Day5. Ortega-Araujo save five match points before celebrating: Marta and Sofia into the semi-finals. Di Nenno and Navarro pull off an upset

Five match points saved, more than three hours of battle before celebrating, embracing and securing their place in the semi-finals of the Premier Padel Alpine Paris Major. Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo were undoubtedly the protagonists of the quarter-final day at Roland Garros. The fifth seeds, with Sofia having also celebrated the mixed doubles gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in Paris two weeks ago, defeated Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez 2-6 7-6 7-6 to earn a place in the semi-finals against Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero, who also needed three sets (6-3 3-6 6-2) to end the run of Ale Salazar and Aranzazu Osoro. This will be the match to open the day on Philippe-Chatrier at 13:00. It will be followed by a clash between the first and fourth seeds, with Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay, after their 6-0 6-3 win over Carolina Orsi and Patty Llaguno, facing Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo, who advanced with a 2-6 6-2 6-4 victory over Marina Guinart and Ale Alonso.

 

MEN Another major upset came in the men’s draw in the evening, as sixth seeds Martin Di Nenno and Paquito Navarro secured their place in the semi-finals with a 4-6 6-1 6-4 victory over Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz, earning a clash against Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan (7-6 6-2 against Edu Alonso and Aimar Goñi). The semi-final in the top half will see world number ones Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia face Juan Lebron and Leo Augsburger. The winners of the last three editions of the Paris Major defeated Fran Guerrero and Javi Leal 6-2 7-5, while Lebron and Augsburger, after their scare in the round of 16 against Barahona and Sanchez Blasco, needed just two sets to beat Momo Gonzalez and Lucas Campagnolo 6-3 7-6. Plenty of VIPs were in the stands on Philippe-Chatrier, with World Cup champions Ferran Torres and Fabian Ruiz enjoying the show after the world’s top padel players had watched their PSG win their Champions League opener at the Parc des Princes.