Padel's 2026 season has been shaped by players who are still teenagers or barely out of them. Martina Calvo became the youngest champion in Premier Padel history in London, Andrea Ustero won her first Major in Paris, and on the men's side Leo Augsburger, 22, has shown he can beat the world's best pair.
Martina Calvo and Claudia Fernández: a record pair
Martina Calvo, born in Pamplona on 5 July 2008, was 18 years, one month and four days old when she won the London P1 in August. That made her the youngest title winner on the top professional tour, beating Andrea Ustero's record by 20 days, according to the International Padel Federation (FIP). Calvo and Claudia Fernández, the fourth seeds, beat top seeds Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea 7-5 6-3 in the final. "I have fulfilled a dream," Calvo told the FIP.
It was no one-off. The pair also reached the Paris Major final in September and then won the Germany P2 in Düsseldorf in October, beating Ari Sánchez and Ustero 6-3 6-0 in 68 minutes. Calvo was ranked eighth in the FIP Ranking after that event.
Fernández, born in Madrid in February 2006, is only 20 but already a veteran by comparison: the FIP credits her with 14 career titles, and she sits sixth in the rankings. Before Ustero, she held the record for the youngest Premier Padel champion herself.
Andrea Ustero: from prodigy to Major champion
Barcelona-born Andrea Ustero (12 May 2007) has collected youth records for several years. At 17 she became the youngest player to break into the top 10 of the FIP Ranking, Padel Addict reported, after a 2024 season that already included a Major final in Paris. In July 2025 she won her first title, the Bordeaux P2 with Sofia Araújo, at 18 years, one month and 24 days.
In 2026, with Ari Sánchez as her partner, she has gone a step further. The pair won the Paris Major in September, beating Fernández and Calvo in the final on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Her FIP profile shows four titles this season, and she is seventh in the world at 19.
The young men: Augsburger, Libaak and Goñi
The men's tour remains dominated by Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, but the most convincing young challenger is Leo Augsburger. The Argentine from Posadas, born in August 2004, won the Brussels P2 in April with Juan Lebrón, coming from a set down to beat Coello and Tapia 2-6 6-3 6-3. "It is a privilege for me to have such a role model by my side," Augsburger told the FIP. He had won Madrid in 2025 with Martín Di Nenno and is now sixth in the FIP Ranking.
His former junior partner Tino Libaak, born on 9 August 2005, won two youth world titles alongside him, according to Padel Magazine. The pair also played the decisive match of the 2024 World Cup final, in which Argentina beat Spain.
Spain's newest name is Aimar Goñi, born in Pamplona on 13 October 2005. The 21-year-old, who partners Edu Alonso on the tour and is ranked 33rd, has earned his first call-up to Spain's World Cup team.
What it means
The next test comes quickly. Calvo, Fernández and Ustero are all in Spain's women's squad for the FIP World Cup in Doha from 2 to 7 November, while Augsburger and Libaak are in Argentina's men's team. A tournament played in national colours will show whether the new generation can carry the same weight as it does on the tour.
Sources
This article was written by TiebreakNews from the reporting below, checked against official results and rankings.
- International Padel Federation — Fernandez-Calvo make history: Martina becomes the youngest winner ever. Coello-Tapia are back
- International Padel Federation — Coello and Tapia make it three in a row; Fernandez and Calvo claim a second triumph
- International Padel Federation — First title for Lebron and Augsburger. Josemaria–Gonzalez make it three in a row
- Padel Addict — Andrea Ustero, the youngest Top 10 player in the FIP Ranking
- Padel Magazine — Who is Valentino Libaak?