Best of the beach confirmed for World Championships in Terracina
The ITF has announced a strong line-up for the Beach Tennis World Championships, with all of the world’s top 10 women and eight of the top 10 men confirmed to be in action in Terracina on 13-19 September.
The event, which is taking place on Levante Beach for just the second time, having moved to Terracina from Cervia in 2019, brings together players from 22 nations with the aim of being crowned world champions.
In the men’s event, all eyes will be on world No. 2 Michele Cappelletti. The Italian was one half of the winning pair in 2019 and this year has teamed up with world No. 3 Antomi Ramos Viera.
With world No. 1 Alessandro Calbucci out of action – the 41-year-old hasn’t competed on the ITF Beach Tennis World Tour since February 2020 – Cappelletti will have his sights set on closing the gap at the top of the rankings on the man with whom he won the World Championships back in 2019.
In the women’s event, top seeds Giulia Gasparri and Ninny Valentini will be looking to bounce back from a loss in the final of the first Sand Series event in Saarlouis. The all-Italian pairing had been unstoppable this year, winning every match they had contested, until falling to Sofia Cimatti and Nicole Nobile in Germany.
Brazil’s Rafaella Miiller, who made a return to the tour in June, won the 2019 World Championships alongside Germany’s Maraike Biglmaier, but both players are competing in Terracina with different partners.
World No. 2 Miiller will line up with her regular partner, Venezuela’s Patricia Diaz, and will be looking to improve on their semi-final finish at Saarlouis last month. Biglmaier, who now plays with Italy’s Veronica Casadei, will be among the top seeds.
Alongside the professional matches, there will also be events in five other age categories – under 12, under 14, under 16, under 18 and Seniors. Organisers will also be trialling innovations in these categories to ensure that spectators are entertained.
Admission to all 300 matches taking place from qualifying through to the finals is free of charge.
The ITF will be showing matches on Centre Court live on its YouTube channel and Facebook page.