by Maria Constantinou and Elephterios Neos appeared to have an extra spot of sunshine beaming on them on Friday as they emerged victorious against Luxembourg’s Eleonora Molinaro and Alex Knaff. Luxembourg won the opening set 9-7 in the tiebreak (7-6), before Cyprus took hold of the next 6-3. The Cypriots claimed gold by winning the deciding tie-break 10-6.
A Balanced First Set
Luxembourg’s Molinaro opened the match on serve and the duo held serve relatively comfortably, before Neos took charge to draw level. Knaff’s serve came under threat as at 40-30 Neos fired a decisive crosscourt forehand into space to force a deuce. However, Molinaro ensured the hold with a backhand volley at the net. Constantinou’s service game went smoothly, and the break looked to be on for the Cypriots as Luxembourg’s duo trailed at 0-30. However, the latter fought back to gain a 40-30 lead before Neos went long to confirm the hold to 3-2.
Knaff and Molinaro stared at two break-points in the next game, but Cyprus cancelled both and took the decisive point to keep things even. Relatively easy holds followed for both sides, extending the set to seven. Though Luxembourg faced a break point, Molinaro kept her composure with a forehand volley to earn a deuce before securing the hold. However, Cyprus were untroubled as they held to love to force a tiebreak in the first set.
Luxembourg raced to a 4-1 lead, before a serious of errors allowed Cyprus to get back with interest. The two fought tooth and nails for each point as from 4-4. Luxembourg faced two set points which they did not convert, however they stuck the third as at 7-7, Neos went long before Constantinou missed the smash, handing Luxembourg a 9-7 victory in the tiebreak and the set.
Comeback & Victory
The Cypriots came back with vengeance, and Neos opened with a strong service game which he finished with an ace. They then broke serve in the next game as Knaff was just off target with the backhand. The Cypriots then opened a 40-0 lead on Constantinou’s serve, aided by misfiring from the Luxembourgers. Knaff and Molinaro fought back to 40-30, but ultimately a return into the net undid all their work to complete a 3-0 lead for Cyprus.
Knaff took hold of the serve and delivered two aces to ensure Team Luxembourg got themselves on the board. The team then held firm and forced mistakes from their opponent to force a break of their own. However, Cyprus doubled down and broke straight back on Molinaro’s serve to recover take the set to 4-2. Constantinou’s service game was another tight one which went to deuce, but an overcooked return from Luxembourg’s duo enabled the Cypriots to stick the hold at 5-2. The team then forced another break to take the set 6-3, and thus forced a deciding tie-break.
Cyprus kept their momentum and opened a 3-0 lead. Though Constantinou missed a smash to let Luxembourg in, a series of mishits by the latter enabled Cyprus to open a 7-1 lead. However, Molinaro and Knaff stuck to their task and reeled their opponents back in, to a score of 7-6. As Constantinou took serve, Knaff went long with the cross-court backhand, before Neos smashed home to earn the championship point. Molinaro took hold of the serve, which Neos fired back with a precise crosscourt winner to claim gold for the team.
It was misery compounded for the Luxembourgers on the day, as the country had to settle for silver in both the Women’s Doubles and the Mixed Doubles finals. On the other hand, the Cypriots bathed in the moment of securing a gold, with a chance to double it in the Men’s Doubles against Maltese duo Matthew Asciak and Matija Pecotic. Team Cyprus also have a chance to claim bronze in the Women’s Doubles as Constantinou joins Klio Maria Ioannou, to face off against San Marino’s Balduci and Giardi.
Photo: Alex Turnbull
