A first round that changes perspective
The Brussels Premier Padel P2 already had a special flavour for Clément Geens, expected at home in Tour & Taxis, and for Dylan Guichard, now established as one of the most competitive French players on the international tour. Beneficiaries of a wild card in the main draw, the two players responded immediately in the mix, dominating Isaac Huysveld and Miguel Lamperti 6/3 7/6. Their success was far from insignificant: it validated their ability to hold a dense match, to absorb the variations of an experienced player like Lamperti, and to stay clean in moments of tension, particularly in the tiebreak of the second set.
For the Franco-Belgian duo, this victory offers ideal exposure. In a Premier Padel tournament where the first few rounds often serve as a breakthrough, Geens and Guichard showed they had the weapons to exist in the exchange, with good volley quality, serious transition play and enough discipline not to disperse themselves. In front of a Belgian audience, the story becomes more interesting than a simple guest round. The tournament’s official entry form confirms the highly competitive nature of the Brussels leg.
Stupaczuk / Yanguas, the real test as the board rises
The reward, or trap, arrives immediately: in the round of 16, Geens and Guichard meet Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas, seeded no. 3. The challenge takes on a whole new dimension. Opposite them, we’re talking about a pair capable of imposing a very high tempo, locking down the diagonal and accelerating on every short ball. If they are to achieve a stunning win, the Belgian and the Frenchman will have to serve with precision, accept long rallies and quickly seize the rare moments when the opposing pair leaves an opening.
The context makes the big match-up even more compelling. This Thursday marks the start of the main men’s seeds in the mix in Brussels, with the draw clearly moving up a notch. The returning of title-holdersArturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, and the debuts of Federico Chingotto and Alejandro Galán , winners in their first match 7/6 6/1, immediately put the tournament back in the world rankings. Against this backdrop, Geens and Guichard have a simple card to play: take advantage of the atmosphere, impose their aggression without rushing and turn this round of 16 into a high-intensity match. On paper, Stupa and Yanguas are clear favourites; on the track, a liberated duo, spurred on by the crowd and capable of defending the opposing bandeja well, can still turn a game that everyone is predicting will be unbalanced.
The official schedule places this round of 16 in the Thursday session, at the heart of a pivotal day in the tournament. For Geens and Guichard, it’s exactly the kind of meeting that allows them to measure their remaining distance from the very highest level… or to shorten it by one stroke.
