Leygue falls in FIP Bronze Cordenons semi-finals

For Thomas Leygue, the FIP Bronze Cordenons ends on the doorstep of the final. Alongside Chilean Javier Valdés, his men's doubles partner, France's number one lost in the semi-finals to Spaniards Jaume Romera Barceló and Sergio Nieto Simon. The fourth seeds prevailed 7-6, 6-3, ending the Franco-Chilean duo's title ambitions in Cordenons.

The defeat felt especially bitter because Leygue and Valdés were competitive for long stretches of the match. Above all, the first set developed into a tight duel in which both pairings remained level for a long time. In the end, the tie-break went the Spaniards' way – a detail that clearly carried over into the rest of the contest.

Strong run to the semi-finals

The path to the semi-finals had already shown that Leygue and Valdés were among the most in-form pairings in Cordenons. From the first round they sent a clear signal with a commanding 6-0, 6-1. That laid the foundation for a week in which they steadily gained confidence and consistently played their offensive game.

In the round of 16 they confirmed that approach with a clear 6-1, 6-3. Leygue looked present at the net, Valdés supplied the necessary power from the baseline. The two players complemented each other tactically and seemed on course for one of their best joint performances on the FIP Tour.

The quarter-finals brought the most impressive match of the tournament so far. Against fifth seeds Joaquin De Astoreca and Mateo Rivero of Argentina, Leygue and Valdés dominated 6-2, 6-3. They thus overcame one of the stronger seeds in the draw and made genuine title ambitions clear. The win against an established Argentine duo underlined that the Franco-Chilean team could perform at a high level over several rounds, not just in isolated moments.

Semi-final ends in disappointment

Against Romera Barceló and Nieto Simon, the semi-final presented a different challenge. The Spaniards are regarded as solid, experienced actors on the international circuit, even if Leygue and Valdés did not look without chances on paper. That is precisely why the course of the match made the subsequent disappointment all the greater.

In the first set, both doubles teams traded blows in an even contest. Rally after rally, the pairings kept pace without either side taking lasting control. Only in the tie-break did Romera Barceló and Nieto Simon gain the decisive edge. Leygue and Valdés thus missed the chance to take an early lead and build pressure on their opponents.

Psychologically, that lost set weighed heavily. In the second set, the Franco-Chilean duo gradually lost the initiative. Romera Barceló and Nieto Simon stayed more focused in the key moments, converted their chances more efficiently and took the set 6-3. At 7-6, 6-3, the final score was set – a clear but frustrating defeat for Leygue and Valdés.

Leygue in a phase of mixed results

The semi-final exit in Cordenons fits into an uneven phase for Thomas Leygue. The Frenchman regularly shows spells of high-level play and convincing sequences, yet the results do not always follow with the expected consistency. That makes it harder to assess his current form and turns every tournament into a test.

Recently, Leygue failed twice in Premier Padel qualifying. That was followed by a final defeat at an FIP Bronze event and several bitter exits against opponents who at least looked beatable on paper. This run shows that the gap between strong performances and early setbacks remains narrow at present.

At the same time, Cordenons confirms that Leygue remains competitive at FIP level. The run to the semi-finals, including clear wins over seeded opponents, demonstrates his potential on the international circuit. What is missing is the consistency to turn good tournament weeks regularly into title runs or finals.

For Javier Valdés, Cordenons was also an important outing early in the season. The duo showed that the partnership can work on court when both players combine their strengths. Against the Spaniards in the semi-final, however, that combination was not enough on the day to take the decisive step towards the final.

FIP Bronze Cordenons at a glance

The FIP Bronze Cordenons belongs to the lower prestige tier of the International Padel Federation, but remains a relevant event for established players like Leygue on the path back to more stable results. In northern Italy, international pairings regularly meet to collect ranking points and test form for higher events.

For Romera Barceló and Nieto Simon, the semi-final win means an important step towards the final. They used the decisive moments more efficiently than their opponents and looked mentally a notch steadier in the first-set tie-break. They thus continued their own tournament week, while Leygue and Valdés once again stopped short of a major breakthrough.

Key facts at a glance

• Tournament: FIP Bronze Cordenons in Cordenons, Italy
• Semi-final: Jaume Romera Barceló / Sergio Nieto Simon (TS4) defeat Thomas Leygue / Javier Valdés 7-6, 6-3
• Leygue/Valdés run: 6-0, 6-1 in round one; 6-1, 6-3 in the round of 16; 6-2, 6-3 in the quarter-finals against De Astoreca/Rivero (TS5)
• Leygue: number one in the French men's rankings
• Current phase: FIP Bronze semi-final, previously qualifying exits at Premier Padel and a final defeat at FIP Bronze