Dec. 9 – Number ones, even in difficulties. After ending their first two matches at Allianz Cloud in less than two hours total, the bar was raised for Alejandro Galan and Juan Lebron, but not high enough for them to stumble. With 7-5 6-1 in an hour and 15′ to Momo Gonzalez and Alex Ruiz, Galan and Lebron earned their way into the semifinals of Milano Premier Padel P1, where they await the winning pair between Belasteguín/Coello and Semmler/Sanchez. But during the first set, it was by no means an easy path; in fact, the match had started on an uphill slope for Lebron and Galan: break cashed in at the start and many errors, some of them even unusual for the best players in the world. Gonzalez and Ruiz, on the other hand, did not miss a play, helped also by an easy volley missed by Galan on the break ball to level things up 3-3. Another opportunity for Lebron and Galan in the eighth game, denied by a Gonzalez smash, but it was a major error by Ruiz that put everything back in balance. Two more, on 30-30 in the twelfth game, cost them the first set, proving once again that if you want to beat Galan and Lebron you must make no mistake. In the second set there was no doubt: first break ball in the second game cancelled thanks to the net but the second was the good one. The lead breaks became two, then we just had to wait for the end of the match, although a tweener and a behind-the-back volley by Gonzalez in two different exchanges triggered standing ovations and cheers from the Allianz. This is the beauty of padel.
Galan/Lebron suffer in first set then took off: Gonzalez/Ruiz out, semifinals now
