Seeds dominate 2021 Young Seniors Team World Championships
Taking place for the first time since 2019, the event saw more than 350 players with 96 teams represent a total of 25 nations, aiming to become world champions.
Former ATP world number 62 Fred Gil, representing Portugal, and previous French Open quarter-finalist and ATP number 13 Andrei Cherkasov, playing for Russia, were two of the stand-out names in a strong men’s field.
However, it was France who took control of the Men’s 35 event, as Vincent Stouff and Florian Reynet comfortably beat Portugal to take the M35 Italia Cup title.
In the Tony Trabert Cup (M40), Guillaume Legat provided France with an early lead. Spain however were to set up the perfect end to this team cup with Antonio Alcaraz-Sanchez taking the next singles 6-1, 6-3 and more importantly levelling the tie. Spain took the gold medal after Francisco Javier Martinez Baena and Jose-Maria “Pepe” Vicente Fibla won the doubles in straight sets.
Meanwhile, after the need to move matches indoors as a result of bad weather, Spain provided some great tennis with Jonathan Garcia and Roberto Menendez Ferre lifting the gold medal for Spain after winning both singles matches’ in the (M45) Dubler Cup
In an equally impressive field on the women’s side, host nation Croatia boasted former world number 32 Jelena Kostanić in the 35+ competition. In the Women’s 40s event, WTA titlist Alberta Brianti led from the front representing Italy, winning all her singles matches.
In a highly competitive final, it was Germany who beat Italy to lift the Young Cup (W40) in an epic contest that lasted over ten hours. Germany also enjoyed success in the Margaret Court Cup (W45), defeating France.
In the Suzanne Lenglen Cup (W35), Germany were prevented from completing the sweep of the women’s events, as the Netherlands took the deciding doubles rubber to claim the crown.
Attention now turns to the ITF Young Seniors World Individual Championships this week, with players battling it out for individual glory across the singles, doubles and mixed doubles events in Croatia.