The second day of main draw action at the CIB NEWGIZA Premier Padel P2 brought a mix of history, resilience and promising performances across both categories, as the tournament’s opening round reached its conclusion. From a landmark win for Tunisian padel to the solid debuts of several top-seeded pairs, the event continued to showcase the sport’s expanding global footprint.
Dora Chamli made history as the first player from Tunisia – and the first woman from Africa – to compete and win a main draw match on the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour. Partnering with Spain’s Teresa Navarro, she produced a strong three-set victory over Marcella Koek and Victoria Kurz 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1. “I’m super, super happy and excited because it’s my first time ever participating in Premier Padel,” she said. “When I came here, my only wish was to qualify, and winning my first match in the main draw is just incredible.”
Originally from Tunisia, Chamli discovered padel while studying in Barcelona and soon decided to dedicate herself fully to the sport. “It’s growing a lot in the last few years,” she added. “Many new clubs are opening, and more sponsors are getting interested. We’re developing step by step, and I hope to see more international players coming to Tunisia to see how the sport is growing there.”
In the men’s draw, the top seeds made their long-awaited debut. Federico Chingotto and Alejandro Galán saw their first-round match cut short after only three games due to an injury to Sanyo Gutiérrez, forcing him and Gonzalo Alfonso to withdraw. On the other side of the bracket, Franco Stupaczuk and Juan Lebrón made a convincing start, overcoming David Gala and Pablo García 6-1, 7-5 after a more demanding second set.
Mike Yanguas and Coki Nieto also advanced with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over local favourites Youssef Hossam and Georges Wakim, who fought hard in the second set before the Spaniards regained control. Javier Leal and Lucas Bergamini were the only top-eight pair to need three sets to move forward, while Momo González and Fran Guerrero, Juan Tello and Edu Alonso, and Álex Ruiz and Juanlu Esbri all progressed efficiently in straight sets.
The women’s competition, meanwhile, awaits the entrance of its top eight seeds, who will debut tomorrow in the Round of 16. Tuesday’s action was highlighted by Egypt’s Moura Hakim and Laila El Nimr, who delivered a valiant effort despite falling 6-4, 6-1 to Léa Godallier and Georgia Marchetti. Having won one set in NEWGIZA 2024 and three games earlier this season in Qatar, the Egyptian duo took another step forward, collecting five games this time and continuing their steady rise on home soil.
