Buenos Aires Master R16: Top two pairs pushed to edge of elimination!

The second quartet of fixtures in the Buenos Aires Master R16 saw the two top-ranked pairs in action in the Argentinian capital.

Number ones Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón could secure number one status for the year in Buenos Aires, while chasers Paquito Navarro and Martín Di Nenno are playing their best padel of the year recently.

Here is what happened to both of those pairs and in the two remaining Buenos Aires Master R16 matches!

READ: Buenos Aires Master round of 16 starts with action and excitement

Navarro/Di Nenno (2) VS Garrido/Campagnolo

Paquito Navarro and Martín Di Nenno were up first in the afternoon slate of matches in Buenos Aires. The Spanish-Argentinian combination took on 13th-ranked Javier Garrido and Brazilian Lucas Campagnolo.

The overwhelming favourites, Navarro and Di Nenno were expectedly dominant in the first set. Breaking at will with their typical flair, they broke through the defences of their foes and took the set 6-2.

In what seemed a combination of fatigue and unreadiness for a fight, Navarro and Di Nenno were soon chasing in the second set. Garrido and Campagnolo came alive, determined to cause an upset. They were halfway there of doing so, as they won the second set 3-6.

Aided by their coach Rodri Ovide, the Navarro – Di Nenno combination came out of the blocks with determination in the third set. They broke serve at the first time of asking, and held on to win 6-3 in the decider. Albeit in three sets, Navarro and Di Nenno are through to the final eight.

Lima/Ruiz (8) VS Moyano/Belluati

Next up were veterans Pablo Lima and Javi Ruiz, as the eighth seed looked to punch their ticket to the quarter-finals against Ramiro Moyano and Juan Cruz Belluati.

The two Argentines Moyano and Cruz had home-court advantage, but could not find a way past Lima and Ruiz. The Brazilian and Spaniard weathered the storm and started to attack themselves. In the eighth game, at 4-3, they got the break. Holding their own service, they won 6-3 in the opening frame.

The second act of the game saw the number eight pair pull away from the local heroes. Breaking consecutive games in the set and defending their own service with ease, Lima and Ruiz won 6-3, 6-2 after an hour and 15 minutes. They will face another Argentinian pair in Gutiérrez and Tapia in the quarter-finals.

Galán/Lebrón (1) VS Gutiérrez/Barahona

Centre court at La Rural lit up as number ones Alejandro Galán and Juan Lebrón took to the 20 by 10. Against them were an Argentinian, Agustín Gutiérrez, and his Spanish partner Javier G. Barahona.

Surprisingly, Gutiérrez and Barahona started the match by breaking service. However, Galán and Lebrón struck right back with a counter-break. As if to say they were not done there, they broke again and took the first set 6-3.

What was not in the script was the second set, in which Gutiérrez and Barahona came alive. The 24th-seeded pair were not scared of the number ones in the slightest and broke their service again. This time hanging on, they took the set 4-6 to force a final set.

In an epic third set, Galán and Lebrón took a break's advantage but were countered several times. Gutiérrez and Barahona survived four break points in one game and a gold point in their next service game as well, forcing a tie break. In that, Galán and Lebrón finally gathered enough momentum to beat their opponents. After more than two hours, the number ones were through.

Belasteguín/Coello (6) VS Zaratiegui/Martínez

The final Buenos Aires Master R16 match at centre court saw Argentinian padel legend Fernando Belasteguín alongside Arturo Coello play Spaniards Javier Martínez and Íñigo Zaratiegui.

Paying tribute to the late footballing great Diego Maradona before the match, Belasteguín played brilliantly all match long. He and Coello dominated and got the break in the fourth game of the first set to make it 3-1. They saw out the opening frame 6-3 in front of the adoring Argentine fans.

The 22nd-ranked Zaratiegui and Martínez tried to make a fist in the second set, but could get nothing past the experienced head of Bela and the youthful Coello.

The latter pair broke in the very first game, and added to that with another break's advantage later in the set. After just over an hour of play, they won 6-3, 6-2. Bela and Coello will face number ones Galán and Lebrón on Friday at centre court.