Tribune News Network
Doha
MotoGP Spanish racer from the Prima Pramac Ducati team Jorge Martin showed up at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex on Wednesday to watch quarter final matches of the Ooredoo Qatar Major Premier Padel, particularly those involving Franco Stupaczuk and Martin Di Nenno (3) and Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia (2).
In Moto GP, Martin was 2nd in the riders’ championship last season after an exciting duel with Pecco Bagnaia.
On Wednesday, he enjoyed a few hours of relax to admire the evolutions with the racquet of the great champions of the discipline, before returning to be a leading actor on the Lusail circuit, some 20 kilometers north of Doha.
He was in the player lounge talking padel and motorbikes with Fernando Belasteguin. ‘Bela a great guy,’ says Jorge of Bela, who returns the compliment. Then he adds: “A problem with my ankle lately prevents me from practicing it, but I really like padel: “I’ve never had the chance to go to a tournament, so I’m very happy to be here and witness spectacular matches in person. The similarities between padel and the world of motorcycles? Not many, maybe that you have to work a lot with your hand and wrist and have very good reaction times. As for the players, I really like Martin (Di Nenno)...I know him personally and I was able to play with him, I will enjoy his game. And I am curious to see Arturo (Coello) at work.”
Defending champions Stupaczuk and Di Nenno of Argentina beat Momo Gonzalez and Federico Chingotto 6-3, 6-3.
Miguel Yanguas and Javier Garrido beat Alejandro Arroyo and Eduardo Alonso 7-5, 6-4 while in an all-Spanish quarter-final Paquito Navarro and Sanyo Gutierrez (4) beat Pablo Cardona and Javier Ruiz 6-4, 6-4.
In the women’s section, Spain’s Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez defeated ninth seeds and sompatriots Lucia Sainz and Patricia Llaguno 6-1, 6-3 to reach semis.
No.5 seed Alejandra Salazar and Tamara Icardo beat No 2 seeds Beatriz Gonzalez Fernandez and Delfina Brea 2-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Marta Ortega and Veronica Virseda, seeded fourth, beat Ksenia Sharifova and Esther Carnicero 6-2, 6-0.
Top seeds, Spain’s Ariana Sanchez and Paula Josemaria beat Portugal’s Jessica Castello and Spain’s Claudia Jensen 6-3, 6-3.
