by Malta’s Matthew Asciak & Elaine Genovese secured victory over Andorra’s Eric Cervos and Victoria Jimenez Katintseva to take third place in Mixed Doubles. The duo won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0. Cypriots Maria Constantinou and Klio Maria Ioannou also cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over San Marino’s duo of Alice Balducci and Talita Giardi, claiming the bronze in Women’s Doubles.
Team Malta’s Victory Over Andorra
Having secured gold earlier in the day in the Men’s Doubles, Asciak vied to make it a double podium for himself, while Genovese looked to secure her third medal in this edition of the games. However, Andorra’s duo were steady in the opening matches and in fact, both sides held serve in the first eight games of the first set.
At 4-4 and with Eric Cervos on serve, the Maltese duo opened a 15-40 lead as Matthew Asciak delivered a deadened volley before Genovese volleyed home to get break point. The Andorrans went long with the shot, yielding the break. At this point, the Maltese duo needed only to hold serve. At 40-30 and with the first set point in hand, the point came easily as a touch off Cervos’ racket yielded the point and the set 6-4.
Having experienced the heartache of a deciding tie-break in the semi-final, the Maltese duo did not step their foot off the gas for one minute and broke in the opening match of the second set. Asciak’s service game went to a deciding point but the Maltese duo prevailed to double their lead in the set. They then raced to a break to love on Cervos’ service game to extend, before holding on Genovese’s serve to 4-0.
There appeared to be a half-hearted attempt at a come-back from the Andorrans, but Genovese smashed at the net to complete the break. At 5-0, it was then up to Asciak to serve for the bronze. A delightful backhand slice into space got Malta level on points. Asciak’s weighted lob nudged them forward to match point, which they secured at the first time of asking to claim bronze for Team Malta.
Team Cyprus Earns Bronze Ahead of San Marino
Heavily bandaged on both sides and under the unforgiving afternoon sun, the match was limited in quality but the two sides persevered. Maria Constantinou’s shoulder appeared to have been in its final throes as she opened the first set and struggled to get serves in the court, double-faulting twice. However, San Marino’s duo failed to make the breakpoint stick, and then an error at the net of Balducci’s racket yielded the hold to Team Cyprus.
Though San Marino’s first service game went to deuce, they managed to hold following a backhand error off Constantinou. It was then an easy hold for Team Cyprus on Klio Maria Ioannou’s serve. The break followed as Talita Giardi served. The pressure got to the youngster who faced two break points following a winner from Constantinou, yielding the break with a double fault. The Cypriots then held serve and broke again on Balducci’s serve to take the set 6-2.
The second set opened in a similar fashion as the Cypriots opened a 3-0 lead by holding their own serve and breaking immediately on Giardi’s serve. San Marino got on the scoreboard on Giardi’s serve with Balducci landing the winner to reduce the deficit to two. Though they also got to deuce on Constantinou’s service game, the Cypriots were determined in maintaining their advantage and the two sides exchanged holds to 5-2. Constantinou and Ioannou then opened a 0-40 lead as Giardi attempted to serve to stay in the match. However, with three breakpoints in hand, the Cypriots landed the blow to take bronze, 6-2, 6-2.
Photo: Alex Turnbull
