Tactics vs Libaak/Chozas: Stupaczuk & Yanguas

Yoan Boronad and Timéo Fonteny left the court full of frustration after losing to Álex Chozas and Tino Libaak. The next day, the round-of-16 clash between Franco Stupaczuk, Mike Yanguas and the same Argentines delivered a genuine tactical lesson. Both meetings ultimately tell the same story: against Libaak and Chozas, everything comes down to the details.

"It depends only on them"

At the change of ends, Yoan Boronad summed up perfectly what the duel against the Argentines had left behind:

"I have no solution, I feel it depends only on them."

That impression was understandable, as Libaak and Chozas seemed to dictate the pace. Yet the response from their coach Yannick Morel hit the mark:

"We will focus on the positive and on what works. We fight on every game."

The 6-0 scoreline in the first set suggested clear dominance. On court, the reality looked very different. Anyone looking only at the result missed how tight the match actually was at key moments.

A 6-0 that does not tell the story

Despite the heavy 6-0, Boronad and Fonteny earned two break points, and several games went to deuce. Each time, the scenario was the same: the French pair defended exceptionally, repelled several attacks and forced their opponents to play one extra shot. But that one additional ball almost always made the difference in favour of Libaak and Chozas.

The ability to maintain pressure until the opponent made the error became the Argentine pair's main weapon. Anyone facing them had to understand that they capitalise on long rallies and consistently exploit every small advantage.

Why Stupaczuk and Yanguas found the key

The round of 16 showed, however, that there was another way to approach this challenge. Unlike the French, Stupaczuk and Yanguas never systematically tried to speed up the game. They accepted long rallies, even when they themselves were in an offensive position.

Rather than trying to finish the point quickly, they took time to build, distribute the game and vary trajectories. Numerous chiquitas, changes of pace and slower balls gradually deprived Libaak and Chozas of the speed they favour. Suddenly, it was Stupaczuk and Yanguas who had the chance to accelerate – and not the other way around.

This approach fundamentally changed the balance of roles on court. While Boronad and Fonteny often had to react, Stupaczuk and Yanguas dictated the pace from a position of control and forced Libaak and Chozas to play outside their comfort rhythm.

Neutralising the vibora before it exists

One technical detail particularly marked this match. On several occasions, Franco Stupaczuk chose to counter Chozas's attacks directly on the half-volley. The goal was clear: prevent the Argentine from setting up his vibora after the glass and immediately break the offensive sequence.

Morel put it precisely from the sidelines: "A. Chozas is a creator." Stupaczuk wanted to stop that kind of play before it could develop. Adjustments like this illustrate the tactical reading of the world's best pairs: it is no longer just about defending an attack, but preventing the opponent from developing their preferred pattern.

Key moments make great teams

Another major difference lay in handling important points. At 3-1 in the first set, Stupaczuk and Yanguas made two consecutive errors. Many teams would have lost their lead under pressure.

Instead, they remained perfectly lucid and eventually held the break to lead 4-1. The same scenario repeated itself in the second set: broken while seeming to control the match, they never panicked, came straight back and re-broke at 4-3.

This ability to stay faithful to the game plan despite difficulties was probably the biggest difference between the two pairs. While Boronad and Fonteny increasingly made errors under sustained pressure from the Argentines, Stupaczuk and Yanguas stayed stable at the decisive moments.

When patience makes the opponent crack

The last game was almost an admission. Stupaczuk and Yanguas won the final four points without having to produce an exceptional winner. They simply benefited from four direct errors from Libaak and Chozas.

Stupaczuk and Yanguas refused to enter the tempo imposed by Libaak and Chozas. Through variation, patience and constructed rallies, they reversed the balance of power. Where Boronad and Fonteny had often been forced to defend until breaking point, Yanguas and Stupaczuk gradually put their opponents in exactly that situation.

Morel's words thus take on their full meaning: the fight was there from the first round, but against a pair at the level of Libaak and Chozas, it is the details that tip a match. The semi-final showed how the very best teams turn those details into a decisive advantage.