Nicolai/Cottafava shines in Hamburg
HAMBURG, GERMANY)- The seventh “Elite 16” round of the Beach Pro Tour 2023 officially started today, Thursday 17th August, in Hamburg (Germany). After yesterday’s qualifying round, the two blue couples, composed of Marta Menegatti and Valentina Gottardi as well as Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava, therefore made their debut in their respective groups along with Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula, number seven of the tournament already in the main draw.
The first blue pair to enter the field was that formed by Menegatti/Gottardi. A win and a loss for the reigning Italian champions in the opening games of Group D; The Blues were first overtaken in the tie-break (11-21, 21-16, 15-11) by the USA’s Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, team number two in the FIVB rankings, only to largely make up for it against the Thais in the late afternoon Naraphornrapat/Kongphopsarutawadee easily beat 2-0 (21-12, 21-14). The last game of the group phase against the Germans Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 p.m.
Impressive debut in the men’s draw for Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava. In fact, the Azzurri, who made their Pool D debut, defeated fresh European champions David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig 2-1 (21-18, 16-21, 15-13). For the couple around coach Simone Di Tommaso an important reparation after the semi-final defeat against the Swedes at the continental event in Vienna (Austria). Two games are scheduled for the Azzurri tomorrow to conclude the group stage. Nicolai/Cottafava play green-gold duo Pedro Solberg and Gustavo Albrecht Carvalhaes at 11am, while the final game is scheduled at 8pm against Germany’s Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler.
Unlucky debut for Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula. The Azzurri included in Pool B lost in the tiebreak (16-21, 21-14, 18-16) to the Spaniards Pablo Herrera and Adrián Gavira. The Italian Air Force athletes will have a chance to make amends tomorrow in the doubles challenge against Americans Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh (8am), the number two seeded team of the tournament, having finished in the last two Elite 16 appointments of the BPT achieved two important placings: second place in Montreal (Canada) and first place in Gstaad (Switzerland). The Azzurri’s last game of the group stage is scheduled for 4pm against Oranges Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen.
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