Cagliari remains the center of international padel, with the European Championships scheduled at the Tennis Club from 9am tomorrow morning until the finals on Saturday.
Yesterday the FIP Platinum Sardinia closed, which in the women's draw saw the triumph of the Italian Carolina Orsi (now ready to play with the national team), tomorrow the record edition begins with the highest numbers ever: 51 registered nations (they had to play the qualifiers in Norway, to climb to 16 in the women's draw and the same number in the men's), delegations bringing over 300 athletes and coaches to Cagliari.
«We are very happy to be here», was the greeting from FIP president Luigi Carraro at tonight's opening ceremony. «I thank the Sardinia Region for its support in organizing this event, as well as the Cagliari Tennis Club for this amazing facility: it is not the first time we have come here, but this is the largest event ever hosted in Italy and a record-breaking. I also thank the Italian Government and FITP, who allowed the organization of the event."
The tournament. It will be played on eight courts, with tickets on sale from tomorrow and free entry for FITP members. The first three days of the FIP European Padel Championships are dedicated to the group phase, from Thursday the direct elimination phase with finals on Saturday for all positions. Tonight's draw, which followed the opening ceremony, defined the various groups of the European Championships. For the women's Group A Spain, Denmark, Lithuania and Switzerland, Group B France, Belgium, Poland and Portugal, Group C Italy, Germany, Finland and Hungary, Group D Sweden, Holland, Great Britain and Estonia. In the men's Group A Spain, Germany, Monaco and Croatia, Group B Italy, Great Britain, Hungary and Switzerland, Group C France, Poland, Holland and Austria, Group D Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and Portugal. Italy, led by technical director Marcela Ferrari, has Michele Bruno (the standard-bearer at the inaugural ceremony), Marco Cassetta, Simone Cremona, Lorenzo Di Giovanni, Facundo Domínguez, Giulio Graziotti, Aris Patiniotis and Riccardo Sinicropi in the men's squad; in the women's Carlotta Casali, Giorgia Marchetti, Carolina Orsi, Chiara Pappacena, Martina Parmigiani, Emily Stellato, Giulia Sussarello and Lorena Vano. And the Azzurri will try to put Spain, favorites on both scoreboards, in difficulty.
