Day 4. The battle of the day rewards Nieto and Sanz. Bautista-Guerrero, what a feat!

More than a match, it was a real battle. And after more than three hours of play (3 hours and 4’), Coki Nieto and Jon Sanz, the number 6 seed in the Kuwait City P1 Premier Padel, managed to overcome Fernando Belasteguin and Tino Libaak. The match between the Spaniards and the Argentinians was the most balanced match of the round of 16, and projects Nieto and Sanz to a quarter-final to face Fran Guerrero and Jairo Bautista, who confirm their excellent moment that led them to defeat Martin Di Nenno and Juan Lebron (3) with a score of 7-5 6-2. For Guerrero and Bautista, another great result after their two victories in the FIP Platinum in Marbella and, before that, in the FIP Gold in Lyon. Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia (1) gave up only three games to Maxi Sanchez and Lucho Capra (6-2 6-1) and tomorrow they will face Lucas Bergamini and Javi Garrido (6-4 6-0 to Gonzalo Rubio and Pablo Lijo), while Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan had to suffer more to get the better of José Diestro and Sanyo Gutierrez (6-3 7-6). On Friday, for the ‘Chingalan’, it’s Pablo Cardona and Paquito Navarro, ahead 4-6 6-1 6-3 over Javi Garcia and Javier Barahona. The last quarter-final will be between the number 4 seed Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas (6-7 6-1 6-4 to Lucas Campagnolo and Javi Leal) and number 13, Juan Tello and Inigo Jofre, who overturned predictions by eliminating 4-6 7-5 6-3 Momo Gonzalez and Edu Alonso (7).

WOMEN The feat of the day, in the women’s draw, was Lorena Rufo and Bea Caldera’s 6-2 6-4 win over number 6 seed Lucia Sainz and Patty Llaguno to advance to the quarter-finals against Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez (2), who won 6-3 6-2 over Melania Merino and Esther Carnicero. The other three challenges scheduled for Friday (the programme will start at 1 p.m. local time, 11 a.m. CET) instead follow the progress of the entry list: Paula Josemaria and Ari Sanchez (1), after 6-1 7-6 to Raquel Eugenio and Martina Fassio, find Veronica Virseda and Aranzazu Osoro (8), who defeated Marta Talavan and Julieta Bidahorria 6-2 6-0. With 6-0 6-3 to Ana Catarina Nogueira and Laia Rodriguez, Dubai champions Delfi Brea and Bea Gonzalez (3) also advanced: Delfi and Bea will now face Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen (7), ahead 6-1 6-1 to Alicia Blanco and Sara Ruiz Soto. Completing the quarter-final programme will be Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo (4), who qualified with 6-4 6-2 to Marta Barrera and Marta Caparros, against Ale Salazar and Jessica Castelló (5), who eliminated Lucia Martinez Gomez and Carla Mesa 6-2 7-5.