Gonzalez/Garrido and Sanchez/Capra ok with a thrill

Some suffered more, some less. But the big of the FIP PLATINUM Sardegna have all passed the round, accessing the quarter-finals scheduled for Friday. The international padel tournament promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Department of Tourism, Handicrafts and Trade, under the patronage of the Cagliari Municipality, got underway immediately with a thrill. Momo Gonzalez and Javier Garrido, the number 2 seed in the men’s draw, took a huge risk. Against ‘Pincho’ Fernandez and Pablo Cardona, Gonzalez and Garrido were twice one point away from defeat, before turning the match and closing 4-6 7-6 6-4 in two hours and 19 minutes. And a trick by Gonzalez in the third set, a tweener pass with the help of the net, is already a candidate to become the point of the tournament. In the quarters, they will face Gil/Moyano, the number 5 seed (6-2 7-5 to Gutierrez/Melendez).

Things went much better for Fede Chingotto and Mike Yanguas, who beat Javier Garcia and Javier Barahona (6-2 6-4) in their last match on Centre Court. The journey of the number 1 seed will not continue against the Spaniards Gonzalo Rubio and Alejandro Arroyo (6), but against Ivan Ramirez and Pablo Garcia Rodrigo, the surprise players of the day. As well as Gonzalez/Garrido, number 3 seed Maxi Sanchez and Luciano Capra also suffered, needing a third set (6-4 3-6 6-3) to defeat Joseda Sanchez and Javier Valdes. In the quarters they will face Mario Del Castillo and Nachi Sager, who won 6-2 6-1 against Denis Perino and Mario Huete Hernandez. The other two Italian-Argentinians Nicolas Suescun and Facundo Dominguez were also eliminated, having to surrender 7-6 6-2 to ‘Coki’ Nieto and Javier Rico (4), opponents in the quarterfinals of Campagnolo/Esbri in the match that will open the schedule at 9.45 a.m..

In the women’s draw, top seed Patri Llaguno and Lucia Sainz (2) gave up only two games to the Dutch Koek/Weterings (6-1 6-1): in the quarters, the challenge to Guinart/Navarro Bjork (5), who were dominant (6-2 6-2) against qualifiers Dominguez Gracia/Pozuelo Dominguez. In two sets, the French Collombon/Godallier (4) and the Spanish Martinez Lobo/Rodriguez (6), tomorrow facing each other, have qualified for the quarters, but Italian padel is also celebrating. There will be a little derby between Carolina Orsi (with Carla Mesa Salazar) and Lorena Vano Martin (with Letizia Manquillo Alarza), but Giorgia Marchetti and Chiara Pappacena are also dreaming. After their 6-2 6-1 victory over the lucky losers Alegre Masnou/Van fer Hoek, they will face Spain’s Beatriz Caldera Sanchez and Portugal’s Ana Caterina Nogueira (8), who defeated Belgium’s An-Sophie Mestach and Helena Wyckaert (6-1 6-3). “It would be a dream to play the final with ‘Caro’ – said Pappacena – I have no doubt that we would be together before, during and after the match, at dinner. In that case, of course, the loser would pay”. The quarter-finals, net of possible changes of court, are all scheduled on the Centre Court: it will be a very long day in Cagliari, but one to be lived.