There was little space for surprises on Day Five of the inaugural Dubai Premier Padel P1 as all but one of the tournament’s top-ranked pairings progressed to the quarterfinals, setting up a weekend bracket filled with the world’s best players as they battle for the lion’s share of a €470,000 prize purse.
Fans were treated to a masterclass in the fast-growing racquet sport as Women’s World No1 pairing Ariana Sanchez Fallada and Paula Josemaria Martin dominated Maria Rieira and Carmen Goenaga Garcia to win 6-4, 6-3 on Centre Court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on Thursday afternoon. Shortly after, on Court 1, Men’s World No1 Arturo Coello and World No2 teammate Agustin Tapia required a first-set tiebreak but closed out their win over Javier Leal and Lucas Campagnolo 7-6(1), 6-4.
It was a similar story under the lights too, with second seeds Federico Chingotto and Alejandro Galan requiring a first-set tiebreak against Maxi Sanchez and Luciano Capra. Despite trailing 1-4 in the second set, they eventually emerged with a 7-6(2), 7-5 victory and a place in the quarterfinals where they will face Alejandro Ruiz and Alejandro Arroyo.
Galan’s former playing partner Juan Lebron, the World No5, was in action in the final match of the day. Playing alongside Argentina’s Martin Di Nenno, the No3 seeds took the first set 6-3 against Lucky Losers Pedro Melendez and Carlos Marti and were being held 3-3 in the second when Marti called for a medical timeout. On returning to the court after a short delay, the Spaniard did not wait long before signalling to the umpire that his race was run. Lebron and Di Nenno now face Jeronimo Gonzalez and Eduardo Alonso on Friday for a place in the semi-finals.
The day’s only rankings upset came on Centre Court when, following an epic 212-minute tussle, Alejandra Alonso de Villa and Andrea Ustero Prieto saw off No5 seeds Jessica Castello Lopez and Alejandra Salazar Bengoechea 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-2. The Spanish pair face No4 seeds Sofia Araujo and Marta Ortega Gallego next.
While the fans watching around Centre Court had made a fair din during proceedings, things quietened for a moment before the final match as organisers Gallop Global announced a minute of silence to honour those who lost their lives in the recent climate disasters in Valencia and its surrounding communities this past week. Supported by the Dubai Premier Padel P1, Premier Padel, the International Padel Federation and the Professional Padel Association, a throng of 50-plus players and officials gathered in and around the court to show their respects.
The week-long Dubai Premier Padel P1 is taking place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, is a collaborative effort supported by the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA), the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Sports Council (DSC), Premier Padel, and Gallop Global.
Tickets are on sale now at PlatinumList.net priced from Dh60. For more information visit dubaipremierpadel.ae.
