It’s Gala’s Night: Historic Quarterfinal with Garcia Against Yanguas-Nieto
The NextGen derby showcased remarkable talent as "the boys from Krakow," Spaniards Alonso Rodriguez and David Gala, faced off on court. Both were instrumental in Spain’s gold medal win at the 2023 European Games in Poland.
Match Details and Players
- Alonso Rodriguez paired with left-handed Argentinian Ignacio Juani Rubini
- David Gala teamed with Madrilenian Pablo Garcia
- Match held on Court 2 at the Rafa Nadal Academy
- Players’ birth years: Gala and Rubini (2006), Rodriguez and Garcia (2003)
The four young players delivered impressive padel, demonstrating noticeable improvement. Notably, Gala and Garcia had already eliminated the number 5 seeds, Di Nenno-Augsburger, following strong performances on the CUPRA FIP Tour, where Garcia won three consecutive titles and Gala secured two.
The Match Outcome
The final score was 6-4, 7-6, after Rodriguez and Rubini staged a significant comeback in the second set leading to a tiebreak. This result perfectly captured the intense competition between these rising stars in the sport.
“David Gala has been called ‘the chosen one’ and the brightest gem of Spain’s new generation.”
Career Milestone
This quarterfinal advancement with Garcia is the most important achievement in both players' careers to date. Before the FIP World Cup Pairs, Gala’s best was reaching the quarterfinals at Tarragona P1 2025 with Campagnolo, where he lost 6-2, 6-2 to Yanguas-Nieto.
Author’s Summary: David Gala and Pablo Garcia’s quarterfinal advancement marks a key milestone, highlighting Gala’s status as Spain’s promising NextGen talent in professional padel.