Swiss success in Lisbon as Masters world champions crowned in 40-45+
Against the backdrop of Lisbon’s sun-kissed summer skies, the 2026 Masters World Individual Championships for players aged 40 and above through to 45 and above came to a thrilling conclusion, with world champions crowned following a standout week of tennis.
At CDN Jamor, Portugal’s National Tennis Centre, a mouthwatering finals line-up brought together first-time finalists, former professional stars and serial world champions. With a grand Centre Court providing a fitting stage, the players rose to the occasion as they battled for the most prestigious titles in Masters Tennis.
In the women’s 40+ singles final, home hopes rested on former world champion Rita Freitas, but Switzerland’s Laura Bao produced a fearless display to upset the Portuguese favourite, powering to a dominant 6-1 6-2 victory and claiming her first World Individual Championships title.
Swiss success continued in the men’s 40+ singles final as former ATP player Mohammed Fetov dropped just four games in a commanding 6-2 6-2 victory over Brazil’s Rodrigo Starling to secure his first gold medal. It marked the first time Switzerland have crowned world champions in these age groups.
An all-German final in the women’s 45+ singles saw Manon Kruse underline her enduring class, adding a remarkable sixth world title to her collection with a 6-3 6-2 win over surprise finalist Silvia Tornier, who was contesting her first World Championships.
An all-Spanish affair in the men’s 45+ singles crowned Francisco Javier Martinez Baena champion after a commanding 6-2 6-1 victory over his doubles partner Pedro Nieto Orellana, adding individual gold to the Team Championships title he had won the previous week.
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The doubles and mixed doubles events also delivered their share of drama, star quality and national pride throughout the week.
There was further home disappointment in the mixed doubles 40+ as Freitas and Fred Gil were beaten 6-4 6-3 by Pakistan’s Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi and Austria’s Nina Herrmann, who combined effectively to take the title.
Herrmann capped an impressive week in Portugal with further success in the women’s doubles 40+, partnering Slovakia’s Silvia Chuda to a dominant 6-0 6-2 win over Germany’s Eileen Aranas-Roth and USA’s Mariko Fritz-Krockow.
Manon Kruse also enjoyed success on the doubles court, teaming up with the Netherlands’ Regina Balcune to win the Women’s Doubles 45+ title with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 victory over Austria’s Denise Greilinger and Sandra Gruber.
Balcune then completed a golden double by partnering Bernard Jonkman to claim the Mixed Doubles 45+ crown, defeating Greilinger and Czechia’s Jiri Lokaj 6-2, 6-2.
The all-Belgian pair of Maxime Braeckman and Ief Nollet made their first World Championships experience a golden one, claiming the men’s doubles 40+ title with an impressive 6-2 6-2 win over Germany’s Jens Janssen and France’s Clement Previtali.
Meanwhile, the French duo of Jacques Gley and Jean-Baptiste Renault produced one of the week’s most gripping doubles victories, defeating defending champions Qureshi and Aqeel Khan 1-6 7-6 10-7 in a tense men’s doubles 45+ final.
As the courts at CDN Jamor fall silent for another year, attention now turns to the Masters World Team and Individual Championships for players aged 75 and above through to 85 and above, with individual events only for the 90+ category, which will take place in Crete, Greece, from 18-31 October 2026.
Full results are available via the 40-45 World Individual Championships Draws and Results.