day 3: Alonso-Ustero, what a day for the NextGen Champions!

The world champions of today versus those of tomorrow. Ale Alonso and Andrea Ustero are the only non-seeded pair at Premier Padel Dubai P1 to advance to the quarter-finals: the young Spaniards, champions in Cagliari at the FIP European Padel Championships but not included in the list for the FIP World Padel Championships, eliminated (7-6 3-6 6-2) two who were in Doha on the top step of the podium. Ale Salazar and Jessica Castelló, number five in the seeding, ended their tournament in the round of 16, unlike the other seven seeds who continued their week. Paula Josemaria and Ari Sanchez, after a 6-4 6-3 win over Riera/Goenaga, will face Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen (7) in the quarters; on the other side of the draw, after a 6-1 6-3 win over Canovas/Velasco, Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez (2) find Lucia Sainz and Patty Llaguno (6). Alonso and Ustero will face Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo (4), coming back from a 6-3 6-4 win over Caldera/Rufo; the last quarter is between Delfi Brea and Bea Gonzalez (3), victorious 6-0 6-2 over Saiz/Lobo, and the pair formed by Aranzazu Osoro and Veronica Virseda (8).

MEN The first two pairs in the men’s draw had to suffer to win their respective matches. Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia beat Lucas Campagnolo and Javi Leal 7-6 6-4 (in the quarters they will face Josete Rico and Agustin Gutierrez, the week’s surprise); Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan (2), on the other hand, eliminated Maxi Sanchez and Lucho Capra 7-6 7-5, and now find Alex Arroyo and Alex Ruiz (9). The other quarter at the top of the draw is between the number 7 seed (Momo Gonzalez and Edu Alonso, with 5-7 6-3 6-3 over Victor and Javier Ruiz) and number 3 (Martin Di Nenno and Juan Lebron, who took advantage of the withdrawal in the second set of Pedro Melendez and Carlos Martì), the one in the bottom half will see Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas (4, after 7-6 6-2 to Jairo Bautista and Fran Guerrero) opposing Coki Nieto and Jon Sanz (6, double 6-3 to Diestro/Gutierrez).

The quarter-final schedule, spread over three courts, will start at 3 p.m. Dubai time, 12 p.m. CET. Coello/Tapia versus Rico/Gutierrez on centre court not before 6.30 p.m. local time.