BNL Italy Major Premier Padel, day 3: big do not disappoint, thrilling win for Paquito and Lebron

Many confirmations and a few surprises on Day 3 of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel. Today, at the Foro Italico in Rome, the Round of 16 were up for grabs, and all the big names in the second Major of the season were on the court: the main favourites on the two main draws did not fail to live up to expectations, with a few shivers for Paquito Navarro and Juan Lebron, who nevertheless managed to qualify.

MEN Attendance at Pietrangeli 1 was able to admire the victories of Arturo Coello/Agustin Tapia and Fede Chingotto/Ale Galan, the top two seeds in the men’s draw. Rome defending champions Adrian Marques and Mario Huete, who came from the qualifiers, 6-4 6-4, while ‘Chingalan’ overcame Italy’s Simone Cremona and Portugal’s Nuno Deus 6-0 6-4. Tango was danced on the Centre Court, with the Superpibes – the Argentines Franco Stupaczuk and Martin Di Nenno (3) – who beat 6-0 7-5 Emilio Sanchez Chamero and Javier Valdes. Also doing well was the ‘Boss‘, the eagerly awaited Fernando Belasteguin, who, paired with Juan Tello, got the better of Jose Solano (Spain) and Daniel Windahl (Sweden): 6-4 6-4 for the ‘pareja’ number 5 in the Roman seeding. On the other hand, Paquito Navarro, Foro Italico idol, and Juan Lebron, who needed three sets (6-3 4-6 7-5) to overcome Italian-Argentine Denis Perino and Spaniard Pablo Garcia, suffered more than expected.  The No. 4 seeded pair will face Lucas Bergamini and Victor Ruiz (10) tomorrow in the second match on Centre Court, where the schedule will be closed by Coello/Tapia who will follow the Chingotto/Galan match against Bautista/Guerrero.

WOMEN Everything went according to plan for Ari Sanchez and Paula Josemaria, who beat Sofia Saiz and Marina Lobo 6-2 6-1 in the women’s draw. Tomorrow the two Spaniards, seeded number 1, will take on countrywmen Bea Caldera and Lorena Rufo (11), who beat qualifiers Raquel Eugenio and Martina Fassio 7-5 6-2 in the third match on the main court. Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez, number 2 on the draw, gave up just four games to qualifiers Marta Arellano and Carla Castillo. Gemma and Claudia, winners of the last two tournaments on the circuit (Santiago and Bordeaux), will open tomorrow’s programme on the Centre court against Giorgia Marchetti – the only Italian left on the draw – and Frenchwoman Lea Godallier, who today eliminated the number 14 pair Carolina Orsi and Carolina Navarro. Also out were the pairs seeded number 7, Alejandra Salazar and Carmen Goenaga, and number 12, Nuria Rodriguez and Laia Rodriguez. Delfi Brea won 7-6 in the third set, paired with 18-year-old Alba Gallardo due to the injury suffered by her partner Bea Gonzalez.