Two very positive weeks in Malta for the Intesa Sanpaolo Assicura Little Tennis Champions team. Engaged in two ITF tournaments, the I Tennis Foundation girls and boys have a total of 45 wins, securing two finals, two semifinals and four quarterfinals.
In the J60 Marsa, Matteo Gribaldo had a strong start right away, making it through the first two rounds and losing in the round of 16 in three sets to the n° 8 seed on the draw. In the doubles, the Bille-Gribaldo duo flies past the No. 6 and n° 1 seeded pairs, and surrenders 10-7 in the final on the supertiebreak against the Czech brothers Froehlich, second favorites in the tournament.
Extraordinary journey in the women’s main draw for Elisabetta Allegra, who reached the quarters after three splendid matches, then fought point by point against the number 1 on the scoreboard, coming out defeated 6-4 in the third after a beautiful performance.
The 2009 born Martina Cerbo, who started from the qualifiers and climbed her way to the round of 16, then lost to 2008 German Ksandinov, the third seed. In doubles, Italian champions Francesca Galli and Alessandra Fiorillo instead reached the quarterfinals.
All back on the court the following week for the J30 in Paola. A very good performance by Mattia Cappellari, who, having survived the first three rounds, surrendered only in the quarterfinals against Sergej Zivkovic of Serbia, later winner of the tournament. Quarterfinals also for Matteo Gribaldo, who played a super performance in the second round when he eliminated 6-1/6-4 the number 2 seeded American William Dean.
Really convincing performances for Mattia Bille as well, who defeated Spain’s Zarate Fernandez and then Estonia’s Raudikivi, before surrendering to the tournament’s third force, France’s Alias. Carlo Paci, who precisely in Malta won his first ITF points, also did well. In doubles, confirmations at high levels for Bille-Gribaldo (semifinals) and Cappellari-Paci (quarters).
In the women’s the undisputed star is Francesca Galli. In fact, the 2008 from Terni reached the semifinals starting from the qualifiers. After defeating, in fact, seeded 7 and 3 of the qualifiers, Francesca eliminated the number 3, 7 and 10 of the main draw, only to fall in the semifinals against Germany’s Majic 7-5/6-3, finally able to win the tournament. Elisabetta Allegra, on the other hand, made it through two rounds, while Alessandra Fiorillo and Martina Cerbo had one win each.
In doubles still Galli show. In fact, paired with the other Italian Virginia Proietti, she was able to reach the very final, then lost to the n° 8 seeded duo.
Next ITF event in Albania at the end of April: #staytuned
