Salazar, the seven-time world champion is still hungry

Tears during the Spanish anthem have gone round the world. Ale Salazar celebrated her seventh FIP World Padel Championships title in an extraordinary career, but the strength of champions is to put successes behind them and think immediately about the next game. And Salazar did just that: paired with Jessica Castelló she made it through the first round of the Dubai P1 Premier Padel, beating Ariadna Cañellas and Marta Borrero 6-2 6-1. Salazar and Castelló are not the only world champions who debuted in Dubai with a victory: number 2 seed Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez also did well, thanks to a 6-2 6-3 win over Barbara Las Heras and Sandra Bellver. Tomorrow (with the programme starting at 8 a.m. Dubai time, 5 a.m. CET) it will be time for the other four players who were part of the team led by Iciar Montes in Doha, all scheduled on the centre court: Paula Josemaria and Ari Sanchez (1) will debut against Merino/Carnicero, Marta Ortega paired with Sofia Araujo (4) against Barrera/Caparros, Bea Gonzalez with Delfi Brea (3) against Talavan/Bidahorria.

MEN But Wednesday will also be the day the world champions return to the court in the men’s draw at the FIP World Padel Championships. Tino Libaak, who secured the decisive point in Doha for Argentina, will play with Fernando Belasteguin as the number 10 seed against Jairo Bautista and Fran Guerrero, victorious 6-3 6-2 over Fernandez/Jimenez; partner Leo Augsburger, on the other hand, with Alex Chozas as the number 15 seed finds Josete Rico and Agustin Gutierrez (6-4 6-4 to Santigosa/Lamperti). But it will also be time for the top seeds: Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia (1) versus Miguel Gonzalez and Tonet Sans, Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan (2) versus Luis Hernandez and Javi Rico, Martin Di Nenno and Juan Lebron (3) versus Nacho Vilariño and Mario Del Castillo and Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas (4) versus Aris Patiniotis and Jesus Moya.