Day 1: The big stay in the running. Cardona starts with a thrill

The best players on court in the FIP Platinum Mexico in the hunt for points for the Premier Padel Finals are still in the running. Today the round of 16 is scheduled, with the top seeds expected to face another test, starting with Javi Garrido and Lucas Bergamini, the number 1 players in the men’s draw (the Brazilian is number 17 in the FIP Race), who after their 6-3 6-4 win over Insa/Aromi will face Pol Hernandez Alvarez and Rama Valenzuela. At the bottom half, however, it took two tiebreaks for Alex Arroyo and Alex Ruiz (number 2 seeded and respectively no.18 and 19 in the Race) to get the better of Pablo Castillo and Candido Alfaro: in the round of 16, they will duel with qualified Renzo Gabriel and Ivo Agustin Nunez. Victory in two sets for José Diestro and Race number 16 Sanyo Gutierrez (3) over Belar Vera Lopez and Victor Tur Checa, while Javi Garcia and Race number 15 Pablo Cardona (5) won 6-2 3-6 7-6 over Mexican lucky losers Jose Pablo Padilla and Javier Hazouri.

WOMEN Good debut in the women’s draw for Ale Alonso, who as number 17 on the FIP Race paired with Lucia Sainz as the number 1 seed is chasing a place in the Finals: the Spaniard beat Dubins/Lucendo 6-2 6-3 and will face Carla Touly and Ana Dominguez in the round of 16. Also ahead were the number 2 seed Virginia Riera (number 19 on the Race) and Julieta Bidahorria, double 6-2 to Mexicans Ana Maria Cabrejas and Camila Ramme Coellar.