LIST: The stars missing from the European Padel Championships
The big summer padel championship is just around the corner, and the upcoming European Championship is expected to be an exciting event where many nations will finally get the chance to showcase their level. Despite the great enthusiasm, there is a notable absence of several top stars. In this article, Padel Alto lists the 15 biggest stars who will not be participating in this year's championship.
This year is especially exciting for the national team with two major championships on the schedule. This summer’s European Championship, which was supposed to be held last year but got postponed, will be followed by the World Championship in the fall.
As a result, many of the biggest stars have chosen to skip the first championship. Here, Padel Alto lists the 15 biggest stars who will not be participating in this year's European Championship.
Tamara Icardo
Tamara Icardo started the season with Alejandra Salazar. The new pair has reached a final but has yet to secure their first Premier Padel title. In recent weeks, Icardo has been dealing with a leg injury, causing her to miss this year’s second Major. She is a candidate for the Padel World Championship this fall.
Coki Nieto
Coki Nieto, along with Jon Sanz, has made significant progress in his career over the past year. He is currently ranked 16th on the FIP ranking and has reached several semifinals this year. Nieto is also a player who might get a spot in the fall's World Championship, but the competition is tough.
Claudia Fernandez
Claudia Fernandez is one of the world's top players. In recent years, she has made tremendous progress and shown that she belongs to the world elite. A few weeks ago, she won her first Premier Padel title and made history. She definitely deserves a spot in the Spanish national team.
Javi Garrido
It has been exciting to follow Javi Garrido and Mike Yanguas' significant progress this year. The pair has made several strong performances, including a final place in this year’s first Major. Garrido also has a good chance of securing a spot in the fall’s championship.
Alejandra Salazar
Alejandra Salazar is one of the best players in history. She turns 39 in December and is still an obvious choice for the Spanish national team. Together with Tamara Icardo, she is chasing her first Premier Padel title of the year.
Jon Sanz
Jon Sanz, together with Coki Nieto, has made significant improvements in his career over the past year. Sanz is currently ranked 17th in the world and has reached several semifinals this year. He is also a strong candidate for a spot in the fall’s World Championship.
Mike Yanguas
It has been thrilling to follow Mike Yanguas and Javi Garrido's progress this year. Yanguas has made a significant step in his career and is now ranked among the top ten in the world. The duo has delivered several impressive performances, including a final place in this year’s first Major. Yanguas has strong chances of being selected for the fall’s championship.
Gemma Triay
There was much discussion at the beginning of the year when Gemma Triay, even before the season started, parted ways with Marta Ortega. Instead, she formed a new partnership with the young talent Claudia Fernandez. The new pair has reached several finals and even won their first title. Triay is a clear choice for the championship.
Paquito Navarro
The championship would have been more exciting with crowd favorite Paquito Navarro, no doubt. The Spaniard finished last season on a high note by winning the Master Final in Barcelona. The start of the year has been a bit shaky with a partner change and a first-match loss. Paquito and Lebron are now chasing their first final. Despite this, he clearly deserves a spot in the fall’s World Championship.
Paula Josemaria
As the world number one, Paula Josemaria is an obvious part of the national team. Together with Ariana Sanchez, she has won several titles in Premier Padel and could be a key player for Spain this fall.
Juan Lebron
Juan Lebron started the year strong by winning a Premier Padel title with Ale Galan. Later, the pair split, and Lebron reunited with Paquito Navarro. Although the partnership has not been as successful as Galan's new partnership, Lebron and Navarro have still reached several semifinals. It will be interesting to see who Lebron will play with in the fall’s World Championship, as he clearly deserves a spot.
Bea Gonzalez
Bea Gonzalez has truly challenged for the top spot in the rankings this year. Together with Delfi Brea, she won 20 consecutive matches and secured several titles. It will be exciting to see if she can reach the top of the rankings this year. She is a definite choice for the World Championship.
Arturo Coello
This year, Arturo Coello, along with Agustin Tapia, has shown they are one of the top two pairs on the world tour. Coello could be a key player for a Spanish World Championship gold this year. The Spanish national coach faces a challenge in putting together the best combinations for the championship.
Ariana Sanchez
As one of the world’s top players, Ariana Sanchez is an obvious part of the national team. Together with Paula Josemaria, she has shown an incredibly high level in Premier Padel and won several titles. Their impressive teamwork on the court makes Sanchez a key player for Spain’s success in the fall’s championship.
Ale Galan
Ale Galan chose to part ways with Juan Lebron at the beginning of the year and instead started a partnership with Federico Chingotto. The new partnership has been a great success, and the duo constantly challenges for titles and has won several. Not having Galan in the World Championship team would be a significant loss.