Groll/Garcia win P1000 title in Strasbourg

At the P1000 4Padel Strasbourg, Teri Groll and Diego Garcia produced one of the most dramatic finals of the spring. Facing top seeds Julien Motz and Simon Wagner, the underdogs turned around a match that seemed lost and claimed the title after 1 hour and 42 minutes, 2-6, 7-6, 7-5. They confirmed their status as the strongest pair of the weekend in the Alsatian city.

Motz and Wagner fly out of the blocks

Left-handers Motz and Wagner set a high tempo from the start. Their atypical pairing surprised Groll and Garcia with aggressive attacks and early pressure at the net. In the opening rallies the favourites controlled the rhythm and gave their opponents little room to build their own offence.

Quick breaks and another breakthrough secured the first set 6-2 for Motz and Wagner. At that stage the title looked within reach. Diego Garcia appeared unsettled, made direct errors and could not find his usual rhythm. Teri Groll kept the team alive with constant attacking intent and a strong presence in key moments.

The tie-break as turning point

Despite a heavy deficit in the opening set, Groll and Garcia refused to quit. They tightened their game, cut errors and worked back point by point. The second set became a tight battle with both pairs trading momentum.

The set was decided in the tie-break. There Groll and Garcia showed exceptional composure to win 7-5, levelling at one set all and shifting the dynamic of the final. What had looked like a safe lead for the top seeds became an open contest with everything still to play for.

Garcia finds his level when it matters

The third set confirmed the trend from the second. Diego Garcia played much cleaner, more aggressively and with fewer mistakes than at the start. His groundstrokes repeatedly created chances, while Teri Groll applied constant pressure at the front.

Groll and Garcia broke early and led 4-1. Motz and Wagner fought back, recovered ground and kept the crowd on edge until the end. At 6-5 the outsiders produced their best game: Garcia hit a spectacular winner from off court and Groll closed with a precise volley into the door – title secured.

A weekend of top performances

The final triumph capped an already impressive run. In the quarter-finals Groll and Garcia had eliminated the second seeds; in the semi-finals they beat surprise package Brouillard and Morelle. They had already shown in Strasbourg that they belonged among the form pairs of the event.

Statistically the final stayed balanced overall, but in the decisive phases of sets two and three Groll and Garcia converted their chances more consistently. Motz and Wagner looked increasingly rushed in critical rallies and lost important points in the money time.

For the winning duo it was already their second shared P1000 title. They had won a tournament of this category together the previous July and continue to grow their joint record. The performance in Strasbourg underlines their rise as one of the most dangerous doubles on the national circuit.

The P1000 4Padel Strasbourg delivered high-quality padel and classic drama: favourites ahead, outsiders fighting back, a tie-break as the pivot and a tight decider to the last rally. Groll and Garcia earned the trophy with patience, clarity in key phases and a strong finish.

The crowd in the arena witnessed the full emotional range of padel: dominance, doubt, comeback and celebration in a single final. For Motz and Wagner the pain of a set lead that was not enough remains. For Groll and Garcia the season opens with a statement title that should resonate well beyond Strasbourg.

The role split within the winning pair was striking. While Wagner and Motz impressed early with pace and pressure, Teri Groll became the emotional anchor in the closing phase. Her constant movement at the net forced risky replies from the favourites and created several break opportunities.

Tactically, the champions showed maturity. After losing the opener they cut unnecessary risks, extended rallies and waited for the right moment to attack. That patience paid off in the tie-break when Motz and Wagner made their first unforced errors under real scoreboard pressure.

The Strasbourg P1000 ranks among the most prestigious stops on the French calendar. A title there brings ranking points and visibility for sponsors and organisers alike. Groll and Garcia used the stage perfectly and delivered a reference comeback for late-turnaround padel finals.