The Spanish beach tennis team has conquered one of those difficult things to overcome in this sport, which is to proclaim themselves world champion for the first time and do so, in the grand final, against the hosts. This historic victory was specifically sealed against the Brazilian team during a competition held in Ribeirão Preto. The national team defeated Brazil by a close score of 2-1 in the grand final. This victory represents the culmination of notable progress by the Spanish team on the international beach tennis circuit. The players had already obtained their first bronze medal in 2023, then silver last season, so this victory means reaching the summit and confirming their consolidation among the great world powers of this attractive discipline.
Collective success had a balanced selectionwith experience and talent, led by captain Carles Vicens. The champion team was made up of the Canarians Antomi Ramos, Álvaro García and Daniela Rodríguez Perera, the Barcelonars Gerard Rodríguez Querol and Ariadna Costa and the native of Melilla María Martínez Serón. The great victory won included a strong Canarian accentsince three players from the islands made up the team, being great protagonists of this stage. Furthermore, the excellent moment that Spanish beach tennis is experiencing is confirmed by the decisive role that the Canary Islands have played in this global success.
Spain demonstrated its strength from the start of the championship with an impeccable performance in the group stage, securing a comprehensive victory (3-0). The team won Puerto Rico, United States and Polandwhich allowed them to seal their place at the final table as first in group D. Maintaining this vigor, the Spanish team qualified for the semi-finals after beating Japan 2-0 in the quarterfinals, where Ariadna Costa and Daniela Rodríguez won their women’s doubles 6-4 and 6-1, and Antomi Ramos and Álvaro García added the second point 6-0 and 6-4.
The first big feat and biggest challenge came in the semi-final, where the Spanish team beat the current champion, Italyby a score of 2-1, in a repeat of the previous year’s final. Advancement to the final was decided in the mixed doubles tiebreaker, where Ramos and Costa won. Already in the grand final, against the host Brazilthe local athletes started the match without disappointing their audience and took the lead thanks to Vitoria Marchezini and Sophia Chow, who beat Ariadna Costa and Daniela Rodríguez in the women’s doubles by 6-3 and 6-2. However, the Spanish reaction came in the men’s doubles, where Antomi Ramos and Álvaro García managed to equalize by beating Andre Baran and Felipe Loch in a spectacular match. After losing the first set 1-6, they came back 6-3 in the second and won 14-12 in the super tie-break.
Like any good and unforgettable competition, the world title would be decided in a exciting tiebreakerin this case following the decisive mixed doubles. There, Antomi Ramos and Ariadna Costa achieved victory after beating Andre Baran and Rafaella Miller with a score of 6-3 and 6-1, thus sealing the first world title in the history of Spanish beach tennis. After the historic victory, Antomi Ramos called the feat “incredible, it’s hard to believe.” The tennis player recalled the promise of captain Carles Vicens seven years ago, when he told them that he would try to make them world champions, a dream come true thanks to the unity of the team and the constant rhythm of “step by step, match by match”.
A bronze medal in U-18
Furthermore, while Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero lived their last hours together as student and coach, the Spanish success was completed by another medal, in this case that of bronze and obtained by the Spanish team Under 18who secured a hard-fought third place in the juniors after beating France 2-1 in a draw between the teams who lost their respective semi-finals. To confirm the good state of Spanish tennis, it will also be necessary to follow in the footsteps of Jódar and Landaluce, qualified to play in the Next Gen Finals, a tournament which currently brings together the best players of the U-20 season in Saudi Arabia.
Martin Landaluceabout to turn 20, broke into the Top-150 and reached his best position so far, world number 110, last October. Landaluce narrowly missed qualification during the previous 2024 edition of the Next Gen Finals. During this season, Landaluce’s career showed great progress, highlighting the conquest of his second ATP Challenger title in Orléans, France. Moreover, the tennis player made his debut in a Grand Slam tournament, in this case the Australian Open. For his part, Rafael Jodar, Barely 19 years old, he is the last player to secure his place for the last big tennis tournament of the year. In March, it was below the world Top-900. But from that point on, he won three ATP Challenger titles, achieved from August to November, including in Hersonissos, Lincoln and Charlottesville.
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