Upsets dominate 2023 ITF Masters World Team Championships in Mallorca
After Team USA dominated this event last year, there were upsets galore at the 2023 ITF Masters World Team Championships (65-70-75-80-85) in Mallorca, Spain.
Setting the tone for the upsets were Australia in both the women’s and men’s 65 events. Masters maestro Glenn Busby led the charge for the Aussies in an impressive team performance, culminating in the hosts defeating USA 2-1 to take the Britannia Cup title.
A bigger upset occurred in the Kitty Godfree Cup (W65), however, as Australia clinched the win in a nerve-racking deciding doubles. Ros Balodis and Rosemary Everett held their nerve to seal a big win against previous world champions USA during a high quality final.
The USA again fell agonisingly short in the Jack Crawford Cup (M70). The favourites for the title undoubtedly missed their No. 1 player, David Sivertson, as they lost both singles to an excellent French team in the gold medal match.
However, the USA would finally get their reward in a final as the women’s 70 team overpowered Great Britain to retain the Althea Gibson Cup. Straight sets wins for both singles players secured gold for the USA over a dogged Great Britain.
However, more heartache was to follow for the United States. Finalists in both 75+ events, the Bitsy Grant Cup (M75) and Queens Cup (W75) each saw European winners. In the W75 event, Gail Benedetti and Nicole Hesse Cazaux won their singles to give France their second gold medal of the championships.
Spain clinched their maiden title of the 2023 championships with an exciting doubles decider, in a repeat of the 2022 Bitsy Grant Cup final. Jorge Camina Borda and Jairo Velasco Ramirez proved too strong for American duo Brent Abel and Brian Cheney, taking the doubles 6-1 6-4.
USA returned to winning ways in the Gardnar Mulloy Cup (M80), defeating Italy 3-0 in a dominant performance. The Doris Hart Cup (W80), meanwhile, saw France crowned champions with narrow wins over USA and Great Britain. Mary Jane Marty and Michele Bichon proved too strong in singles, winning their matches to secure another victory for the French.
In response to the demoralising finals losses in the other age categories, the USA swept the 85s division to cap a week of high quality tennis. The men brought home the gold medal with a 2-1 victory over Germany in the Lorne Main Cup (M85). In the Angela Mortimer Cup (W85), the formidable quartet of Roz King, Dorothy Wasser, Sheila Palmer and Chris Smith romped to victory to retain the title won last year.
The ITF Masters World Individual Championships follows the team event and runs from 14-21 October.
A full set of results from the each of the cups across the team event are available here:
Kitty Godfree Cup (Women’s 65)