Italian teams once again dominated Europe’s premier Beach Tennis event, sweeping five of the six available gold and silver medals on the final day of action.
If any player can be said to have achieved living legend status at the Championships, it’s Giulia Gasparri. She extended her incredible run of success at the tournament by defending her title yet again, marking a fifth consecutive gold medal and ninth consecutive appearance in the final.
Gasparri’s last four titles had been with different partners, but on this occasion she teamed up again with her 2021 partner, Ninni Valentini as second seeds.
Cruising through the draw for the loss of just eleven games in four matches, an all-Italian final was set against #1 seeds Greta Giusti & Nicole Nobile.
The final score was an exact repeat of that 2021 final, with Gasparri & Valentini winning 6-2 6-2. The defeat marked a fifth consecutive silver medal for Nobile.
The defending men’s champion Nicolas Gianotti of France fell just short of emulating Gasparri, coming within a few points of defending his title. Instead, Italy claimed another gold as Tommaso Giovannini & Mattia Spoto held their nerve to come out on top.
The Italians held the lead throughout the first set but Gianotti & partner Paul Gotarda earned the crucial mini-break early in the deciding game, holding on to secure a one set advantage, 7-4.
Spurred into a more aggressive stance, the Italian team broke to level the match with a 6-4 second set. They carried their momentum into the match tie break, clinching the match on the first of their six match points.
The win marks a first European title for Giovannini, and second for Spoto, who won in 2021 and claimed silver in 2022. Gianotti reached the final for a fourth consecutive year and adds a second silver to his two golds. Currently sharing the #3 ITF Beach Tennis ranking spot, Spoto will now surely move above his French rival.
With the stage set for an exciting mixed doubles final and Italy already certain of a gold medal sweep, the question on everyone’s lips was: who would win two titles?
With Spoto and Gasparri on opposing teams (playing with Nobile and Giovannini respectively), one player would leave Greece as champion in two categories.
The final turned out to be surprisingly one sided though, as Gasparri added a second mixed to her immense tally of EBTC titles, having previously won in 2018. For Giovannini, the mixed runner-up in 2019, it was also his second European title of the day.
Asked how she felt about her achievements, Gasparri told us, "Certainly it’s a honor for me to be the most successful player in the history of the European Championship, it always was a goal for me to 'bring home' some titles and when this happens with the national team it makes me even more proud. I hope to be here again next year, but at the same time I hope to be an inspiration for the next generation."
2024 European Beach Tennis Championships – Final Results
Men’s Doubles:
(1) Tommaso Giovannini & Mattia Spoto (ITA) d. (3) Nicolas Gianotti & Paul Gotarda (FRA) 6-7(4) 6-4 [10-3]
Women’s Doubles:
(2) Giulia Gasparri & Ninny Valentini (ITA) d. (1) Greta Giusti & Nicole Nobile (ITA) 6-2 6-2
Mixed Doubles:
(2) Giulia Gasparri & Tommaso Giovannini (ITA) d. (1) Nicole Nobile & Mattia Spoto (ITA) 6-1 6-1
3rd-4th place Play-Offs
Men’s Doubles:
Luca Andreolini & Diego Bollettinari (ITA) d. Alvaro Garcia Gonzalez & Saulo Tejada Demaso (ESP) 6-2 1-6 [10-7]
Women’s Doubles:
Ariadna Costa Graell & Omaira Farias (ESP) d. Maria Martinez Seron & Daniela Rodriguez Perera (ESP) 7-6(4) 2-6 [10-8]
Mixed Doubles:
Marie Bray & Nicolas Giannotti (FRA) d. Ariadna Costa Graell & Gerard Rodriguez Querol (ESP) 6-3 6-1
The Championships continue this week with, the Hellenic Tennis Federation hosting junior events for players aged 14 & Under and 18 & Under. For full draws and results from all events in Crete, click here.