Favourites progress in Abidjan as top four seeds reach the semi-finals

The race for the title intensifies at the FIP Gold in Abidjan. In Ivory Coast, the quarter-finals confirmed the pre-tournament hierarchy: in both the men’s and women’s draws, the top four seeded pairs secured their places in the semi-finals.

 

In the men’s draw, the top seeds Javi Garrido and Lucas Bergamini advanced with authority, recording a 6-0 6-1 win over Spain’s Fran Ramirez Navas and Lebanon’s Fakih Najib. Juan Tello and Maxi Arce (2) also progressed, defeating the Dutch pair Julian Prins and Youp de Kroon 6-4 6-4. Completing the men’s semi-final line-up, scheduled for Saturday from 19:00 local time (21:00 CEST), are Dylan Guichard and Clement Geens (4), who will face Garrido and Bergamini, while Javi Barahona and Gonza Alfonso (3) meet Tello and Arce after a 6-4 6-3 victory over Boris Castro and Pau Miñano.

 

An identical pattern was seen in the women’s draw, where the leading pairs delivered on their status in their opening matches. Top seeds Laia Rodriguez and Noa Canovas reinforced their position as the pair to beat after a 6-3 6-1 win over Chamli and Gorito, and on Saturday afternoon they will face Ana Varo and Marcella Koek (4), who advanced following a 6-0 7-5 win over Raquel Piltcher and Greece’s Christina-Styliani Ntanou. In the lower half of the draw, Araceli Martinez and Laura Lujan defeated Mafalda Marques Fernandes and Carla Rodriguez 6-4 6-3. The second seeds will open Saturday’s schedule at 15:00 local time (17:00 CEST) against the third seeds Julia Polo and Marina Lobo, who progressed with a 6-4 6-0 win over Chamli and Allani.