Before the win, Geens felt Ruiz-Ortega were “absolutely playable”
How did you feel about returning in Madrid after qualifying?
“We’re very happy to have won the two qualifying matches. […] It was our comeback tournament together. […] Happy to get several matches in.”
Geens said he had played little for two or three weeks, while Guichard had competed more before Madrid. The two partners were returning to competition together after roughly a month without playing a tournament as a pair. Their qualification for the main draw had already given them two matches to find their rhythm again.
How were you approaching Victor Ruiz and Mario Ortega?
“We’re going to try to give everything. It’s a team that is absolutely playable […] within our reach.”
Before the match, Geens therefore felt Ruiz and Ortega were “absolutely playable”. A few hours later, Guichard and Geens beat them 7-6, 7-6, with both sets decided in tie-breaks. The official FIP draw now puts them in the R32 against Maximiliano Arce and Juan Tello, the tournament’s No. 10 seeds.
Geens remains careful with his adductor
How were you feeling physically before this first-round match?
“I’d had a small adductor strain for a while. It’s better, but I can still feel it a little.”
The Belgian said he still wanted to be careful with the issue, with several events coming up. Managing it matters even more after three wins in Madrid, including qualifying, alongside Guichard.
What mattered most to you in this return?
“We’re going to try to play a big match and keep going the way we have been.”
Geens and Guichard will therefore play another round in Madrid. Clément Geens is the highest-ranked Belgian in the FIP ranking and sits 80th in the world as of August 31, with Guichard 86th. On the other side, Tello is 19th and Arce 26th. The ranking gap is clear, but the Franco-Belgian pair heads into the match with confidence.
Arce-Tello and the Vertex 05 are next
Arce and Tello await Geens and Guichard in the R32. Bullpadel presents the Vertex 05 as Juan Tello’s 2026 racket, with the Argentine playing on the left. Tello will therefore play this round with his new model, while the Belgian and the Frenchman try to beat the No. 10 seeds.
A fourth win in Madrid would send Geens and Guichard into the round of 16, where the winner of their match will face the winner of Coello-Tapia against Mourino-Quilez.
