Italy’s Merzetti, Briton Carr claim singles titles at VLTC

Eighty-four players from 13 countries took part in the VLTC Kettle Chips European Junior Tournament, organised by the Vittoriosa Lawn Tennis Club in collaboration with the Malta Tennis Federation earlier this month.

As expected, some of the players in the strong Italian contingent left their mark on the tournament, which is part of Tennis Europe Under-14 Tour, with some high-level tennis.

The event also served as a ­valuable experience for local junior players. The boys singles final was a keenly-contested affair between Cypriot Michail Pervolarakis and Italian Sasha Merzetti.

The first set was tight with Merzetti seizing the edge in the tiebreak to winning 7-6. Pervolarakis tried hard to make a comeback in the second set but Merzetti was too strong for the Cypriot youngster.

Merzetti won the second set 6-3 to secure the title.

In the boys doubles final, Italian duo Ferruccio Cuomo/Andrea Pellegrino beat Pervolarakis and George Hedley, of Great Britain, 7-5, 6-4.

The top honour in the girls singles went to Pippa Carr, of Great Britain. She had the better of Sweden’s Hanna Borjeson 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an enthralling final.

Carr then teamed up with fellow Briton Haley Macpherson to capture the girls doubles’ title.

In the final, Carr/Macpherson overcame Swedish pair Borjeson/ Paulina Wulcan 6-1, 6-3.

The boys consolation event was won by Italy’s Marino Francesco, with compatriot Mattia Giangrande finishing as runner-up. Italy’s Alexia Perrone beat Malta’s Katrina Sammut in the final of the girls consolation event.

David Farrugia Sacco, the president of the Malta Tennis Federation, presented trophies to the winners and runners-up in the presence of Paul Micallef, the chairman of VLTC.