Gutiérrez-Ruiz vs Barahona-Alfonso: big clash in Nola

A parade of leading players will feature at the FIP Silver in Nola, Italy, where many athletes ranked in the top 50 of the FIP Ranking will take to the court from Friday. Javi Barahona (24) and Gonza Alfonso (31) head the men’s draw, ready for their second tournament together following their debut at the P2 in Newgiza. This season, Alfonso reached the semi-finals at the Premier Padel P2 in Cancún alongside Argentine legend Sanyo Gutiérrez (28), who will also compete in the Italian leg of the CUPRA FIP Tour together with Victor Ruiz (38). The two pairs are placed on opposite sides of the draw and could therefore meet only in a potential final. Also in focus are Tino Libaak and Alex Chozas, recent winners of the FIP Silver in Aguascalientes held last week in Mexico. Other title contenders include Juani Rubini-Maxi Sánchez, Manuel Castaño-Xisco Gil and Lucho Capra-Agustín Torre.

The women’s draw is also of a very high standard. The top seeds are world n. 24 and 23 Martina Fassio and Raquel Eugenio, born in 2008. Fassio could face, during the tournament, the player with whom she won the FIP Gold in Ponta Delgada: Patty Llaguno (22), who will compete for the first time alongside Carolina Orsi (29), winner of the FIP Silver in Caltanissetta. Eugenio, meanwhile, could come up against the player with whom she claimed the FIP Platinum in Marseille and the FIP Silver in Parma this year: Lucia Sainz (21). Sainz will play in Nola with Araceli Martinez (33). Other notable pairs include Aida Martínez-Camila Fassio, Ariadna Cañellas-Lucía Peraltra, Martina Parmigiani-Carla Touly, and Italians Maria Caterina Baldi and Clarissa Margherita Aima, who arrive at their home tournament buoyed by victory at the FIP Bronze in Rivesaltes.