Hexagon Cup 2026: results and highlights from the first day

Results for Wednesday, January 28, 2026: All Scores

Morning Session

• Rafa Nadal Academy Team by COX (Ruiz / Stupaczuk) vs. ElevenEleven (Garrido / Libaak): 6–7, 3–6
• KRÜ Padel by Taktika (Araújo / Jensen) vs. ElevenEleven (Josemaría / Alonso): 6–3, 3–6, 9–11
• Rafa Nadal Academy Team by COX (Ortega / Triay) vs. RL9 Padel Team (Sánchez / Ustero): 2–6, 3–6

GENERALI Arena: Next Gen

• ADvantage Padel Team (Castaño / Jiménez) vs. Team BELLA Puerto Rico (Rubini / Goñi): 3–6, 5–7
• Hexagon Team (Hernández / Mariano González) vs. RL9 Padel Team (García / Santigosa): 7–5, 1–6, 10–7

Afternoon Session

• KRÜ Padel by Taktika (Chingotto / Momo González) vs. X Padel Team (Yanguas / Leal): 6–1, 6–1
• ADvantage Padel Team (Brea / Martina Calvo) vs. Hexagon Team (Salazar / Goenaga): 6–3, 6–3
• ADvantage Padel Team (Di Nenno / Tello) vs. RL9 Padel Team (Tapia / Jon Sanz): 6–3, 6–2

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A “off” return that’s already taking its toll in Madrid

The Hexagon Cup is not just a casual exhibition tournament on the fringes of the schedule. From the very first exchanges at the Caja Mágica, this 2026 edition confirms a trend already evident last year: the intensity is real, and the collective pressure turns every match into a full-scale test.Unlike in a traditional tournament, players aren’t just defending their doubles pair or their individual rankings. They’re playing for a franchise, a team, a project. This aspect changes how the matches are viewed, especially at key moments: a tiebreak, a golden point, or a break conceded immediately take on strategic significance.For those who want a detailed understanding of how the competition works, the participating teams, and the specific rules, our in-depth article is available here: Launch of the 2026 Hexagon Cup: Everything You Need to Know Before Kickoff in Madrid.

A format that rewards management, not just talent

The strength of the Hexagon Cup lies in a simple principle: the final score doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s the points a team accumulates that count—sometimes much more than a lopsided victory.In this context, managing dips becomes crucial. A pair that minimizes damage, wins a super tiebreak, or secures a point in the Next Gen can be a turning point in the overall balance of a day. This format forces players to think differently, sometimes accepting that they need to play more pragmatically than spectacularly.The first day also brought back into the spotlight a classic feature of modern padel: the golden point. In such a short tournament, this type of situation truly represents a breakthrough in terms of a player’s composure and leadership on the court.

A momentum that’s already been established for the future

While it’s too early to draw definitive conclusions after just one day, certain trends are clearly emerging. Teams that can win close matches and remain solid when the game isn’t going their way have a structural advantage in this format.Conversely, franchises that let “winnable” points slip away already know they’ll have to react quickly. The Hexagon Cup leaves little room for making up ground: every session affects the ranking, and the margin for error shrinks very quickly.The rest of the competition will determine which teams will be able to turn this first day into a real springboard… and which ones will need to quickly reevaluate their team strategy.