The first round is history: time for the top four seeds
Sánchez Piñeiro and Willy Lahoz pull off the surprise of the day
CENTRE COURT
The afternoon session of the first round on centre court at the Pedro Ferrandiz pitted together Maxi Grabiel - Pablo Lijó and Peter Alonso - Aris Patiniotis. The match got off to a hectic start with Grabiel and Lijó winning the first set 6-0. Pationitis and Alonso reacted in the second set but weren't rewarded as they fell in the tiebreak. Maxi Grabiel and Pablo Lijó advance to the next round.
COURT 2
The first match on court was a spectacular duel between two up-and-coming pairings: Fede Chingotto and Juan Tello, who are somewhat more established, and Gonzalo Rubio - Javier Garrido, who continue to improve. The first set went to the Spaniards 6-3 and the second to the Argentines 6-1. It was the South Americans who ultimately prevailed by winning 6-3 in the third set.
CENTRE COURT
On centre court, everyone awaited the stars of the recent Master, Juan Lebrón and Juan Cruz Belluati, who were up against José Antonio García Diestro and Seba Nerone. Rodrigo Ovide's players took the first set 6-3 and forced Lebron/Belluati to react. That's exactly what they did by taking the next two sets 6-2 and 6-3 to reach the next round.
COURT 2
The second match on court two was the young Argentine star Agustín Tapia and Brazilian master Marcello Jardim against Toni Bueno and Matías Nicoletti. Tapia and Jardim continue in hot form as they won 6-3 / 6-0 to set up a clash with Bela and Lima in the last 16.
CENTRE COURT
One of the surprises of the day took place next on centre court. The world number 17 pairing knocked out the number 9 duo. Willy Lahoz and Martín Sánchez Piñeiro reached their first last sixteen together after defeating Ramiro Moyano and Lucho Capra. They took the first set 6-4 and then a nail-biting tiebreak in which Moyano and Capra saved up to 6 match points. Piñeiro/Lahoz sealed the match at the seventh time of asking to reach the next round.
The last slot in the last sixteen would be occupied by the winner of Mati Marina - Germán Tamame vs Gabi Reca - Fernando Poggi. In their second season together, Reca and Poggi are looking to consolidate their project and they won the first set 6-4. Marina and Tamame responded by taking the second 6-4. Poggi and Reca claimed the decisive third set 6-2 to book their place in the last sixteen of the Estrella Damm Alicante Open Trofeo Alicante Sports Destination.
