Italians secure repeat triumphs in Cervia
Michele Cappelletti and Luca Carli and Federica Bacchetta and Giulia Gasparri were crowned men's and women's champions, respectively, in a sweltering conclusion to the 2017 ITF Beach Tennis World Championships in Cervia.
In conditions approaching 40 degrees, Cervia saw another all-Italian triumph - the eighth time in nine years both men's and women's World Championship titles have been won by Italian pairs.
Cappelletti and Carli defeated Luca Cramarossa and Marco Garavini 6-4 6-1 in the men's final, while Bacchetta and Gasparri overcame top seeds Sofia Cimatti and Flamina Daina 6-3 5-7 6-4 in the women's.
It was a repeat triumph for Cappelletti and Carli, who won the title together last year, and a third in a row for Cappelletti, who also won the 2015 crown alongside Matteo Marighella.
But despite coming into the final as the reigning champions, Carli admitted he was surprised to have come out on top against a pair he and Cappelletti have lost to on five occasions in recent finals on the beach tennis tour.
"We knew we were underdogs but that freed us from pressure," said Carli. "This year we have played with too many expectations. When I got injured three months ago we had to start again from the beginning and it has been tough. At the same time, Cramarossa and Garavini started playing together and they won everything."
"For us, this has been the perfect match, maybe the best of our lives."
Third seeds Bacchetta and Gasparri, meanwhile, also caused a relative upset, overcoming the top seeds in a tight three-setter in the women's final.
For Bacchetta, who also won this title in 2010 and 2014, it marked a third World Championship crown, while Gasparri, the 2015 champion alongside Flamina Daina, won for a second time, having finished runner-up last year
"It's an incredible emotion, I still don't believe it," said Gasparri. "I don't have any word for describing this. I love my team mate, she let me do this. It has been my third time here, in the finals. Last year I lost on a few points, but now I did it and I'm proud. I want to thank Fede, our trainer, my family, my friends that came here and our sponsor."
"It was a real battle," added Bacchetta. "It's the seventh time that we faced them and they've won four times. We know them very well but every match is psychological. We always have to be focused.
"Today we played in unbearable conditions - 40 degrees! We lost the second set and we started bad in the third one because of a lack of energy. But we really believed in this chance, we wanted this win so bad and we did it."