Milano P1 Day 1: Maxi Sánchez and Sanyo shine, Italian pairs all exit

The opening day of the OYSHO Milano Premier Padel P1 main draw belonged to two men who have both sat at the top of the world rankings. At a sold-out Allianz Cloud on Monday, Maxi Sánchez and Sanyo Gutiérrez each advanced to the round of 32 with new partners, while the home crowd had little to celebrate: every Italian pair in action was knocked out.

Former number ones still delivering

Maxi Sánchez, playing alongside fellow Argentine Lucho Capra, beat Alonso Rodríguez and Italy's Flavio Abbate 7-6, 6-4. Sanyo Gutiérrez, paired with Maximiliano Sánchez Blasco, needed three sets to get past Nacho Vilariño and Coquito Zamora, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. The official Premier Padel report summed up the day as proof that "talent never fades".

Not every seeded name had such a smooth start. Álex Chozas and Juani Rubini won the first set against Fede Mouriño and Marc Quílez but went down 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. Guille Collado and Enrique Goenaga lost 6-4, 6-3 to José Antonio García Diestro and Marc Sintes. Elsewhere, Pol Hernández and Manu Castaño, Pablo García and Tolito Aguirre, and David Gala and Enzo Jensen all won in straight sets.

A day to forget for Italy

Several of the Italians in the draw are using Milan as their last big test before the FIP World Championship in Qatar (2-7 November), and none of them got through the first round. Marco Cassetta and Argentina's Fabián Oviedo, who had a wild card, came closest. They took the first set on a tie-break against Javi Barahona and Nacho Piotto before losing 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.

The other wild-card pair, Giulio Graziotti and Simone Iacovino, lost 6-2, 6-1 to Gala and Jensen. Álvaro Montiel and Dani Santigosa were beaten 6-4, 7-6 by Castaño and Hernández. Aris Patiniotis and Diego García lost 7-5, 7-5 to Arnau Ayats and Sánchez Chamero, and Denis Perino and Facundo Domínguez fell 6-2, 6-3 to José Solano and Ramiro Pereyra.

It was no better in the women's qualifying. Italian media reported that Caterina Baldi and Clarissa Aima, both selected for the World Championship for the first time, lost 6-3, 6-1 to Amanda López and Martina Fassio. Milan's daily Il Giorno called it a disappointing debut for the home players in front of a full arena.

Sánchez Fallada and Ustero Win Oyshop Milano Premier Padel P1 Title

Tuesday: women take the stage

The women's main draw starts on Tuesday. Alejandra Salazar and Aranzazu Osoro open on centre court at 9:30 CEST against Alix Collombon and Ksenia Sharifova. Italy has one guaranteed winner in the women's draw because Giulia Dal Pozzo and Nuria Rodríguez play an all-Italian derby against Giorgia Marchetti and Lara Arruabarrena. Carolina Orsi, Italy's highest-ranked woman, also plays on Tuesday.

The men's schedule includes Mike Yanguas, who is standing in with Pablo Lijó while Coki Nieto is out injured, against Javi Ruiz and José Luis González. Lucas Campagnolo and Momo González face Barahona and Piotto.

The favourites wait

The top seeds have not played yet. According to Premier Padel, Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, who arrive after winning in Paris, Rotterdam and Düsseldorf, start on Wednesday against Ayats and Sánchez Chamero. Defending champions Ale Galán and Fede Chingotto open against the Portuguese brothers Miguel and Nuno Deus, who came through the first round on Monday 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 against Javi Martínez and Luis Hernández. The final is on Sunday 18 October.