Mark Gatt (left) and Sergey Malkov.

Last week, Mark Gatt participated in the World Individual Young Seniors Championships in Antalya, Turkey.

This is the highest ranked event on the ITF Seniors circuit, attracting 266 players from 48 different countries in the 35s, 40s and 45s age categories.

The Ali Bey Club Manavgat in Antalya has 62 clay tennis courts, boasting excellent facilities and on-site accommodation.

Gatt competed in the over 35 singles, doubles and mixed doubles event.

In singles, he was eliminated by Bernhard Hermann (Germany) in the last 32 stage.

Gatt and Silvina Delgado (Ar-gentina) combined well in their last 32 mixed doubles match to beat German pair Amrei Korte and Manuel Pfeiffer 6-1, 6-3.

In the next round, however, they were paired with no.2 seeds Mark Hadley (New Zealand) and Stefanie Kolar (Germany) who won the contest 6-1, 6-3.

Hadley and Kolar went on to win the silver medal in mixed doubles.

Gatt teamed up with Russian Sergey Malkov in the men’s doubles competition.

Their first opponents were Latvia top seeds Maris Locmelis and Oscars Vaskis but Gatt and Malkov played an excellent match to win 6-2, 6-4 and reach the last eight where they met Niraj Singh, of India, and Germany’s Hermann.

Gatt/Malkov played a blinder, winning most of the important points before sealing the match 7-5, 6-4, making sure of a bronze medal in the process.

Their semi-final opponents were the world no.1 Daniel Dolbea and his German compatriot Dominik Pfeiffer. The latter advanced to the final with a 6-2, 6-2 win. Eventually, they went on to claim the title at the Ali Bey Club Manavgat.

Thanks to his results, Gatt is now ranked 48 in singles in seniors, no.7 in doubles (+11) and third in mixed doubles after an improvement of 13 positions.

Gatt’s participation in the tournament was backed by Living Well and St Aloysius Tennis Club.