Torino, sister rivalry highlights Under 18 final

Two pairs of sisters faced each other in the tournament’s most anticipated final. At the FIP Promises in Turin, Anshika and Rishita Rajagopal received widespread applause for their performances over the weekend at the Palavillage. The Dutch sisters, national champions in their category, claimed the Under 18 title just months after winning another Italian event, the FIP Promises in Perugia. Anshika and Rishita defeated the Swiss Barbara and Sofia Zehetner Espi in the final, who are also number one in the national junior rankings. The Rajagopal sisters came close to a double triumph, reaching the Under 16 girls’ final, where they were defeated by the Italian pair Matilda Caratella and Sophie Caruso, the latter a local player from Piedmont. Two further Italian players secured the Under 14 title: Marta La Carpia and Matilde Scarcella celebrated after a 7-5 6-2 victory over the British pair Bertram/Vellacott.

In the boys’ tournament, the Spanish pair Alvaro Moreno and Felipe Fernandez delivered a strong performance to win the Under 18 title against Nathan Filieri and Riccardo Minighini. The Under 16 title went to Jacopo Battilani and Christian Ventura, while another Italian pair, Alessandro Cullari and Michele Lavecchia, claimed the Under 12 trophy. The French duo Tyrone Pottier and Juan Segura won the Under 14 event.