The Premier Padel caravan moves to northern Spain for the Gijón P2 – and after the fireworks of Riyadh, the stakes are already sky-high. No boycott this year, a full draw with all the world's best, and new pairs eager to confirm (or disrupt) the early-season hierarchy. Here's everything you need to know to set your fantasy roster and compete for the global #1 spot.
📍 Tournament Overview
Why it matters: Last year's Gijón P2 was scarred by the boycott – most Top 100 players stayed away. This year, every top pair is confirmed. This is the first time in 2026 that Spanish fans will see the world's best live on home soil, and the atmosphere will be electric.
🔙 What We Learned in Riyadh
Before diving into the Gijón picks, let's recap the key Riyadh takeaways that should shape your roster strategy:
🏆 Coello/Tapia remain untouchable (for now). They won the title and combined for 254.5 FP. Their 49.5 FP each in the final was the highest men's single-round score. They're the safest pick on the circuit.
👑 Women's points dominate. Andrea Ustero Prieto scored 199.2 FP – 70+ more than the top male scorer. Prioritize your women's lineup.
💎 Early-round value is real. Ramiro Valenzuela finished 5th overall (117.4 FP) without reaching the semifinals. Javier Valdes posted 61.6 FP in the R64 alone.
🔥 Ustero/Sánchez are the real deal. They beat Triay/Brea in the final in their very first official tournament together. This is not a fluke – they went undefeated through the PPL, Hexagon Cup, and now Riyadh.
🏆 Men's Entry List – Main Draw
Here are the confirmed men's pairs for the Gijón P2 main draw, based on the official FIP entry list (last updated February 24, 2026). All players are searchable and available in the Out Of The Court app.
The main draw continues with pairs 11–22 featuring names like Leonel Aguirre/Alejandro Arroyo, Gonzalo Alfonso/Carlos Gutiérrez, Juanlu Esbri/Alejandro Ruiz, Jairo Bautista/Lucas Campagnolo, Alex Chozas/Valentino Libaak, and more. Plus two wild cards: Alberto García Trabanco/Miguel Lamperti (a local hero pick!) and Álvaro López Campos/Fran Ramírez.
Key storyline – Sanz/Nieto return: Coki Nieto missed both the Hexagon Cup and Riyadh P1 due to physical issues. Gijón will be his 2026 season debut alongside Jon Sanz – a pair that showed strong chemistry in the past. Watch them closely as potential dark horses.
🏆 Women's Entry List – Key Pairs
The women's draw features a complete reshuffling compared to 2025, with several blockbuster new partnerships making their Spanish debut. Based on confirmed registrations and Riyadh P1 results:
Also expected: Alejandra Salazar/Verónica Virseda, Jessica Castelló/Aranzazu Osoro, and other top-tier pairs. No major absences are reported – all headliners are confirmed for Gijón.
🎯 Best Picks – Men
Our fantasy recommendations for Gijón P2, combining form from Riyadh, pair chemistry, and value potential.
128.5 and 126.0 FP in Riyadh. They're the #1 pair on the planet and showed zero signs of weakness. In a P2 with a smaller draw, they'll face fewer rounds – but the final multiplier remains massive. Lock them in.
Nieto's return is the biggest story of the men's draw. They're seeded 6th with 11,042 combined ranking points. If Nieto is fit and sharp, this pair has the talent to reach the semifinals or beyond – at a lower roster cost than the top seeds.
Garrido finished 2nd in the R16 scoring at Riyadh (35.3 FP) and Bergamini posted solid numbers throughout. Seeded 8th, they're a consistent pair who can rack up points across multiple rounds without breaking the bank.
Both were fantasy monsters in Riyadh: Valenzuela finished 5th overall (117.4 FP) and Martínez topped R32 scoring (43.9 FP). They're in the qualifying draw for Gijón (seeded 5th in Qualifications) – if they make it through, they're a bargain pick with proven point-scoring ability.
🎯 Best Picks – Women
199.2 FP for Ustero, 156.3 FP for Sánchez. They won the Riyadh P1 in their first official tournament together. Ustero's 84.0 FP in the final was the single highest round score of the entire tournament. This pair is on fire and plays with a fearless, attacking style. Essential pick.
Nine titles in 2025 and still the pair with the most experience at the top. They lost the Riyadh final but Triay posted 90.9 FP overall (5th in women's scoring). They'll be hungry for revenge in Gijón and remain a rock-solid fantasy choice.
Jensen exploded with 52.8 FP in the QF and Icardo added 49.6 FP – a combined 102.4 FP in a single round. Jensen finished 3rd in overall women's scoring (104.5 FP). This pair has massive upside and could be the biggest fantasy value in the women's draw.
At just 17, Calvo topped the R16 scoring in Riyadh (36.4 FP) – proving our last Best Picks recommendation right. Paired with Ortega's experience, this duo blends fearless youth with tactical intelligence. Great value at their roster cost.
📝 Fantasy Strategy for Gijón P2
1. P2 scoring dynamics. As a P2 event, the draw is slightly smaller than the Riyadh P1. This means fewer rounds for top seeds (entering later), but the FIP points at stake are still significant: 600 for winners, 360 for finalists. Focus on players who will reach the deep rounds.
2. Women first, always. The Riyadh data was conclusive: the top women's scorer (199.2 FP) destroyed the top men's scorer (128.5 FP) by over 70 points. Invest heavily in your women's lineup – that's where the biggest points live.
3. Monitor the Nieto factor. If Coki Nieto passes his fitness check and plays at full capacity alongside Jon Sanz, they become an instant Top 4 pair. His absence from Riyadh depressed his fantasy cost – snap him up before Gijón if you can.
4. Qualifying players = hidden gold. Valenzuela and Martínez are in qualifying but dominated the early rounds in Riyadh. If they qualify, they'll play more matches (more FP opportunities) and cost less than main draw seeds.
5. New pairs, second test. Riyadh was the first look. Gijón is the confirmation. Pairs like Ustero/Sánchez, González/Josemaría, Araújo/Fernández, and Calvo/Ortega are all still building chemistry. Some will surge, others may stumble. That's where the fantasy edge lives.
👀 Qualifying Players to Watch
The qualifying draw features 32 men's pairs and 16 women's pairs fighting for a spot in the main draw. Here are the top qualifying seeds to keep on your radar:
Men's Qualifying – Top Seeds
| # | Pair | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxi Arce / Pablo Lijó | 2,474 |
| 2 | Teodoro Zapata / Fran Cabeza | 2,401 |
| 3 | Ignacio Sager / Juan Ignacio Rubini | 2,367 |
| 4 | Aris Patiniotis / Agustín Torre | 2,170 |
| 5 | Javier Martínez / Ramiro Valenzuela | 2,147 |
Keep an eye on: Javier Valdes (CHI) is also in qualifying, seeded 13th with Renzo Nuñez. He scored 61.6 FP in the R64 at Riyadh – the highest single early-round score of the tournament. If he qualifies, he's an incredible low-cost fantasy option.
🗓️ Season Calendar – What's Ahead
Build Your Gijón Roster Now
The transfer window is open! Every player in this article is searchable in the app. Use these picks to set your lineup before the Gijón P2 deadline.
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