Day4. Salazar, tears and smiles for her Madrid farewell: “It couldn’t have been a better day”. Nieto and Yanguas, what a feat!

“The day has come, but it couldn’t have been a better one.” Ale Salazar said it with a smile, at home in the Madrid where she grew up and where her legendary career began. But earlier, on court, as she embraced Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, who had just beaten her 6-3 6-3, a few tears were shed. The Comunidad de Madrid P1 paid tribute to Salazar, who will be at the centre of another special moment on Sunday, on finals day. But Ale’s career is not over: until the end of the season, the Spaniard will continue to fight in every match. “I wanted to say goodbye like this, against the world number ones, after playing a high-level match and having fun. I’m proud of everything I’ve done”.

 

Proud Ale, and privileged Aranzazu Osoro, who had the opportunity to share the court with Salazar. The top four pairs in the draw will compete for the title at the Movistar Arena. Brea and Triay (1) will open the semi-final programme at 12 p.m. CEST against Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero (3), who came back from a set down to defeat Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen 6-7 6-1 6-3. The second semi-final, not before 4 p.m., will be the third clash in three Premier Padel tournaments between Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo and Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez. Claudia and Martina, the London champions, won both previous meetings – both in the semi-finals, in Pretoria and London – and today defeated Marina Guinart and Ale Alonso 7-6 6-2. A convincing 6-0 6-2 win for the second seeds over Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo.

 

MEN Madrid’s farewell to Ale Salazar did not overshadow the remarkable achievement of Coki Nieto and Mike Yanguas, who, in the first tournament since reuniting, defeated Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia 7-5 7-6 to book a semi-final against Gonza Alfonso and Tino Libaak. Late in the evening, Alfonso and Libaak ended the dream run of another newly formed pair, Flavio Abbate and Alonso Rodriguez, winning 4-6 7-6 6-4. The highest seeds remaining are therefore the number 2 pair, Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan, who, after an incredible comeback to beat Martin Di Nenno and Paquito Navarro 4-6 3-6 7-6, will try to stop another pair in outstanding form: Jairo Bautista and Inigo Jofre. They also won in three sets, defeating José Jimenez and Alex Arroyo 6-2 6-7 6-3, with the second-set tiebreak ending at an incredible 16-14.