FIP Promotion Città dei Templi, Abbate – with Graziotti – prophet at home

He was the most awaited player and he did not betray expectations. Turning out to be a prophet at home. Flavio Abbate, born in the Sicilian city of Syracuse, won the FIP Promotion Città dei Templi, Italian leg of the CUPRA FIP Tour: seeded number 1 together with Giulio Graziotti, the Italian pair got the better 6-3, 6-4 of their fellow countrymen Nicolas Brusa and Simone Iacovino, seeded number 7. “Champions of this fantastic tournament”, Abbate said after the win, “How nice to win at home!!! Giulio Graziotti, you were a train even in really tough conditions. Now let’s go on, great things are ahead of us together”. Also Graziotti didn’t hide his joy. “My brother”, he said addressing Abbate, “We are champions of this fantastic tournament played at your home!!! You have been devastating all week, helping me in so many situations. That said, you know what I think of you: I love you my friend”.

Abbate and Graziotti, with their victory in the first weekend of June, joined Frenchman Jeremy Scatena in the ranking of the CUPRA FIP Tour‘s most titled players with eight titles won (5 Rise and 3 Promotion for each of the two Italians). Together, they have won six titles including five (FIP Rise Kaunas, FIP Rise Rocks Lane, FIP Rise Pala Padel Nola, FIP Promotion Teramo and, of course, FIP Promotion Città dei Templi) this year. Interestingly, FIP Promotion Città dei Templi had already seen the two Italians as winners, but with different teammates: in 2022 Graziotti with Federico Beltrami, in 2023 Abbate with Brusa.

In the women’s draw, also prevailed the favourite pair leading up to the event. Margarida Fernandes and Catarina Santos Domingos, seeded number 1, got the better of the pair composed by Italy’s Valentina Tommasi and Spain’s Aida Martinez Sanjuan in the final. The match that awarded the title was truly exciting, with the two Portuguese women winning 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 after losing the first set with a clear 6-2. After reaching the semifinals at FIP Rise Betsson Sweden II and FIP Promotion Teramo, this is the first tournament won in the CUPRA Fip Tour for Fernandes and Santos Domingos.