The main draw of the Sand Series Classic ITF BeachTennis Gran Canaria 2026 has commenced on Las Canteras Beach, bringing together the world's elite players. The opening day was characterized by high-level encounters and matches decided in a super tie break.
Favorites lived up to expectations in their debuts. In the men's category, the number 1 pair, French player Nicolas Gianotti and Italian Mattia Spotto, required a super tie break to defeat Italians Galletti-Zapparata with a score of 6-2, 3-6 (8).
The number 4 pair, featuring Gran Canarian player Antomi Ramos and his Italian partner Niccolo Gasparri, staged a remarkable comeback. After losing the first set to Luca Brasini and Maxime Moretto 2-6, they reacted strongly, winning the second set and the decisive super tie break 6-2 (7).
Canarian players Álvaro García and Saulo Tejada also secured a convincing victory, a double 6-0, against the Brazilian duo Catunda-Silva. Other advancing men's pairs include Felipe Cogo and Gabriele Gini [#2], Giovanni Cariani and Daniel Mola [#3], Andre Baran and Michele Cappelletti [#5], and Brazilians Hugo and Gustavo Russo [#6].
In the women's category, the top contenders also started with a firm step. Brazilian pair Sophia Chow and Vitoria Marchezini [#1], Italian duo Giulia Gasparri and Ninny Valentini [#2], Russian pair Kudinova-Semenova [#3], Italian Veronica Casadei and Spanish Ariadna Costa [#4], along with the number 5 team of Venezuelan Patricia Díaz and Brazilian Rafaella Miiller, all achieved victories.
Canarian player Daniela Rodríguez, partnered with Lithuanian Gabija Druteikaite, advanced after defeating Noa Farias and Carla Marrero 6-0, 6-3. Meanwhile, local players Eva Santana and Omaira Farías were defeated by the Brazilian pair Ferrari-Massaioli.
The mixed doubles category also held its round of 16 matches, determining the quarter-finalists: Giulia and Nicolo Gasparri, Elizaveta Kudinova and Daniel Mola, Antomi Ramos and Ariadna Costa, Felipe Cogo and Anastasiia Semenova, Gabija Druteikaite and Martim Andrade Sousa, Sofia Cimatti and Giovanni Cariani, Matilde Massai and Mattia Bazzi, and Nicole Nobile and Filippo Boscolo.
This Friday, the competition continues with the second round of the main draw starting at 10:00 AM, followed by the mixed doubles final in the afternoon. All matches are held at Las Canteras Beach with free entry until capacity is reached.
