The battle for the final qualifying spots for the Barcelona Finals may have just taken its first turn in Rotterdam. Javi Leal, who had significantly strengthened his position thanks to his FIP Platinum title in Lyon with Fran Guerrero, was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Dutch P2 tournament. Meanwhile, Momo González and Lucas Campagnolo reached the quarterfinals and now have a perfect opportunity to gain some breathing room in the Race.

Before the start of the tournament, the three men were almost grouped together: Momo González was in 14th place with 2,719 points, Javi Leal followed with 2,718 and Lucas Campagnolo was just behind with 2,673. One point separated Momo from Leal, and only 45 Leal from Campagnolo.

At this stage of the season, each round won can therefore significantly alter the hierarchy.

Leal stops, Momo and Campagnolo continue

The first move took place on Thursday. Fran Guerrero and Javi Leal fell to Tino Libaak and Gonza Alfonso after a 2-hour, 19-minute battle, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. This round of 16 elimination comes just days after their victory in Lyon and this time halts their medal haul in Rotterdam.

Momo González and Lucas Campagnolo, meanwhile, handled their match perfectly against José Antonio Diestro and Marc Sintes. They won 6-4, 7-5 and qualified for the quarterfinals, where they will face Paquito Navarro and Martín Di Nenno.

And when we translate these results into points, the situation becomes particularly interesting.

A Round of 16 appearance is worth 45 points on a P2, compared to 90 for a quarter-final. Based on the Race results published before Rotterdam, Leal would therefore virtually move to  2 763 points while Momo would reach  2 809  and Campagnolo…  2,763 also The Brazilian would thus have erased in one tournament the 45 points that separated him from Leal.

For Momo and Campagnolo, the real challenge begins now.

A victory that could cause much more damage

The next tier is significantly more lucrative. A semi-final in a P2 tournament is worth 180 points. If Momo and Campagnolo beat Di Nenno and Paquito, they would therefore double the total currently guaranteed in Rotterdam.

In this scenario, Momo would virtually climb around  2 899 points , Campagnolo to  2 853 , while Leal would remain at 2,763. The gap would then start to become much more significant: 136 points between Momo and Leal and 90 between Campagnolo and the Spaniard.

This is obviously not a definitive advantage with several big matches still to be played, but the dynamic would be completely different from that observed upon arrival in the Netherlands.

Because a few days earlier, it was Leal who had carried out the big operation.

Lyon had completely revived Leal

Before his FIP Platinum title in Lyon, Javi Leal still occupied the last qualifying spot for the Finals with 2,418 points. Momo and Campagnolo then had a more comfortable lead, with 2,629 and 2,583 points respectively.

Leal and Guerrero's victory in France upset this balance. The 300 points awarded for the title propelled Leal to 2,718 points, allowing him to close the gap to just one point behind Momo. Campagnolo, meanwhile, found himself behind.

Rotterdam could therefore have appeared as an extension of this offensive. It is now producing the opposite effect.

Leal won't have the opportunity to capitalize further this week, as his two direct rivals still have several rounds to widen the gap. This is precisely what makes the quarterfinal against Di Nenno–Navarro far more important than simply reaching the semifinals.

Momo and Campagnolo can switch from hunters to managers

Since teaming up, Momo González and Lucas Campagnolo have built their season more on consistency than on one-off big wins. They've consistently made it into the final stages of the season but haven't yet found the result that would definitively propel them forward in the Race.

Rotterdam might offer them this opportunity.

A semi-final appearance would already allow them to regain some ground on Leal. A final, worth 360 points, would further alter the landscape of this battle.

The goal isn't just to overtake a competitor. It's to start building enough of a lead so that you no longer approach each tournament with the immediate pressure of your opponent's result.

The Barcelona Finals will bring together the 16 best players in the Race at the end of the season. The FIP takes into account the 22 best results obtained during the year on Premier Padel and the CUPRA FIP Tour. In this area of ​​the standings, a run of 90 or 180 points can therefore quickly change the situation.

The quarter-final against Di Nenno–Paquito takes on a new dimension

From a sporting perspective, the challenge will obviously be significant. Di Nenno and Paquito made a perfect start to their tournament by dominating Teo Zapata and Adrián Naranjo 6/0 6/3 in just 55 minutes.

But Momo and Campagnolo now know exactly what they can go after.

Just yesterday, three players were separated by only 46 points. After the round of 16 in Rotterdam, Momo has already regained a small lead, and Campagnolo has virtually caught up with Leal. Another victory would allow the two partners to transform this small opening into a real advantage.

This is the paradox of the Race at this point in the season:  Leal had put pressure on his rivals by winning in Lyon. A few days later, his early elimination in Rotterdam immediately gave them the opportunity to respond. 

It is now up to Momo González and Lucas Campagnolo to take advantage of it.

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.

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