Day3. Upset by Goñi and Ortega: from qualifiers to the round of 16. Marrero still in the running

The feat of Day3 of the Premier Padel Cupra Costa Daurada Tarragona P1 came in the last match of the evening on centre court. Aimar Goñi, 19 years old and ranked 206th in the FIP ranking, and Mario Ortega, also outside the world’s top 100 (ranked 101st), eliminated Lucas Bergamini and Paquito Navarro, seeded number 5. It was a perfect performance, combining power and quality, from a pair who came through the qualifiers and won 7-6 6-4 in one hour and 13 minutes, thrilling the crowd at the Palau d’Esports Catalunya. Goñi and Ortega were not the only players to eliminate a top-seeded pair on the day that defined the round of 16 draw: in the morning, David Gala and Lucas Campagnolo defeated Pablo Cardona and Juan Tello (8) 6-7 7-5 7-6 in two hours and 43 minutes. Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia made a winning debut (6-3 7-6 against Andres Fernandez Lancha and Alvaro Cepero), as did Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan, who defeated Teo Zapata and José Jimenez 6-1 6-2.

WOMEN Awaiting the debut of the top four seeds in the women’s draw, scheduled for Thursday (the programme, on three courts, will start at 10 a.m. CET), the highlight was the match that could have ended Marta Marrero’s career. The former world number 1, paired with Lucia Martinez Gomez, instead eliminated Marta Barrera and Marta Caparros with a comeback victory of 3-6 6-4 7-5, securing another match against Claudia Jensen and Ale Alonso, seeded number 6.