Unforeseen protagonists in the Estrella Damm Barcelona Master 1/16 round

 

The first to win a place in the 1/16 round  were Marcelo Capitani and Salvador Oria who, after staying at the gates on the two previous tournaments, now are in at the third chance.

They had to fight it though after losing the second set against Jesus Espejo and Jacobo Blanco in a tremendous game that got all the applause from the fans that fulfilled the stands of the Real Club de Polo. The tandem of experience and youth of Capitani-Oria won by 6/3, 5/7 and 7/5 and now want to continue going forward in Barcelona.

A very tight clash until the end was the game that had Raul Diaz and Raul Marcos facing Antonio Fernandez and Diogo Rocha.

The players from Portugal and Extremadura were very close to victory and surprising everyone. They had a 5/2 advantage and serving for the third set. But in that moment anxiety and Rocha’s physical problems, who stayed very close to being the first Portuguese player ever to enter a main draw, made them pay the price. The best couple of the qualifiers managed a spectacular comeback. Diaz-Marcos celebrate their victory by 7/6, 3/6 and 7/5.

Eduard Bainad and Ricardo Martinez from Catalonia won in two sets and continue alive and fighting for a place in the 1/8 round after defeating Adrian Biglieri and Enric Sanmarti in two sets by 6/4 and 6/3.

The last ticket for the 1/16 round was on play at the last game of the day. David Garcia Campos and Victor Ruiz resolved their game against Cristian German Gutierrez and Antonio Luque in two sets. After a first set decided in the tiebreak, Garcia-Ruiz imposed their game in the second to win 6/3.

The fight to reach the top of the Estrella Damm Barcelona Master continues. The first game of the main draw is on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Real Club Polo de Barcelona. Jose Antonio Garcia Diestro and Ruben Rivera against Marcelo Capitani and Salvador Oria.