Italy has officially guaranteed itself a medal in the inaugural men's padel tournament at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, as two Italian pairs have advanced to the semi-finals. The tournament, hosted at the Parco Mediterraneo Salinella, has set the stage for a high-stakes clash between the nation's top talent, while Spain and Portugal prepare to battle for the other spot in the final.
The Semi-Final Matchups
The semi-final stage is now set following a series of decisive victories on Day 5. The following pairings will compete for a place in the gold medal match:
- David Gala and Jose Antonio Diestro (Spain) vs. Nuno and Miguel Deus (Portugal): The Spanish duo, who are both 2025 European champions, advanced after defeating Pedro Araujo and Pedro Graça (7-6, 6-4). They will face the Portuguese brothers, who secured their spot by overcoming French pair Timeo Fonteny and Yoan Boronad (6-3, 6-4). The Deus brothers bring a significant advantage in court chemistry, having played together as a established team previously.
- Flavio Abbate and Alvaro Montiel (Italy) vs. Simone Iacovino and Marco Cassetta (Italy): In a historic moment for Italian padel, these two pairs will face off for a spot in the final. Abbate and Montiel (seeded 3rd) earned their place by defeating the French pair Dylan Guichard and Bastien Blanque in straight sets (6-2, 6-4). Meanwhile, Cassetta and Iacovino (seeded 6th) defeated the Egyptian team of Georges Wakim and Youssef Hossam (6-4, 6-2). The Egyptian pair had previously made headlines by eliminating the tournament's top seeds, Pol Hernandez and Guille Collado, in the round of 16.
The semi-final matches are scheduled for 27 August at the Parco Mediterraneo Salinella, with the first match beginning no earlier than 19:30 CEST. The winners of these two semi-finals will advance to the final on 28 August, where the medals will be officially awarded. Should David Gala reach the final, he will face a familiar challenge; he previously faced the Italian pair of Abbate and Montiel in the FIP Silver Alcala de Guadaira final last July, a match where the Italians emerged as the victors.
