Explained: Why were the Premier Padel Tour Santiago P1 finals cancelled?
The Premier Padel Santiago P1 tournament, held at the Complejo Deportivo San Carlos de Apoquindo in Santiago, Chile, faced significant disruptions due to adverse weather conditions and health issues affecting key players.
Why were the Premier Padel Santiago P1 finals moved?
Initially scheduled to conclude on Sunday, 30th March 2025, both the men’s and women’s finals were postponed to Monday, 31st March, due to heavy rainfall in the Santiago Metropolitan Region.
The tournament’s maintenance team worked diligently to prepare the courts for play on Monday. However, persistent extreme humidity led to further complications.
Why were the Premier Padel Santiago P1 women's finals stopped?
Fans who braced the blustery conditions on Monday 31st March were able to witness two sets of a highly-competitive women’s final, featuring Ariana Sánchez and Paula Josemaría against Gemma Triay and Delfina Brea.
The match commenced as planned but was halted at the start of the third set due to deteriorating weather conditions with the match at 4-6, 7-6, 0-0 (30-15).
At the time of suspension, the women's final was evenly poised, with each pair having secured a set and both sets of players looking on top of their game.
The organising committee, in agreement with the players, decided to suspend the final, with plans to resume at a later date yet to be determined.
Why was the Santiago P1 men’s final cancelled?
The men’s final faced a different setback. Franco Stupaczuk, set to compete alongside Juan Lebrón against Alejandro Galán and Federico Chingotto, was forced to withdraw due to a fever.
After a last-minute medical assessment, it was deemed that Stupaczuk was unfit to play, leading to the cancellation of the men’s final.
Who won the Premier Padel Santiago P1 in March 2025?
As a result of Franco Stupaczuk having to pull out due to medical reasons, Ale Galán and Fede Chingotto were declared champions of the Santiago Premier Padel P1, meaning that they will pick up full points in the men's padel rankings.
Expressing his disappointment, Stupaczuk stated:
“It really hurts not to be able to play the final today. I tried everything to recover in time, but I’m not in a condition to compete. Thank you to the Chilean fans for all the love—hopefully we’ll be back soon to fight for another title.”
Premier Padel released official communications on X regarding these developments, expressing regret for the inconveniences caused to players and fans.
They acknowledged the tireless efforts of the maintenance team and the cooperation of the athletes under challenging circumstances. The organisation emphasised its commitment to player health and safety, which remained paramount in decision-making processes throughout the tournament.
These unforeseen events underscore the challenges of hosting outdoor padel tournaments in locations like Santiago which, due to its high altitude of 1,700 ft (520 m) above sea level, experiences rapidly-changing weather conditions.