The playa de las Canteras played host to some major upsets and familiar champions over the weekend as the third Sand Series of the year concluded in Gran Canaria.

Andre Baran became the first Brazilian man to capture the Sand Series Gran Canaria Classic title on Sunday alongside Michele Cappelletti, who captured his third.

The duo took the third Sand Series of the year (and their second after the opening Ribeirão Preto in April) without dropping a set and took out World Champions and 2022 champions Mattia Spoto and Nicolas Gianotti in the final.

The pair endured a tough second round with a topsy turvy first set against Edoardo Ponti and Gustavo Russo before reaching the final for the loss of just three games in their next two matches. The first set in the final went to a tiebreak which Baran and Cappelletti won 7-5 before storming through a 6-1 second set to take the title.

“I think we played almost a perfect match against the best team in the world," said Cappelletti after the final. "We are playing great beach tennis after a tough week in Réunion Island so we are super happy."

Patricia Diaz and Rafaella Miiller defended their title in a rematch of last year’s final.

The Brazilian-Venezuelan duo squeezed past recent Reunion Classic champions Giulia Gasparri and Ninny Valentini in the semi-finals before emerging victorious against Sophia Chow and Vitoria Marchezini.

The final was heading for a decisive match tie-break with Chow and Marchezini up 5-2 before being pegged back to five games apiece. Diaz and Miiller then took the tie break and the championship to secure the World Champions’ first Sand Series since last June at the Brasília Classic.

Next up is the Sand Series Brasília Classic in June, with Diaz and Miiller looking for another title defence, alongside Andre Baran who will look to help Cappelletti win his second title there.

The Sand Series consists of the premier tournaments on the ITF Beach Tennis World Tour, designed to provide the top players with opportunities to gain more ranking points and greater prize money.

Sand Series 2024

11 – 14 April: Ribeirão Preto

10 – 12 May: Réunion Classic

17 – 19 May: Gran Canaria Classic

13 – 15 June: Brasília Classic

15^th – 17^th August: Saarlouis Classic

10^th – 12^th October: São Paulo

15^th – 17^th November: Aruba