In Madrid's first World Padel Tour tournament on the men's side. The favorites and 2020's big giants on the men's side, Alé Galan and Juan Lebron were losing in the quarter-finals. 

In the same tournament on the women's side. The favorites and newly formed star pair of Alejandra Salazar and Gemma Triay were unexpectedly eliminated in the semi-finals. 

Two disappointments summed up the first World Padel Tour tournament of the year. It naturally brought a flurry of speculation in the build-up to the second World Padel Tour tournament in Alicante, often black and white. 

On the one hand, there were issues such as: "Have Juan Lebron and Ale Galan grew tired of each other?" "Is there an upcoming break-up?" "Are Gemma Triay and Alé Salazar not a good match?" "Why didn't Gemma Triay continue playing with Lucia Sainz?". 

On the other side, however, there was only one straightforward question: "Can the star couple come back with a revenge insight in Alicante?"

The answer became clear when the Alicante Open was held two weeks ago. 

Padel Alto was present in the arena in Alicante, along with around 400 people in the audience. It was clear that Ale Galan and Juan Lebron and Gemma Triay, and Alejandra Salazar wanted to give a long finger to those who had doubts after the defeat in Madrid. 

The two pairs played "shut up padel" from the first dropped serve on Thursday to the last smash on Sunday. 6-0, 6-1 in the women's final, and 6-0, 6-4 in the men's final speak for themselves! The weekend wasn't much of a weekend for the early riser, as normally, the men's final doesn't start until noon. 

This time, both finals were settled before then.

All questions that existed before the tournament in Alicante are before Vigo Open this week now answered. Ale Galan, Juan Lebron, Alejandra Salazar, and Gemma Triay will all be incredibly hard-hitting this season. 

On the men's side, Ale Galan and Juan Lebron are challenged by icons Sanyo Gutierrez and Fernando Belasteguin, as well as the new-found pairing of Franco Stupazchuk and Alex Ruiz, who seem to get on so well with each other both on and off the court. 

On the women's side, Alé Salazar and Gemma Triay are challenged by the new pair of Ariana Sanchez and Paula Josemaria, and super-talented Bea Gonzalez paired with Lucia Sainz. 

The next stop for World Padel Tour is the Vigo Open this week, and it feels wide open for victory after the favorite pairs have given the long fingers to those who had doubts ahead of the Alicante Open. Vigo Open is going to be a pointer to the whole WPT season. 

It's a cliché used often and ahead of almost every season regardless of sport. But I say it: This year's World Padel Tour season will be the closest ever.