Alicante quarter-finals see familiar and new faces emerging victorious, top four pair eliminated

The Estrella Damm Alicante Open 2022 quarter-finals featured six of the top eight pairing's in the women's Circuit, with familiar pairings making it through on Friday as well as some new ones.

For the fourth time in as many Opens, Ariana Sánchez and Paula Josemaría faced Marta Ortega and Bea González, while three number ones battled on court 2 in Marta Marrero and Lucía Sainz against Patricia Llaguno and Virginia Riera.

Without further ado, this is how Friday shook out at the Centre de Tecnificació Esportiva D'Alacant.

Also read: Estrella Damm Alicante Open Round of 16: Campa/Garrido Lebrón/Galán round 3, another injury

Sánchez/Josemaría (2) vs Ortega/González (6)

For the fourth time in four tournaments this season, two-seed Ariana Sánchez and Paula Josemaría faced six-seed Marta Ortega and Bea González.

Sánchez and Josemaría have yet to drop a set against last week's Getafe Challenger winners this season, and it was more of the same on Friday morning in Alicante.

The opening set went to Ari & Paula after about 40 minutes 6-2, and it did not change much in the second frame either.

In fact, the score was exactly the same, 6-2, knocking out the six-seed in straight sets again and in an hour and 22 minutes.

Triay/Salazar (1) vs Mesa/Jensen

After watching their rivals win, number ones Gemma Triay and Alejandra Salazar were up next on centre court against Carla Mesa and Claudia Jensen.

Triay and Salazar won their first title as a couple in Alicante last season, and centre court seemed to suit them well again on Friday.

Mesa and Jensen started well, the pair who reached the Getafe Challenger final last week providing a lot of resistance. However, Triazar did eventually break through to take the set 6-4.

The second set was a lot more straightforward for the number ones, who broke seemingly at will at won 6-1 to make their fourth semi-final in a row.

Brea/Icardo (4) vs Virseda/Las Heras

The second and final match on court 2 saw Tamara Icardo and Delfi Brea take on Reus semi-finalists Verónica Virseda and Barbara Las Heras.

Still only their second tournament of the year, Icardo and Brea are still getting to grips with things, but still managed to win the opening set 5-7. More of the same followed in the second set, but this time when the set was tied 5-5, it was Virseda and Las Heras taking the next step: 7-5.

Virseda and Las Heras were trying to prove Reus was not just a one-off, and they successfully completed the comeback as they routed the third and final set.

Court 2's final match of the tournament finished 5-7 7-5 6-1 to Virseda and Las Heras, who make their second semi-finals in three Opens.

Riera/Llaguno (3) vs Marrero/Sainz (5)

Court 2 was baptised on Friday by three number ones, Lucia Sainz and Marta Marrero taking on Patricia Llaguno and sole non-number one Virginia Riera.

Marrero and Sainz are still looking to make their first semi-final of the year and did not start the match well, Riera and Llaguno winning the first set with a convincing 2-6.

Like number ones do, Marrero and Sainz responded fiercely in the second set. Giving the three-seed a taste of their own medicine, they won with a 6-2 of their own.

Finally, the third set again went to Marrero and Sainz, the Spaniards using their momentum from the previous set to eek out a 6-4, meaning they are in their first semi-finals of 2022.