Marbella hosts penultimate stop of Andalusian Junior Circuit as title races tighten

Key Takeaways

• A total of 285 young players participated in the 7th stage of the Zusset Andalusian Junior Circuit hosted across three venues in Marbella.
• Ángel Miranda and José Genaro Galán mounted a three-set comeback to beat top seeds Alonso Moreno and David García in the junior men’s final.
• Under-10 pairs Hugo Martínez with Martín Rafols and Carmen Díaz with Carla Martín both captured their fifth circuit titles of the season.

Surprises and dominant runs define 7th stage in Marbella

Marbella served as the vibrant hub for youth padel after hosting the seventh event of the Zusset Andalusian Junior Circuit, officially titled the Málaga Provincial Council Trophy ‘City of Marbella’. A total of 285 young competitors took to the courts, with El Mirador club acting as the main venue alongside the municipal facilities at Francisco Norte and Paco Cantos.

Supported by the Marbella City Council through its Municipal Sports Delegation and the Malaga Provincial Council under the ‘Malaga Competes – The Province in Shape’ initiative, the competition was also attended by Andalusian Padel Federation (FAP) president José Pérez.

Comebacks in the junior and cadet divisions

The junior men’s draw delivered thrilling drama. Ángel Miranda and José Genaro Galán capitalized on the withdrawal of the second seeds to navigate through the semifinals before producing a memorable comeback in the final. Facing top-seeded favorites Alonso Moreno and David García, Miranda and Galán rallied to claim the title 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

In the boys’ cadet category, fifth seeds Diego Martínez and Javier Galán mounted a stellar run, winning five consecutive matches. After overturning a deficit against the top seeds in a grueling three-set semifinal, they captured the crown with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gonzalo Salido and Christian Riesgo. Meanwhile, the female cadet competition was controlled from start to finish by Valeria Prado and María Sorribes, who sealed the trophy with a 6-1, 6-3 win against Julia Carrillo and Lucía Sánchez.

Under-10 to under-14 finals overview

In the children’s and youth categories, top contenders largely met expectations. Eduardo Marí and Iván Ortega took the boys’ junior draw against Juan de Dios Fernández and Álvaro Díaz, while Sofía Kempele and Leire Eslava defeated Candela Moreira and Marieta Flores 6-4, 6-2 for the girls’ trophy. In the under-12 divisions, Jorge García and Alejandro Sierra completed a flawless campaign without dropping a set, beating Francisco Martín Bejarano and Mario Lorenzo 6-4, 6-3. Second seeds Silvia Reina and Fabiola Grandes earned the girls’ under-12 title over Martina Labrador and Ana Aguilar by identical 6-4, 6-3 scorelines.

The under-10 category saw its most dominant partnerships secure their fifth victories of the campaign. Hugo Martínez and Martín Rafols defeated Álvaro Cáceres and Álvaro Rodríguez 6-2, 6-1, while Carmen Díaz and Carla Martín concluded a perfect league phase to finish ahead of runners-up Julia Serrano and Nathalie Salar.

The circuit now heads toward its decisive phase, with the regular season set to conclude at the eighth stop in Córdoba from October 16 to 18, ahead of the Andalusian Junior Masters scheduled for December 27 to 29.