BNL Italy Major Premier Padel, day 1: convincing debut for seeded pairs

Predictions respected on day one of the second Major of this season. At Foro Italico in Rome, where we are still waiting for the women’s main draw, all the big players in the men’s Main Draw won today their respective matches, gaining access to BNL Italy Major Premier Padel Round of 32, for which the top eight seeded players were already qualified.

RESULTS There were three seeded pairs involved in the men’s draw today, who all won their matches in straight sets. Edu Alonso and Alex Arroyo, seeded number 11 at Foro Italico and who have reached the quarter finals in four Premier Padel tournaments this year (Riyadh, Qatar Major, Acapulco and Santiago), overcame their Spanish fellow countrymen Guillermo Collado Losada and Javier Martinez in two sets (6-2, 7-6). Even better did Lucas Campagnolo and Javier Leal (13), who gave up just three games to Spaniards Rafael Mendez and Mario Del Castillo. Ramiro Moyano and Xisco Gil, seeded number 14, won with a double 6-2 over the Italian pair of Michele Bruno and Simone Iacovino, who came from the qualifiers. Only one match went to the third set, the one that saw Spanish ‘pareja’ Nacho Vilariño Gestoso/Miguel Semmler prevail over fellow countrymen Ferran Insa Sotillo/Roger Aromi.

SCHEDULE On Tuesday, in the men’s draw, five seeded players will be involved. The most eagerly awaited are Coki Nieto and Jon Sanz, seeded number 9, who triumphed (for the first time) in France last Sunday in the Betclic Bordeaux Premier Padel P2: they will be engaged in the derby against Jairo Bautista and Francisco Guerrero as the fourth match on Centre Court. Expectations are also high for Lucas Bergamini and Victor Ruiz, seeded number 10, who will play the opening match on Court 6 against Jose Roman Martinez and Pablo Castillo Valverde, a Spanish pair from the qualifiers. The women’s draw also starts on Tuesday, with the first round matches: the sixteen seeded players all have a bye and will take the court from Wednesday.