In Brussels, Ale Galan gets closer of the coveted 18-kilogram bronze racket designed by Glenn Bracke and promised to the double winner of the Lotto Brussels Premier Padel in three years. With his new partner Federico Chingotto, he appears best placed to destabilize the world number one pair Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia. Galan is one of the rare players who can seize theBrussels work of art worth 30,000 euros.
His former accomplice, the volcanic Juan LeBron, lost this right to dream on Friday. The 2022 winner lost in the quarter-final with Paquito Navarro. This defeat highlighted the fragility of Lebron who was close to the summits for three years thanks to his association with Ale Galan. The bulimic Galan-Lebron won 32 titles between 2020 and 2024. The future darkened when the powerful Coello-Tapia took the upper hand on the circuit in May 2023. Then, Lebron's tortured character wore down the force calm of Galan. The pair exploded in mid-air during an anonymous round of 16 match in Doha. Tensed, Lebron got confused with his opponent Yanguas who signaled a foot fault. “Kiss my ass”, would have said Lebron under the embarrassed gaze of the gentleman Galan. The scene added to a series of disagreements between the two men. What had become a marriage of convenience was shattered. The earthquake hit the entire circuit with a domino effect.
Galan/Chingotto: a pair with a future?
Ale Galan has relocated with the eighth in the world, Federico Chingotto. On both a human and sporting level, this pair has a bright future. Alejandro Galan is playing his third tournament with Chingotto with a record of two finals (Acapulco and Puerto Cabello). Very comfortable at the net and aggressive, this Madrilenian draws his determination from his modest origins. “In my family we are very closehe confides. We see each other often. My parents instilled basic values in me.” Her dad works in the hotel industry while her mom is a housekeeper. “I'm not ashamed of any of this. Our family didn't go on vacation so we could play tournaments. With my sister, we will never be able to give them back everything they gave us.”
From his earliest memories, he always had a padel racket in his hand. At age 7, he started taking lessons. He competed in the Circuito de Menores, one of the best youth circuits in the world. However, money was not flowing freely at home. At first, he could only train once a week. His excellent results helped him obtain a scholarship. Prominent among juniors, he waited until he was 20 to shine among the professionals. He played in turn with Juan Cruz Belluati in 2016, then Matias Diaz in 2018. He took the opportunity to win his first title at the Valladolid Open by beating the feared Sanchez and Gutierrez. He continued in 2019 with Juani Mieres then Pablo Lima. In 2020, Juan LeBron enters his life. For three years, they panicked the scorers with eight finals and six titles in 2020, seven titles in 2021 and six more in 2022. Along the way, this left-wing player signs 18 consecutive successes in a circuit which is becoming more and more competitive .
Not only is Ale Galan a model on the pitch for all the kids who enter a cage, but the Madrilenian is also a source of inspiration on a human level.
