Esteve and Ferré went out in the semi-finals on Friday evening, a result that surprised the gallery rather more than it surprised the pair. Both played to form for three sets and were caught, in the fourth, by an opposition that had read them well.

Ferré's column will be filed Tuesday, as is his custom after a tournament. Esteve, asked at the rail whether he would return next year, said only that he would, and walked on.