Tennis Summer Cup: Italy out, Slovakia and Croatia go to the final

Brescia. Italy tried until the last ball, but this time there was nothing to be done. The national team of captain Alberto Tirelli will not be among the eight in the final phase of the Summer Cup by Dunlop, which from 8 to 11 August in Ajaccio will award the European title in the under-12 category.
Since one of the qualifying rounds landed in Brescia in 2017, organised by Asd Olimpica Tennis, Italy had always managed to earn one of the two passes up for grabs, while in 2024 the Azzurrine had to settle for third place, by virtue of a 2-1 defeat in the decisive duel against Slovakia.
The Eastern European rivals opened Sunday’s match on a high note, with Simona Novakova’s comfortable victory over Giorgia Lanza (6-1 6-0), and seemed to have the victory in the bag when in the second singles Giulia Luchetti found herself forced to face three consecutive match points at 4-5 in the deciding set against left-handed Ella Bartakova. But instead of collapsing, the Slovakian-born Italian built a small miracle at the most delicate moment: she saved herself with courage, gained confidence and managed to turn the challenge around, immediately winning the decisive break that gave her the 4-6 6-1 7-5 victory, decisive in keeping Italy’s hopes alive.
However, in the deciding doubles, Slovakia proved superior, with Bartakova/Novakova themselves scoring 6-3 7-6 against Lanza/Luchetti, who were regretting three consecutive set-points missed in the 12th game of the second set.
Along with Slovakia, Croatia also earned a place in the decisive phase of the Tennis Europe competition, led by the usual Korana Barisic: a 12-year-old who is small in stature and rather shy off the court, but who on the Brescia clay court showed great tennis prospects. In four days she did not lose a match, proving to be her national team’s strongest asset even in the decisive match against Switzerland. It was she who scored the 1-0, with only one game left to Lilly Falkenberg, and it was also she who made the difference in the doubles match played with Ana Marija Rebic, won with a double 6-3 against Bretscher/Jaeggi (after Bretscher herself had signed the 1-1 by beating Ana Cerovic in a comeback).
Portugal finished fifth, winning 2-1 in the final against Malta, while the duel for seventh place (played on the courts of the Brescia Castle) rewarded Sweden, which won 2-1 over Slovenia.
Beatrice Nardo, councillor of the municipality of Brescia with responsibility for social policies, awarded the national teams, as well as the organisers of Tennis Forza e Costanza 1911 and Asd Olimpica Tennis, who were satisfied with the success of the event and the many compliments once again received from the national teams involved.

Last day’s results
Qualifying tie-breakers
Slovakia b. Italy 2-1
Simona Novakova (Svk) b. Giorgia Lanza (Ita) 6-1 6-0, Giulia Luchetti (Ita) b. Ella Bartakova (Svk) 4-6 6-1 7-5, Bartakova/Novakova (Svk) b. Lanza/Luchetti (Ita) 6-3 7-6.
Croatia b. Switzerland 2-1
Korana Barisic (Cro) b. Lilly Falkenberg (Sui) 6-1 6-0, Liv Bretscher (Sui) b. Ana Cerovic (Cro) 4-6 6-1 6-1, Barisic/Rebic (Cro) vs. Bretscher/Jaeggi (Sui) 6-3 6-3.
5th/6th place final
Portugal b. Malta 2-1
Madalena Sousa (Por) b. Chloe Kujit (Mlt) 3-6 7-5 6-0, Sophia Arpa (Mlt) b. Victoriya Valeriya Olenych (Por) 6-1 6-2, Roleto Rodrigues/Sousa b. Kuijt/Cutugno (Por) 6-2 6-1.
7th/8th place final
Sweden b. Slovenia 2-1
Bianca Fagerlund (Swe) b. Brina Bohoric (Slo) 6-3 6-1, Vega Bontin (Swe) b. Tara Milanovic (Slo) 6-1 6-1, Bohoric/Milanovic (Slo) b. Aronsson/Fagerlund (Swe) 6-2 6-3.
Final ranking

Qualified for the final round: Slovakia, Croatia
3rd place: Italy, Switzerland
5th place: Portugal
6th place: Malta
7th place: Sweden
8th place: Slovenia
9th place: Bulgaria
10th place: Luxembourg