Day 4 Women’s, Italy and Spain still in the spotlight: now the challenge to qualify for the final

The smiles after the victory, the embrace and a phrase shouted together at the end of the match: “We’re in the semi-finals! Come on, Italy!” Carolina Orsi and Giorgia Marchetti (4) celebrated their victory over the French pair Louise Bahurel-Lucile Pothier (6-1 6-4) in this way in the quarter-final played on Day 4 of the Mediterranean Games in Taranto. The Italians produced a convincing performance and were applauded by the home crowd and head coach Marcela Ferrari. After winning at the 2023 European Games in Krakow, Marchetti and Orsi will be looking to repeat that success in the first edition of the competition to feature padel. To play for Gold in the final on Friday 28 August, Orsi will have to defeat the player with whom she has won the FIP Silver events in Leiria (Portugal) and Caltanissetta (Italy) this year: Patty Llaguno. In the other quarter-final of the day, played at Parco Salinella in Taranto, the Spanish player, partnering Lucia Sainz, defeated the Tunisian duo of Dora Chamli and Nour Allani (6-0 6-1).

 

In addition to their happiness at the result achieved on court, today was also a special day for Marchetti and Orsi for another reason: they met Prince Albert II of Monaco. During his visit to the Mediterranean Games, His Serene Highness took the opportunity to speak with the stars of one of his favourite sports: alongside the two Italians were Patty Llaguno, Lucia Sainz and Sofia Araujo.

 

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE The semi-final line-up will be completed tomorrow. No earlier than 18:00 CEST, the Italian pair Giulia Dal Pozzo-Carlotta Casali (5) will face the Portuguese Sofia Araujo and Ana Catarina Nogueira (1). At the same time, the match between the French pair Steffi Merah-Charlotte Soubrie (8) and the Spanish pair Jimena Velasco-Nuria Rodriguez (3) will be played. The winners of these two matches will meet in the semi-final in the upper half of the women’s draw.