Italy dominates European Beach Tennis Championships in Greece
The European Beach Tennis Championships took place at the Karteros Beach Sport Centre on the island of Crete from September 26 to 29, organized by the Hellenic Tennis Federation.
This year’s tournament was a team competition, with 19 countries competing in men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Italy emerged as the dominant force, winning all the main titles.
In the men’s event, the Italian duo of Tommaso Giovannini and Mattia Spoto advanced through all stages without dropping a set until the final, where they faced the French pair Nicolas Gianotti and Paul Gotarda. The final match was tough: the French team took the first set 7-6 (4), but the Italians fought back, winning the second set 6-4. In the championship tie-break, Giovannini and Spoto claimed the title with a confident 10-3 win.
In the women’s competition, it was an all-Italian final. Giulia Gasparri and Ninny Valentini defeated their compatriots Greta Giusti and Nicole Nobile with a score of 6-2, 6-2.
The mixed doubles also saw no surprises, as the champions of the men’s and women’s events teamed up. Tommaso Giovannini and Giulia Gasparri dominated the final, defeating another Italian duo, Nicole Nobile and Mattia Spoto.
Italy’s dominance in the tournament clearly reflects their strength in European beach tennis today. The latest Tennis Europe rankings show Italy leading by a wide margin, and their success at the championships in Greece will only widen this gap further.
Cover photo: Tennis Europe. Italian women’s team.