Day5. Josemaria-Gonzalez, stunning comeback: from 0-5 to 7-5! Nieto-Yanguas, two finals in two weeks

The final seemed all but decided. Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo were leading 5-0 in the third set and had three match points at 5-3, and were just one game away from reaching their third final in three tournaments together. But the two young Spaniards, winners of the London P1, had not reckoned with the extraordinary reaction of Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez: seven games in a row, in one of the biggest comebacks of recent seasons, earned the second seeds a place in the final of the Comunidad de Madrid P1. It was a match of rare intensity, with Paula and Bea taking the first set 6-4. Fernandez and Calvo responded with a 6-2 second set and, after a perfect start to the decider, appeared to have victory within their grasp before the incredible comeback. The 7-5 scoreline sends Josemaria and Gonzalez into the final against Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, who had defeated Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero 6-2 6-4 in the first semi-final.

 

MEN The women’s final at the Movistar Arena will begin at 4pm CEST. After the tribute to Ale Salazar, it will be time for the men’s title match, with the second and fifth seeds set to battle for the trophy not before 5.45pm. Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan defeated Inigo Jofre and Jairo Bautista 6-3 6-4, although their opponents can still look back on an extraordinary week and one of the many surprises of the tournament. Standing between the ‘Chingalan’ and their seventh title of the season will be Coki Nieto and Mike Yanguas, who, after reuniting as a pair, have reached their second final in two weeks following their appearance in the final of the FIP Gold Belgrade. In Madrid, Nieto and Yanguas defeated Gonza Alfonso and Tino Libaak 6-4 7-6. Last year, Coki and Mike played 12 semi-finals and lost them all: this time, they reached the final at the first attempt.