A big surprise happened in the Cervezas Victoria Marbella Master 2022 qualifying finals took place on Monday evening.
For the first time, a Russian has qualified for a main draw, denying a Belgian in the final from doing the same.
Another epic round of matches on the Spanish coast, and here is what happened at the Club Marbella Sports & Padel.
Ruiz/Blanco vs García/Pascual
Five-seed Sara Ruiz and Alicia Blanco were in action first against two-seed Carmen García and Lourdes Pascual.
Favourites García and Pascual started the match off well, taking the opening set 4-6 on Monday.
Ruiz and Blanco came back, however, taking a 6-4 of their own before winning 6-0 in the third and final set.
They will play three-seed Patty Llaguno and Virginia Riera on Tuesday afternoon at centre court in Marbella.
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Merino/Alonso vs Borrero/Alonso
Next were Melania Merino and Lorena Alonso against Marta Borrero and Alejandra Alonso.
Two Alonsos facing each other, Alejandra and Marta Borrero struck first by winning 4-6 in the opening set.
Merino and Lorena Alonso scratched and clawed their way back, needing two tie breaks to recover the match and actually win it 4-6 7-6(6) 7-6(4).
They will play Julia Polo and Cecilia Reiter on Wednesday morning in the round of 32.
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Stellato/Petrelli vs Brito/Girdo
An Italian pre-qualifying pairing, Emily Stellato and Carolina Petrelli took on six-seed Nelida Brito and Swede Amanda Girdo.
Unable to be separated after 12 games, Stellato and Petrelli took the tie-break with authority 7-6(2).
In the second set, the Italians could get daylight between themselves and Brito and Girdo. They broke and won 6-4, getting themselves in the main draw from pre-qualifying.
Awaiting them in the round of 32 on Tuesday afternoon are Sandra Bellver and Carolina Orsi.
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Sharifova/Segura vs Traviesa/Wyckaert
Finally, three nationalities shared the court as Raquel Segura and Russian Ksenia Sharifova faced pre-qualifying duo Nicole Traviesa and Belgian Helena Wyckaert.
Neither a Russian nor a Belgian player have ever qualified for a main draw, not counting wild cards. Sharifova wanted to be the first Russian to do so, taking the opening set 6-3.
Wyckaert and Traviesa fought back in the second frame, and things were tied at 5-5.
Sharifova and Segura then broke, winning 7-5, and they will face Araceli Martínez and Jimena Velasco in the round of 32 in Marbella.
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