Madrid, Valenzuela bids to return to the top: aiming to shine after April injury

“I started the year well and, after the injury lay-off, I have been finding it difficult to regain the level I had at the start. Without doubt, I will continue to work day by day to get back to 100%.” Rama Valenzuela used these words after being eliminated from the Premier Padel P1 in London, played four months after the ankle sprain he suffered in early April, which forced him to take an extended break. Now the Argentine talent has a great opportunity to lift a trophy again at the FIP Bronze Bamvolea Ciudad Raqueta, taking place in Madrid this week. Valenzuela will play alongside Dani Santigosa. Becoming champions will not be an easy task, as this CUPRA FIP Tour event will feature several other competitive pairs, most notably Nacho Moragues and Marc Sintes, who won the FIP Silver in Espoo, Finland, last Sunday alongside Coquito Zamora. Zamora will also be in Madrid, where he will play alongside Nacho Vilariño. Also in the spotlight are Emilio Sanchez-Arnau Ayats, who won two titles in Spain in August, and the pair of Pablo Sanchez-Ignacio Archieri.

The women’s draw at this FIP Bronze is led by the pair of Camila Fassio and Amanda Lopez. Fassio became champion at the FIP Bronze in Lotto, Poland, this year, while Lopez has won three titles, all in Spain: FIP Bronze Seville, Elche and Alicante. The No. 2 seeds are Aida Martinez and Ana Dominguez. Also worth watching are the Italian pair Emily Stellato-Giulia Sussarello and Rebeca Lopez-Catherine Rose. The main draw of this CUPRA FIP Tour event will begin on Thursday 27 August and conclude on Saturday 29 August, when the finals of the two draws will be played.