Holders retain their titles

Matthew Asciak and Elaine Genovese retained the Malta Open titles, the two 21-year-olds proving too strong for their less-experienced opponents in the national championships played recently at the Marsa Sports Club.

In the men’s final, Asciak beat Bernard Cassar Torregiani 6-1, 6-1 while Genovese had the better of Brenda Galea 6-0, 6-1.

For Asciak, this was his seventh consecutive title after winning it for the first time at the age of 15.

He is the youngest ever men’s champion.

On his way to the final, he disposed of Omar Suduka, Bradley Callus and Englishman M. Hingley 6-0, 6-2 in the semi-final.

Cassar Torregiani, 15, overcame Mark Gatt first before beating Denzil Agius 6-4, 7-6 in the semi-final.

Genovese and Galea were in a class of their own in the women’s singles semi-finals, beating Gior-gia Farrugia Sacco and Rebecca McCarthy respectively.

Asciak, ably partnered by Mark Gatt, added the men’s doubles to his singles title after seeing off Markus and Darryl Delicata in the final 6-1, 6-3.

Trophies to the winners were presented by Malta Tennis Federation president David Farrugia Sacco and Mario Cutajar, chairman of the Marsa Tennis Section.

The tournament was sponsored by Gatorade.