Italian teams once again swept the board at the European Beach Tennis Championships, scooping the three gold medals for a seventh consecutive year.
Over 130 players representing a record-equalling 21 European nations were in action at the event, which was held for a second successive year at Brighton’s Yellowave Centre and hosted by the British Lawn Tennis Association.
Hot on the heels of the defence of their World Championships title, men’s top seeds Alessandro Calbucci & Marco Garavini wasted little time in repeating as European Champions. The pair breezed through the event without the loss of a set a beat compatriots Luca Cramarossi and Luca Meliconi 6-1 6-4 to remain unbeaten after two editions of the competition in Brighton.
For Meliconi, the defeat meant a fourth loss in the European Championships final, while the win was Garavini’s fourth European title overall. The pair also scored a unique triple, adding the European title to their World Team and Individual Championships titles, and became the first men’s pair to successfully defend the European title.
Spain claimed the bronze medal, as Antomi Ramos Viera & Saulo Tejada recovered from a set down to beat unseeded Cyrille Lamy & David Mottin (FRA) 4-6 6-2 [10-7].
The women’s title was also claimed by the top seeds. World #3 Veronica Visani claimed her first European title alongside 2012 winner Eva D’Elia when they beat fellow-Italians Federica Baccheta & Sofia Cimatti 6-4 6-4, reversing a loss at the World Championships last week.
There was an all-French bronze medal match as fourth seeds Manuela Amiard & Pauline Bourdet edged third seeds Marie-Eve & Mathilde Hoarau by the slimmest of margins, 5-7 6-4 [11-9].
With play originally delayed by several hours on the final day due to stormy conditions caused by the remnants of Hurricane Bertha, the last event to be completed was the mixed doubles, which saw yet another all-Italian final. Hours after securing his first European title, Luca Cramarossa picked up a second, teaming up with Eva D’Elia to outlast Garavini & Bacchetta 6-2 6-7(6) [10-8]. The win is a second European mixed title for D’Elia, who has now reached the gold medal match in four consecutive years.
Nikita Burmakin & Daria Churakova of Russia denied Spain a second bronze, concedigin just five games to Ramos Viera and partner Rosa Sitja.
Full draws and results from the Championships can be found below:
Draws & Results
Men's Doubles | Women's Doubles | Mixed Doubles | Nations Ranking | Photos
Links
Beach Tennis UK | LTA Beach Tennis site | ITF Beach Tennis