A logical score, but a strong image for Belgian padel
The hierarchy was respected in Brussels. Facing Franco Stupaczuk and Miguel Yanguas, seeded 3, the Dylan Guichard / Clément Geens pair lost 6/3 6/3 in the round of 16 at the Lotto Brussels Premier Padel P2.
On the scoreboard, there was no stunning win. But to reduce this match to the score would be to miss the essential point: in front of his home crowd, Clément Geens gave real density to this big match-up. The Belgian No.1 played with intensity, without any hang-ups, against one of the most solid pairs on the Premier Padel circuit.
On Tour & Taxis’ CBC Center Court, Geens was often the one who set the tone for the Franco-Belgian side. In moments when the exchange was settling down, he sought to move forward, close the angles and choose the right moment to accelerate. It wasn’t just a question of winning shots: it was above all a question of initiative, reading and presence.
Stupaczuk and Yanguas finally came into their own, particularly in returning games and on short balls. But Geens prevented the match from becoming a mere demonstration of the opposition. His commitment, communication and willingness to take the net enabled the Franco-Belgian pair to exist in several sequences.
Clément Geens, the engine of intensity
What really stood out was the way Clément Geens took on the role of triggerman. He didn’t suffer the prestige of the names in front of him. He played with a real desire to influence the tempo, promoting the ball as soon as there was an opening, and varying between compact defense, firm volleying and tense relaunching.
In a match at this level, this ability to decide quickly is often what splits a passive pair from a real one. Geens showed that he can do just that, at least in sequences, against benchmark opposition.
The Belgian also provided energy at times when Guichard had to absorb the pressure from the diagonal. On several occasions, his communication, substitutions and commitment led to contract extensions on points that seemed destined for the Spaniard and the Argentine.
Against a pair as clean as Yanguas / Stupaczuk, it’s not always enough to create a break. But it does change the perception of the match. And for the Belgian public, seeing Geens respond with such intensity on a Premier Padel stage was bound to have a special value.
A defeat, but a real Belgian pride
After their initial victories against Isaac Huysveld and Miguel Lamperti, Geens and Guichard knew that the promotion stakes would rise sharply. This round of 16 confirmed it. The margin of the favorites was expressed in the key moments, on the quality of the returning, the management of short balls and the ability to lock up important games.
But this match also leaves a useful mark. That of a Belgian player capable of carrying some of the intensity, in front of his home crowd, in a very demanding context. Geens didn’t just defend his local status: he added depth to a match which, according to world logic, could have been quickly closed down.
For Belgian padel, it’s a powerful image. A home-grown player on the Brussels Central, pitted against two of the best players on tour, capable of thrilling the public with his attitude, his desire to move forward and his reading of the game.
In Brussels, Clément Geens didn’t just accompany the match. He carried it along in sequences. And even if the score remains clear-cut, this presence at Premier Padel level confirms one thing: Belgian padel also has its landmarks, its faces and its reasons for believing.
