Another gold for vintage Asciak in singles
Maltese boys win doubles final
Matthew Asciak was in vintage form in the final of the second singles tournament at the U-14 ITF/Tennis Europe Small Nations Championships yesterday, defeating Luxembourg's Christian Burbach 6-0 6-0.
The reward for the 13-year-old Maltese player's victory in Luxembourg yesterday was a second gold medal in one week after he had prevailed over the same Burbach, the no.1 ranked junior player in his country, 6-3 6-3 in the final showdown of the first singles competition earlier last week.
His double gold success is an improvement on his feat last year when Asciak collected gold in one singles tournament but had to settle for silver in the other.
In the doubles competition, the Maltese duo Asciak/Clayton Zammit grabbed silver in the first tournament but clinched the top prize yesterday when winning the final of the second competition, 7-6 6-2 against Nickels/Burbach.
In the semis, Asciak/Zammit won 6-1 7-6 against Ferry/Vermeer, also of Luxembourg.
Asciak's domination in the Luxembourg events has greatly strengthened his chances of earning a slot on the ITF/Tennis Europe select team which, for the second year running, would allow him to benefit from a tennis scholarship in summer.
The young Maltese starlet is also expected to improve his 14th position in the European rankings.
In the girls' tournament, Elaine Genovese had the better of Feidt of Luxembourg 6-2, 6-3 to reach the play-off for the fifth and sixth place against the other Maltese player Kimberley Cassar. The latter beat Baldinucci, also of Luxembourg, 6-1 6-3.
New heights
Anthony Cilia Pisani, president of the Malta Tennis Federation (MTF), said in a statement that these games were an excellent opportunity for our juniors to measure up to international players.
"The results show that Maltese tennis players have the potential to reach new heights," the MTF president said.