It was supposed to be an evening with family and friends to celebrate his eighteenth birthday. But for Leonardo, born in Lodi and now living in Zurich, Day 3 of the Oysho Milano Premier Padel P1 turned into one of the most exciting and unforgettable moments of his life. Everything happened in the magic of the Allianz Cloud, where Leonardo — a huge fan of Fede Chingotto and Ale Galán — showed up on Wednesday to watch his idols make their tournament debut against Clement Geens and Ale Jerez. What he didn’t know was that word of his endless passion for padel had reached the organizers, who didn’t think twice about preparing a special surprise for him.
The surprise came right after the “Chingalan” duo sealed their straightforward win. Completely stunned, Leonardo was called onto the court, near the bench where Chingotto waited for him with a smile and a brand-new racket in hand — a gift he handed over after a long hug, as the Allianz Cloud crowd erupted in applause. Moments later, after another embrace with tournament director Gianluca Canali, Ale Galán joined him for a photo together. “I can barely speak, I’m so emotional”, said Leonardo, his voice shaking. The young student, who just started university in Switzerland, went on: “I’ve been playing padel for two years. I started by chance while on a mountain holiday, and it was love at first sight. But I never imagined meeting my favorite players like this”.
(Leonardo and his family with Gianluca Canali)
Clutching the racket to his chest, he admitted with a smile: “I’ll never use this one to play — I’ll keep it safe in my room”. First, though, he’ll have to show it to his friends, as the birthday party continues tonight — a night that started as a fan’s dream and ended with Leonardo as the star of the show.