At the beginning of March, padel resumes in Gijón with a strange feeling: everything is “normal”… except the bodies. The Gijón P2 ( March 2-8, 2026) marks the return of a major event in Spain, one year after the previous edition was plagued by boicot and controversy. This time, the stars are there, the stands will vibrate, and the tournament is back to its sporting roots.
But the 2026 season didn’t wait long to remind us of the circuit’s number 1 rule: health dictates the ranking. A contract extension on the one hand, an expected comeback on the other. The result: pairs on the move, seeds flunking, and P2 already becoming a mini-laboratory before Miami.
Cardona still out: the injury that breaks the momentum
The bad news is that Pablo Cardona has still not recovered. The young drive, regarded as one of the most solid prospects on the right, has been suffering from knee tendinitis since October.
And it’s not “just” an absence.
- When you miss several months in the middle of a promotion, you lose tempo, points and, above all, your bearings.
- Project disrupted: Cardona was to team up with Javi Leal in 2026. Inevitably, the whole plan fell apart.
- Calendar under pressure: the longer the absence, the more the returning becomes a race against the clock before the big dates.
On a tour where it’s all about the details, a “nagging” injury can change the trajectory of an entire season.
Leal finds a solution: Cepero backs him up
For Javi Leal, there’s no time to wait. We have to play, take points and build momentum. The solution for Gijón is Álvaro Cepero, an experienced player capable of providing stability and tactics. Bonus: he arrives with a status that carries weight, recent MVP of Europe, so with confidence and a real aura.
This new duo smacks of an intelligent “plan B”: not necessarily a pair designed for the long term, but an association that can limit damage and even surprise if the connection catches on quickly.
What to expect in Gijón
- There ‘s little time to set up automated systems: communication, zones, glass exits – everything has to be set up in express mode.
- Immediate pressure: they could face seeds as early as the round of 16. No “easy” warm-up round.
- A mental test: when you change partners under duress, you have to play simply, solidly, and accept imperfection.
In short: an interesting but exposed pair. The kind of duo that can make a good shot… or get punished if there’s a flaw in the coordination.
The big return: Coki Nieto is back in the picture
The real breath of fresh air for the public is the reappearance of Coki Nieto. After missing the first event due to arm discomfort, the Madrilenian confirmed his entries for Gijón. He even got his tempo back with an exhibition in Abu Dhabi, a sign that he’s not coming back “blind”.
Coki returns with Jon Sanz, a pair that has worked in the past. And this return has a direct impact on the table, as the initial absence cost places in the provisional rankings.
| Element | What it changes |
|---|---|
| Nieto’s return | More quality in the draw and closer matches in the early rounds |
| Nieto / Sanz pair | A tried-and-tested alliance, with tactics that are quicker to find |
| Seed no. 6 | They leave behind Paquito Navarro and Fran Guerrero, proof that inactivity pays off. |
Gijón 2026: a return to normality and a stable women’s line-up
This P2 also has a symbolic dimension. In 2025, the city experienced an “out of the ordinary” edition because of the boicot, with an atmosphere that was more political than sporting. This year, the opposite is true: the best pairs will be present, the tournament will be packed, and there will be a real promise of spectacle.
On the women’s side, nothing changes: the pairs installed in 2025 are renewed, and the field promises to be complete, with no major absences. In other words: a high level, a logical hierarchy, and a battle for the title without an asterisk.
What’s at stake, and a look ahead to Miami
Gijón is a tournament with a double meaning:
- Picking up the tempo: for those returning (Nieto), this is the litmus test.
- Creating momentum: for new pairs (Leal / Cepero), it’s a race for points and confidence.
- Managing health: Cardona remains the perfect example: the season will be played out as much in the medical staff as on the bandeja.
And one date is already on everyone’s mind: the Miami P1 (March 23-29). If Cardona doesn’t return in time, his year could be turned upside down very early on. For Leal, every match counts after his early exit in Riyadh. In short, Gijón isn’t just a P2: it’s already a milestone.
What are you expecting from this Gijón P2 tournament: Coki’s comeback, the Leal/Cepero upset, or a “no script” tournament where the seeds take the law into their own hands?
