The fourth day of the Comunidad de Madrid P1 was defined by an emotional farewell for padel legend Ale Salazar and a series of high-stakes upsets that have reshaped the tournament brackets. While Salazar’s homecoming concluded with a defeat, the men’s draw saw a major shake-up as top seeds fell, clearing the path for new contenders in the semi-finals.
Key Matchups and Tournament Developments
The women’s draw is set for a thrilling semi-final stage, while the men’s side has been blown wide open following the exit of the world’s top-ranked pair. Here are the critical takeaways from the day’s action:
- Ale Salazar’s Emotional Farewell: Playing in her home city of Madrid, the legendary Salazar faced a 6-3, 6-3 defeat against Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay. Despite the tears, Salazar expressed pride in her performance and her career, noting that she intends to continue competing at a high level through the remainder of the season.
- Women’s Semi-Final 1: The top-seeded pair of Brea and Triay will face Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero. Sanchez and Ustero secured their spot by mounting a comeback victory over Tamara Icardo and Claudia Jensen, finishing 6-7, 6-1, 6-3.
- Women’s Semi-Final 2: Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo, fresh off their victory over Marina Guinart and Ale Alonso (7-6, 6-2), will face Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez. Josemaria and Gonzalez advanced with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win against Marta Ortega and Sofia Araujo.
- The Nieto and Yanguas Upset: In a massive result for the men’s draw, Coki Nieto and Mike Yanguas defeated the world number ones, Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia, in straight sets (7-5, 7-6) during their first tournament back together.
- Alfonso and Libaak’s Progression: Gonza Alfonso and Tino Libaak ended the impressive run of Flavio Abbate and Alonso Rodriguez, winning a hard-fought match 4-6, 7-6, 6-4. They are now slated to face Nieto and Yanguas in the semi-finals.
- Chingotto and Galan’s Comeback: The number two seeds, Fede Chingotto and Ale Galan, narrowly avoided elimination by overcoming a two-set deficit against Martin Di Nenno and Paquito Navarro, eventually winning 4-6, 3-6, 7-6.
- Bautista and Jofre’s Resilience: Jairo Bautista and Inigo Jofre secured their semi-final berth by defeating José Jimenez and Alex Arroyo 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. The match was highlighted by a marathon second-set tiebreak that ended 16-16.
As the tournament moves toward the finals at the Movistar Arena, the remaining pairs are now battling to capitalize on the absence of the top-seeded men's team. Fans can expect intense competition as these newly formed and established pairings vie for the Madrid P1 title.
