Tison on Collombon's bench in Málaga

At the Premier Padel Málaga P1, one figure on the sidelines draws attention: Benjamin Tison is sitting on the bench of Alix Collombon and Ksenia Sharifova. The former French number one, who has increasingly worked as a coach since ending his professional career, is supporting the Franco-Russian duo in Andalusia. His presence is no coincidence and comes only days after a major staffing update around Collombon.

New coaching context after the split with Juan Alday

Shortly before the event in Málaga, the split between Alix Collombon and Juan Alday became public. The Spaniard had been the French player's main coach since her arrival in Barcelona and had guided her for nine years – from her development phase through to her best level on the international tour. Seeing Tison take a seat on the bench immediately afterwards inevitably raises questions: is this temporary support for this event, or the start of a longer project?

There is still no official clarity. Neither Collombon nor Tison have announced a fixed partnership. What is known is that Tison has embraced coaching since retiring as a player and supports players at the My Center Académie. In Málaga he is now on site in person, following Collombon and Sharifova closely – with a focus on timing, match plans and reactions between points.

Clear opening win against the Spanish wildcard

On court, the first outing with Tison on the bench went smoothly. Collombon and Sharifova defeated Spanish wildcard Carmen Castillón and Lorena Vano 6-0, 6-2. The Franco-Russian duo looked more aggressive and tactically sharper than their opponents, controlled the rhythm and court positioning, and were never seriously threatened.

Such a result is not automatic in the first round of a P1 event, even if the scoreline reflects the hierarchy. Especially after a coaching split and before a much stronger opponent in the last 16, the clear win is a valuable start: clear patterns, early composure and a calm entry into tournament week.

What the win says about the pair's profile

The scoreline mainly points to solid organisation at the net and in the transitions from defence into attack. Collombon and Sharifova forced errors and kept pressure high on the return. For the coach on the bench, that means the planned guidelines are working and the players can test their structure in a relatively manageable match before the intensity rises.

Last 16 against the fourth seeds

Next up are Claudia Fernández and Sofía Araújo – the fourth seeds. Collombon and Sharifova will start as clear underdogs. Fernández and Araújo sit near the top of the world rankings; experience, efficiency and consistency favour them.

At the same time, the setting adds a slight uncertainty: for Fernández and Araújo it is their final tournament together before they split. Such phases can briefly alter chemistry – sometimes bringing sharper focus, sometimes creating cracks in key moments. That is not an automatic edge for the Franco-Russian pair, but it is context in which tight sets are possible.

Where Benjamin Tison can become more visible

Exactly in a match against a seeded top pair does the coach's role move further into the spotlight. Tactical adjustments, timeouts and management of weak phases often decide momentum. Whether Tison is only filling in in Málaga or becoming part of a new project around Collombon will also show in how structured the pair communicate and adapt under pressure.

• Clear role split between defence and net attack
• Quick corrections to serve and return patterns
• Composure in break points and between sets

These are typical levers an experienced coach works on in real time. Tison knows the pressure from the player's side; translating that into coaching work is the core of the current debate about his presence in Andalusia.

Between one-shot and longer project

The central question remains open: will Tison's role in Málaga stay a one-off, or will a regular partnership with Collombon emerge? For the French player, a stable coaching setup after nine years with Alday would mark a strategic restart. For Tison, involvement at Premier Padel level would be a logical next step from French number one to a visible coach on a major stage.

Until an official announcement, any conclusion stays speculative. Sportingly, Málaga already provides early datapoints: a visible bench presence, a convincing first-round win and, straight afterwards, a genuine test against the fourth seeds. How far the collaboration goes will be decided by the coming matches and by how the parties communicate.

Collombon and Sharifova thus compete in a phase where sporting form and organisational reset overlap. The clear win over Castillón and Vano gives them a calm base. The matchup with Fernández and Araújo will show whether that base holds under higher pace. Tison sits as a possible link between match plan and execution – and that is why his presence in Andalusia is the central theme of this tournament moment.