Madrid P1: At 16 years old, Iago Fuertes and Bentahor Espino move from the waiting list to the main draw

Initially relegated far behind the qualifiers, Iago Fuertes and Bentahor Espino will ultimately compete Madrid P1 main draw thanks to a wildcard. An invitation that offers both Spanish Cadet Champions 2025 , aged only 16, a first major exhibition at Movistar Arena .

A wildcard that completely changes their Madrid P1

The August 13, Fuertes and Espino were still listed in the 15th place on the waiting list , with a total of 462 points In this position, participation in the Madrid tournament seemed very unlikely.

But the update published on August 26 by the International Padel Federation (FIP) This completely changed the game: the two Spaniards received one of the three wildcards awarded for the men's main draw .

This will allow them to avoid the qualifying rounds organized at Coslada and will begin directly at Movistar Arena , where the first round of the men's tournament is scheduled for 1er September .

An invitation that rewards two promising young players, but above all a pair who already have a solid shared history.

Spanish junior champions and world vice-champions in pairs

Iago Fuertes , born in February 2010, is originally from Narón, in Galicia . Bentahor Espino , born in December 2009, has just Ingenio, on the island of Gran Canaria .

Despite the distance separating them, the two players built a particularly successful partnership at the youth level. In 2025, they became Spanish junior champions by dominating in the final Hugo Estébanez and Aaron Garcia , seeded 1, with a score of 7 / 5 7 / 6 .

They then joined the Spanish U16 team when Reus Junior World Championships Spain secured the team title, while Fuertes and Espino reached the final of the pairs tournament in their category.

This wildcard therefore does not offer a partnership of circumstance: the two teenagers already possess automatic reflexes and experience of important meetings contested together.

Fuertes, already two titles on the CUPRA FIP Tour

In 2026, the two Spaniards mainly continued their progress with other partners.

Classroom 194th in the world as of August 24th Iago Fuertes already has two titles on the CUPRA FIP Tour He first established himself at FIP Bronze from Kolding with Albert Roglan, before winning the FIP Bronze from A Coruña alongside Ferran Insa.

A second title that is bound to be special for the Galician, born less than an hour before the tournament, and victorious in front of his family and friends after a three-set final against Boris Castro and Pau Miñano .

Fuertes also discovered the qualifications of Premier Padel on several occasions, notably at Gijón, Valencia, Valladolid, Pretoria and London , without yet managing to establish itself permanently in the main tables.

Espino continues his rise

Bentahor Espino occupies, for its part, the 220th place in the world , the best ranking of his young career.

His summer was notably marked by a final at the FIP Silver in Espoo , contested with Matteo Sargolini. Both players lost. 6 / 2 6 / 3 against Marc Sintes and Juan “Coquito” Zamora.

The Canary Islander has played in numerous tournaments this season, from Madeira to Istanbul , Via Agadir, Parma, Belfast and Finland These trips allow him to accumulate experience and points on the FIP circuit .

At 16, directly facing the level Premier Padel

The wildcard spares them the qualifying rounds, but immediately propels them into a main board of Premier Padel With respectively 273 and 220 individual points Fuertes and Espino could face a significantly more experienced pair right from the start of the competition.

Beyond the result, this Madrid P1 will primarily allow us to measure their ability to keep pace with players already established at the highest level: speed of play, physical intensity, management of important moments and adaptation to a scene of a completely different dimension.

Following national titles and international youth competitions, Iago Fuertes and Bentahor Espino are now changing scenery At just 16 years old, the two Spanish junior champions will have the opportunity to compete against the best at Movistar Arena making their first appearance in the main painting one of the curiosities to follow in this Madrid P1 .

Antoine Tricolet

I discovered the Padel I stumbled into Spain at a campsite. I was instantly hooked; passionate about padel, I follow international and regional news with the same excitement as the sport itself.