Key Takeaways
- Ale Galán pulled out of the Kuwait Major, saying “Unfortunately, I will miss the Kuwait Major due to an injury. I hope to return to the courts soon.”
- His absence mathematically guarantees that Agustín Tapia and Arturo Coello will finish 2026 as the world’s number 1 pairing.
- Spain and coach Juanjo Gutiérrez can make a replacement until October 31, with Javi Leal and Momo González the leading options to take Galán’s place at the World Padel Championships.
Spain has until October 31 to act as Galán deals with hand discomfort
A place in Spain’s team for the World Padel Championships in Doha, taking place from November 2 to 7, is now uncertain for Ale Galán. The Spanish international withdrew from the Kuwait Major with an injury, putting his participation and the remainder of his season in question.
The Madrid native used his personal social media accounts to confirm that he would miss the Kuwait Major.
Galán made the announcement: “Unfortunately, I will miss the Kuwait Major due to an injury. I hope to return to the courts soon,”
Although Galán did not reveal the precise diagnosis, signs of discomfort in his right hand and wrist emerged at Milano P1, where he applied ice while sitting on the bench during an end change.
Ranking loss confirmed as Galán awaits medical assessment
The withdrawal has significant ranking implications. Since the Major awards more points than any other tournament on the calendar, Galán and Fede Chingotto will receive no points from the event.
Before the tournament, Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia each led the RACE standings by 2,840 points. Galán’s withdrawal has now mathematically ended the contest, ensuring that Tapia and Coello will be the world’s top-ranked pair at the end of 2026.
Galán is managing the hand discomfort with rest and will see a specialist for an assessment of his recovery. He plans to review his condition before the weekend and then decide whether travelling to Qatar is possible.
Juanjo Gutiérrez weighs Spain replacement options
Any change to Spain’s squad must be completed soon. International Padel Federation regulations allow national federations to replace an injured player up to Saturday, October 31.
If Galán cannot compete, Spain men’s coach Juanjo Gutiérrez will require a backhand-side player. Galán operates on the left, meaning drive players such as Fran Guerrero and Pol Hernández are effectively out of contention and leaving 2 main candidates.
Javi Leal would bring youth and strong current form to the demanding event, while Momo González offers greater experience and reliability. González narrowly missed the original selection after Aimar Goñi was chosen ahead of him. The staff must decide whether to wait for an update on Galán or select a reserve before the deadline.
Galán and Chingotto’s Milan result, ranking and 2026 record
Galán and Chingotto have compiled a 70-13 record together in 2026. Their most recent outing came on October 17, when they lost 6-0, 2-6, 2-6 to Augsburger (world No. 6) and Lebrón (world No. 5) in the semifinal.
