Attention please. Whoever wants to take the throne of Milano Premier Padel P1 will have to face the defending champions: a good debut at the Allianz Cloud for Ale Galan and Juan Lebron, who with their 6-3 6-4 win over Pablo Cardona and Javier Ruiz going to the round of 16, where tomorrow they will find Antonio Fernandez and Gonzalo Rubio. “We come from a long and difficult year, but we are playing great padel, we come here to confirm last year’s title”, the promise of ‘Lobo’ Lebron (https://www.milanopremierpadel.com/en/galan-lebron-champions-didnt-fail-ale-i-support-milan-and-would-play-with-bellingham-ok-debut-for-josemaria-sanchez-too/). In the evening, there was an immediate reply from the dominators of 2023, Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia: the winners of the last four Premier Padel circuit tournaments defeated 7-5 6-2 Ignacio Vilariño and Salvador Oria (Nieto/Sanz in the round of 16). Among the big in the men’s draw, the ‘Superpibes’ Franco Stupaczuk and Martin Di Nenno were the ones who had to suffer the most, not least because they were up against a Miguel Lamperti in great feeling: paired with the very young José Jimenez, Lamperti took the first set (7-5), only to lose the second with the same score. In the third and decisive set, all the quality of Stupa and Di Nenno came out (5-7 7-5 6-1), so they will face Munoz/Bautista tomorrow. Finally, a good comeback for Fernando Belasteguin: the Argentine legend, paired with Mike Yanguas, defeated the Spaniards Quilez/Bueno with a double 6-4.
WOMEN The first surprise of the tournament then came from the women’s draw, which saw the defeat of the number 2 seed and winners of the Rome Major: Marta Ortega and Gemma Triay lost against the very young Carmen Goenaga and Lucia Martinez (6-2 6-4) (https://www.milanopremierpadel.com/en/ortega-triay-out-with-surprise-upset-by-goenaga-and-martinez/), on a day that saw a tribute paid to Mari Carmen Villalba, who played her last career match (“Mari Carmen Villalba’s beautiful smile was for many years a mirror of the joy and passion with which she interpreted our sport”, underlined FIP president Luigi Carraro) (https://www.milanopremierpadel.com/en/mari-carmen-villalba-farewell-with-teammates-celebration-and-allianz-cloud-tribute-now-i-will-teach-padel-worldwide/) and the 6-3 6-1 of the number 1 on the draw, Paula Josemaria and Ari Sanchez, over Bellver/Rodriguez. But at the Allianz Cloud Italy was also celebrated, taking three players to the round of 16: in the morning, a great performance by Carlotta Casali and Emily Stellato, who after a 6-2 7-5 win over Martinez/Ruiz Soto (https://www.milanopremierpadel.com/en/sky-full-of-stars-over-milano-emily-stellato-and-carlotta-casali-to-the-round-of-16/) are expected to face Jensen/Virseda (8) tomorrow morning, while in the afternoon Carolina Orsi, paired with Spain’s Carla Mesa, got the better of Caparros/Fassio (7-6 6-4) (https://www.milanopremierpadel.com/en/italy-celebrates-again-carolina-orsi-also-in-the-round-of-16-i-want-to-get-as-far-as-possible/), and in the round of 16 will find Llaguno-Sainz, with the former playing with Orsi until last August.
NUMBERS Tomorrow, starting at 9.30 a.m., the round of 16 is scheduled (with the return of Fede Chingotto and Paquito Navarro, among others, on the court) in a Milano Premier Padel P1 that is entering its decisive days. Taking advantage of the long holiday weekend, it is likely that the Allianz Cloud will be full again, as it was 12 months ago. Also because in Lombardy the passion for padel is growing, considering a 33% increase (Italian record) of courts and clubs compared to a year ago (https://www.milanopremierpadel.com/en/milan-and-lombardia-padel-record-33-for-courts-and-clubs-riva-socialising-sport-from-premier-padel-to-amateurs/). “Padel has the great merit of being able to involve and enthuse even those who do not usually practise sport – explained the Councillor for Sport, Tourism and Youth Policies of the Municipality of Milan, Martina Riva –. If Milan and Lombardy are recognised as reference points at a national level for facilities, it means that we have worked and are working in the right direction”.