Day3. Libaak-Alfonso are clicking, Riera and Bidahorria keep winning

Two CUPRA FIP Tour titles, in Porto Sant’Elpidio and Budapest, semi-finals at the Madrid P1 and now a place in the quarter-finals of the CUPRA Rotterdam Premier Padel P2. The partnership between Tino Libaak and Gonza Alfonso is proving to be a successful one. Yesterday, the two Argentinians beat Fran Guerrero and Javi Leal — fresh from their FIP Platinum Lyon triumph — 7-5 3-6 6-4 to book their place in the last eight, where they will face Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia. The world number ones began their campaign with a 6-3 6-2 win over Alvaro Montiel and Dani Santigosa. Libaak and Alfonso are the only unseeded pair to reach the quarter-finals, with all the other seeded pairs winning their respective matches in straight sets. The other quarter-final line-up features Di Nenno/Navarro (4) against Gonzalez/Campagnolo (8), Lebron/Augsburger (3) against Nieto/Yanguas (6), and Stupaczuk/Sanz (5) against Chingotto/Galan (2). An unmissable day of action awaits.

 

WOMEN Just as Libaak and Alfonso are enjoying a strong run in the men’s draw, Virginia Riera and Julieta Bidahorria are doing the same in the women’s competition. After winning back-to-back CUPRA FIP Tour titles in Nairobi and Houten, they reached the quarter-finals in Rotterdam with a 6-3 6-7 6-3 victory over Marina Guinart and Ale Alonso. They will now face Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero, who will make their tournament debut today after Lucia Sainz and Sofia Saiz, their scheduled round-of-16 opponents, withdrew. Alongside Claudia Jensen, Claudia Escacena is enjoying an exciting opportunity: the 19-year-old Spaniard was chosen by Jensen following Tamara Icardo’s injury and will now take on two other young talents, Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo (4). The other quarter-finals are Brea/Triay (1) against Salazar/Osoro (7), and Ortega/Araujo (5) against Josemaria/Gonzalez (2).