Galán after the controversial final in Chile: "The players know the kind of person I am"

For the first time since the scandal in the final of the World Padel Tour Chile Open, the world number one, Alejandro Galan, gives his version in an extensive interview with Marca newspaper.
— If I had seen the ball, the match would have been over at that moment for sure," said the Spaniard.

After several weeks of the controversial refereeing decision in the final of the World Padel Tour Chile Open, which forced Tapia and Coello to win the match 'twice' to take the title, Alejandro Galan spoke for the first time about the episode that put him in the headlines.

— At first when I saw all the media coverage I didn't understand it, because what I experienced is very far from what was seen on the screen. That night I saw what was happening and I saw the match on replay," the player told Marca. 

"I wish I had seen the ball"

Galán, with his back to the play, says he did not see the rebound after Coello's volley at the controversial spot, so he only noticed what was happening because of the referee and the scoreboard.

— I dodged the ball because it was like a missile from Coello, but I didn't see it. It comes out straight, and the sound doesn't make it very clear... I was wondering what had happened. I heard Honorio chanting 30-40 and I made sure by looking at the scoreboard, where it also said 30-40. 

"I asked Honorio for an explanation"

After Tapia's 'final' smash, Galán went for the ball off court, and after he returned, the umpire called the match over. At that point, the Spaniard complained that, for him, the match was not over.

— When I took the ball and returned to the court I heard "game, set and match", and the only thing I asked Honorio for was an explanation as to whether he had made a mistake in the score. At that moment we were both wrong, and if I had seen the ball, the match would have been over at that moment, for sure. Because, for me, Coello's ball seemed to be out.

Many of the criticisms of Galán were due to the fact that he did not concede the next ball on the golden point, hitting it straight out.

— I had to keep on competing because that's what I had to do, and it was also to avoid being penalised. Now it's difficult to understand this because the images say something else, but at the time I didn't know if the ball was out. 

"The players know the kind of person I am"

Despite the unfairness of the circumstances, in the end, Tapia and Coello managed to overcome the situation, winning the match in the third set. Galán believes that the young pairing was a fair winner, although the match should have ended earlier.

— After the encounter, at that moment, I felt that it had been a very good ‘battle’. I was happy with our level, but after seeing the whole situation it was clear to me that they deserved the match. My life doesn't depend on winning a match, and I think it's more than proved how I am on the court, the players know the kind of person I am. Many times we 'self-arbitrate' ourselves because there is that honesty between players.

After the match, the world number one was the target of a lot of criticism on social media, questioning his honour and sporting honesty. 

— I have tried to avoid it. I have been part of all this misunderstanding and I apologised after the final because it was an ugly situation, a situation where the match should have ended earlier. The game should not have continued, and I didn't like to be involved in that.

Finally, Galán considers that there are limits to people's criticism, limits that should not have been exceeded.

— What hurts the most is that they mess with the people I love, my family, my partner... I accept and understand everything that people have experienced and thought after the final in Chile, but there are limits that were exceeded, and they hurt. The rest I accept, and I trust that playing on the court will put an end to all this.