The applause from the crowd after match point accompanied Carolina Orsi’s victory on her debut at the Oysho Milano Premier Padel P1. After a challenging opening day in the men’s draw, the Italian, recently selected for the national team for the World Cup in Qatar, teamed up with Patty Llaguno to defeat Marta Talavan and Sofia Saiz in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. “I’m happy with this win; it wasn’t an easy match,” said Orsi. “I had already faced these two opponents on this court last year. Martina Fassio and I won after more than two hours of play. The first set wasn’t bad, but we didn’t take advantage of some opportunities. I’m happy with our reaction and to have brought joy to the Italian fans.”
In their next match, Orsi and Llaguno will face the pair who defeated them in the semi-finals of the FIP Gold in Perugia in early October: Jimena Velasco and Raquel Eugenio. The head-to-head record between the two pairs is level at 1-1, as Orsi and Llaguno won when they met at the Premier Padel P1 in Madrid. “We need to study them carefully because they’re full of confidence: they beat a seeded pair. It’s a much tougher match than it might seem, so we mustn’t underestimate them. In fact, it’s a match we can win.” If they progress, Carolina Orsi and Patty Llaguno would face, barring surprises, top seeds Gemma Triay and Delfi Brea. “It would certainly be a great feeling to play in a quarter-final; it would be my first time. But first, we need to focus on the next match.”