- A hard-hitting start in Riyadh
- Ortega–Calvo: a winning debut, without dragging it out
- On the women’s side: tricky first-round traps right away
- Guichard / Blanqué: a major date with Coello / Tapia
- Wednesday: the heavyweights arrive, and the tournament shifts gear
- A reshuffled 2026 draw: Paula vs Ari on the horizon
- The Star Point arrives: why it could matter from week one
- Key takeaways
A hard-hitting start in Riyadh
First tournament, first cold sweats: the Riyadh Season P1 kicked off the 2026 campaign with a string of tight battles from Day 1. The message is clear: even before the seeds step in, the draw offers barely a moment’s respite, and matches swinging in a third set are already becoming the norm.
The scene is set for a packed week at the PADEL RUSH ARENA, with the tournament scheduled from 7 to 14 February (qualifying rounds followed by the main draw) and a full men’s and women’s field.
Ortega–Calvo: a winning debut, without dragging it out
Among the new partnerships under close watch, Ortega–Calvo wasted no time making their point. Marta Ortega and Martina Calvo delivered a crisp win over Jessica Castellò and Lorena Rufo (6-3, 6-1) in 1h14, a performance that speaks volumes about their ability to seize control early: intensity from the opening games, a steady tempo, and very few windows left for their opponents.
That result is also a telling sign of where several players are heading in 2026: betting on new complementarities sometimes even across generations to gain bite and variation. Calvo, still very young, is tipped as one of the names ready to take a leap this season, and this first outing only strengthens that idea.
On the women’s side: tricky first-round traps right away
Day 1 also revived a pro padel classic: the “first-round trap”, where chemistry and habits can matter more than ranking. Noa Cánovas and Laia Rodríguez rode a rollercoaster past Alix Collombon and Araceli Montes (6-0, 3-6, 6-0). They will now be the first opponents for Bea González / Paula Josemaría, a new seeded pairing in a thoroughly reshaped draw.
Another headline match: Marta Talaván and Sofía Saiz had to grind it out (7-5, 6-7, 6-3) and will next face Andrea Ustero alongside Ari Sánchez. Once again, it’s a new duo meaning a match where pure level must compensate for a lack of shared history… or, conversely, where the project’s early momentum can hit hard.
Guichard / Blanqué: a major date with Coello / Tapia
On the men’s side, the storyline for French fans is straightforward: Dylan Guichard and Bastien Blanqué earned the right to test themselves against the very best. After beating Juan Cruz Belluati and Facundo Dominguez (7-5, 6-1), the French pair land a prestige clash with Coello/Tapia as the world No. 1s begin their season.
Beyond the poster, the task is simple: hold serve, stay close in the key games. Against Coello and Tapia, it’s not enough to “play well” you have to remain dangerous when the match accelerates. The kind of test that’s worth its weight in gold, even when the draw is unforgiving.
Wednesday: the heavyweights arrive, and the tournament shifts gear
The next day’s schedule marks the real turning point: the top pairs enter the stage. Fede Chingotto and Ale Galán, for instance, are set to face Gonzalo Rubio and Javi Ruiz, fresh off a gruelling three-set fight. At the same time, the “reunion” of Mike Yanguas and Franco Stupaczuk will play its first official match of the season against Pol Hernández and Guille Collado.
In a week-long event, those first matches from the headliners are always a form check: positioning, quality off the glass, smash efficiency, and the management of “hot” moments when the score tightens. In short, everything that often decides the late rounds… starts showing up right now.
A reshuffled 2026 draw: Paula vs Ari on the horizon
The Riyadh Season P1 also signals a major shift on the women’s side. Behind Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, announced as the No. 1 seeds, a wave of new pairings has redrawn the hierarchy: Bea González with Paula Josemaría (No. 2), Andrea Ustero with Ari Sánchez (No. 3), and Claudia Fernández with Sofía Araújo (No. 4). And, unusually, Paula Josemaría and Ari Sánchez could meet… as opponents, as early as the semi-finals depending on the draw path.
On the men’s side, the reading is similar: Coello/Tapia remain the pair to beat and Chingotto/Galán the main obstacle, but the season opens with returns, reshuffles and new duos chasing rhythm fast. In other words: yesterday’s challengers have a window to close the gap if they bank points early.
The Star Point arrives: why it could matter from week one
Another major new feature is the introduction of the Star Point, a scoring format designed to curb marathon games. In practical terms, from the first deuce (40-40) you move into a three-step sequence: a first advantage, then a second if needed, and finally a single decisive point (the “Star Point”) if the second deuce comes back. The result: fewer five-minute tug-of-wars on one game, and more pressure concentrated on one or two “target” points.
To follow the draws, order of play and official results, check the reference pages: Premier Padel – Riyadh Season P1 and FIP – Riyadh Season P1 2026 event page. For a full breakdown of the Star Point, the FIP also provides an explanation: FIP – Star Point presentation.
Also on Actu Padel: Riyadh Season P1 2026: dates, format, pairs and key stakes.
Key takeaways
- The tournament starts at high pace, with plenty of matches decided by nerve and a third set.
- Ortega–Calvo make a strong statement with a fast, reassuring win.
- Guichard/Blanqué earn a gala clash with Coello/Tapia as the No. 1s open their season.
- The women’s draw has been reshaped: a potential Paula Josemaría vs Ari Sánchez clash is one of the week’s headline storylines.
- The Star Point could change the way key games are managed early: every decisive point carries extra weight.
