Paquito and Guerrero Fall in First Round Shocker as Gijón P2 Exposes New Tournament Format

The ninth-seeded duo of Juan Tello and Edu Alonso handed Paquito Navarro and Fran Guerrero an early exit at the Gijón Premier Padel P2, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a match that Mundo Deportivo described as “an authentic thriller” lasting nearly two hours. The fifth-seeded Spanish pair, fresh off a semifinal run in Riyadh, couldn’t close out the deciding set despite holding three break points — Alonso and Tello saved them all to advance on star point.

The loss carries extra sting given the timing. This tournament marks Premier Padel’s first test of a new P2 format designed to reduce match volume: the top four men’s seeds now skip straight to the round of 16, cutting one match from their schedule. Navarro and Guerrero didn’t get that privilege — and paid for it against a pair hunting momentum. AnalistasPadel noted that “the favorites suffered early on, as the duo of Tello and Alonso surprised everyone with their performance.”

The third set exposed tactical discipline more than raw power. After splitting sets, Alonso emerged as the decisive factor — omnipresent at the net, precise with volleys, and unshakeable under pressure. Tello added what one Spanish outlet called “the necessary spice,” maintaining aggression even as Navarro and Guerrero pressed for the break. The Hispanic-Argentine pairing’s chemistry proved sharper when it mattered, converting their lone break chance in the decider while weathering three break points in the closing game.

Elsewhere in the round of 32, Coki Nieto returned to competition alongside Jon Sanz, grinding past Álex Ruiz and Esbrí 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in a match that tested Nieto’s conditioning after time away. Momo González and Martín Di Nenno also needed three sets to advance, dropping the opener 2-6 to Jensen-Hernández before asserting control with a 6-4, 6-1 turnaround.

The week’s most improbable storyline belongs to Javi Garrido and Lucas Bergamini, who somehow made it to Gijón after a geopolitical scramble. With conflict in the Middle East disrupting flights, Garrido drove from Dubai to Oman, caught a flight to Barcelona, then traveled overland to Asturias — arriving in time to beat Blasco and Jiménez 3-6, 7-5, 6-0. According to AnalistasPadel, the victory carried symbolic weight: “This victory is more than just a match; it reflects the hard work and determination of the players.”

The round of 16 begins Thursday with the format’s intended stars — Tapia-Coello, Chingotto-Galán, Yanguas-Stupa, and Lebrón-Augsburger — finally entering the draw. The women’s side expanded from four to eight direct qualifiers, meaning Ari Sánchez and Andrea Ustero lead the Thursday schedule. Matches start at 10:00 CET and stream free on Premier Padel’s YouTube channel through the quarterfinals, with Red Bull TV and Movistar picking up semifinals and finals.

Navarro’s early exit won’t derail his season, but it raises a question the new format can’t answer: does one fewer match really matter if you lose the first one you play? Tello and Alonso just proved that momentum built in lower rounds can topple better-ranked opponents — exactly the dynamic Premier Padel hoped to minimize by giving top seeds an extra day of rest. The format may spare elite players from fatigue, but it can’t protect them from opponents who arrive battle-tested and hungry.

Sources

Paquito y Guerrero no pueden con Tello y Alonso en la primera ronda del Gijón P2 — El Neverazo
Horario, dónde ver y apostar en los octavos del Premier Pádel Gijón P2 — AnalistasPadel
Juan Tello y Edu Alonso sorprenden a ‘Los Pacos’ en los dieciseisavos del Gijón P2 — AnalistasPadel
¡Paquito Navarro y Fran Guerrero, eliminados a las primeras de cambio en Gijón! — Mundo Deportivo
Paquito Navarro y Fran Guerrero se enfrentan a un debut de alto voltaje en el Gijón P2 — Mundo Deportivo

Sources: