their first Major semi-final of the season.
A Tournament to Remember
As the GNP Mexico Major enters its decisive stages, the 2024 season’s dominant figures—Coello and Tapia for the men, Sánchez and Josemaría for the women—are once again at the forefront, showing why they’re the ones to beat. The spotlight now shifts to the semi-finals, where fans eagerly await more thrilling action from the world’s best.