Day 2. Belasteguin, legend under the Pyramids

Alex Chozas and Leo Augsburger, in two, don’t make Fernando Belasteguin’s age. In less than a week, together with ‘Bela’s’ partner Tino Libaak, they will be in Doha for the FIP World Padel Championships. And in the Newgiza Premier Padel P2 came a demonstration from one of the greatest ever of what Argentina’s NextGen will have to do to become world champions. An extraordinary performance, that of Belasteguin, who, with 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 14 minutes, advances with Libaak (as number 7 seed) to the round of 16 scheduled for Wednesday. Franco Stupaczuk and Mike Yanguas (1) defeated Denis Perino and Nacho Piotto 6-1 6-3, Coki Nieto and Jon Sanz (2) 6-4 6-0 against Alvaro Cepero and Miguel Benitez, while Edu Alonso and Momo Gonzalez (3) had to struggle for two hours and 36 minutes before eliminating Ortega/Fernandez Lancha 5-7 7-6 6-2. Tomorrow the round of 16 programme will start at 10 am local time (9 am CET): for Stupaczuk/Yanguas there is Gonzalo Rubio and Pablo Lijo, for Nieto/Sanz the challenge is to José Diestro and Javier Ruiz.

WOMEN Wednesday will also see the debut of the first four pairs in the women’s draw: Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez (1) will open the afternoon session (not before 3 p.m. CET) against Sara Pujals and Martina Calvo, while in the morning it will be time for Lucia Sainz and Delfi Brea (2) against Jimena Velasco and Noa Canovas and Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo (3) against Noemi Aguilar and Teresa Navarro. For Jessica Castelló and Ale Salazar (4) the round of 16 against Carolina Navarro and Jana Montes. Among today’s results, Marta Talavan and Julieta Bidahorria’s 6-4 7-5 win over Virginia Riera and Carmen Goenaga stands out.