Marseille, Day2: Salazar, the legend still hungry for glory. Quarterfinals on Friday

A journey, the last one, lasting an entire year. But Ale Salazar, who will bring her extraordinary career to an end in 2026, wants to experience this journey as a protagonist. After the week in Madrid for the Hexagon Cup, now comes Marseille, host of the first FIP Platinum of the season: France brings back great memories for her, as last year she won her only title in Lyon, also at a FIP Platinum, but Ale wants to try again, alongside the other Ale. Salazar and Alonso, two generations of champions: the opening round – which at the FIP Platinum in Marseille was actually the second, as the top seeds benefited from a bye – went well, with a 6-3 6-4 win over Carlotta Casali and Ana Dominguez, but on Friday the bar will be raised, with a quarterfinal clash against Ana Catarina Nogueira and Laura Lujan.

 

Among the other big names making their debut in Marseille were Fran Guerrero and Javi Leal, who, with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Maxi Sanchez and Xisco Gil, earned a quarterfinal against Lucas Campagnolo and Jairo Bautista, Guerrero’s former partner. Friday’s schedule also features the standout match between Javi Garrido and Lucas Bergamini (2), facing Alex Ruiz and Juanlu Esbri (6), in a day that will also see two unseeded pairs in action, Nachi Sager and Juani Rubini, and Lucho Capra and Victor Ruiz. The season has just begun, but the level is already extremely high.