The seventh day of the XX Mediterranean Games saw Italy dominate the podium with a historic bronze double in both the men’s and women’s padel events. Meanwhile, France secured a significant victory in the mixed category, rounding out a high-stakes morning of competition at the Parco del Mediterraneo Salinella.
Medal Results and Match Breakdowns
The Italian national team solidified their status as the most decorated nation at the Games, bringing their total podium count to four. Here is a breakdown of the key matches that defined the day:
- Women’s Bronze (Italy): Carolina Orsi and Giorgia Marchetti secured the bronze medal by defeating Portugal’s Ana Catarina Nogueira and Sofia Araújo. The match was a grueling three-set battle that ended 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Following their previous success at the 2023 European Games, the pair credited their success to their long-standing chemistry and the guidance of head coach Marcela Ferrari.
- Men’s Bronze (Italy): Marco Cassetta and Simone Iacovino claimed their bronze medal after a hard-fought victory over the Portuguese duo of Miguel and Nuno Deus. After splitting the first two sets 6-3 and 5-7, the Italians dominated the final set 6-1. Cassetta described the win as the best victory of his life, noting the pride of representing his country.
- Mixed Bronze (France): Louise Bahurel and Dylan Guichard earned the bronze medal for France by overcoming the tournament's surprise performers, Greece’s Pavlos-Louis Balafas and Christina Styliani Ntanou. The French pair narrowly took the first set in a tie-break before completely controlling the second set, winning it 6-0. This victory marks Bahurel's second national team medal in just one year.
With these results, Italy continues to lead the medal tally as they prepare for the upcoming gold medal matches. Flavio Abbate and Alvaro Montiel are set to represent Italy in the men’s gold medal final, where they will face the Spanish pair of José Diestro and David Gala.
