Among men, France will not get this bronze medal at the European Championships of padel. Blame it on Italy and two professional Argentinian players (naturalized Italian…) who hurt the French very much: Andrés Britos and again and again Marcelo Capitani.

A match that starts from the compositions

The duel between France and Italy actually begins 30 minutes before the official showdown: The placement of his players and pairs in the match sheet.

We knew that the best players on the field were Italian: Andres Britos and Marcelo Capitani.

France also suspected that Italy would break their pair of two professionals (compared to the individual Open) to make each play with a less strong Italian player.

This strategy has also often borne fruit so far for Italy because last year during the world championship of padel, France lost precisely against Italy and against… Capitani! him again !

Side, French the objective was to avoid Burzi / Britos who was the pair to avoid the meeting and not to play just our best French against these Italian. Mission filled on that side, but Capitani 2 match (expected in 3) has thwarted the French strategy.

The poker shot of Italy

Indeed, what France did not see coming is the poker shot of Italy before starting this confrontation: Put Marcelo Capitani in team 2 while until then, he had always played in 3, for Most often save the nation in the last game.

Worse than that, Italy decides to put its less good players in 3 (and still remain very competitive!). A relative sacrifice of Italy who wanted to bet on his 2 first games.

What hurts is that the team 1 France will play in ... 3! A game without a stake in the end since our French will not manage to pass cap Britos and Capitani in his first 2 games.

It must be admitted, Italy has bluffed everyone.

Britos opens the ball

The beginning of the meeting was announced so complicated. But the great strength of the French team men explains Laura Clergue, the recent bronze medalist at the ladies at the Euro, it's  "The homogeneity that there is in the men's team as in the ladies, which makes it possible to catch up in case ... "

In 1 match, Robin Haziza / Maxime Moreau starts for the French against the Italian pair of the devil André Britos (66e world player) and Burzi. The French make a hot start in breakant entry. But the Italians break in the wake. Yet overall in this first set, the French are good, and even better than the Italians. But at 6 / 5 Italy, France is broken at the worst of times to lose this 1er set 7 / 5. A big blow to morale especially as the French seem to have been better. But Britos has always held the house.

In the second set, the French seem to blame, while Andres Britos is everywhere ... (While he is right-handed and plays on the right!) His reverse volley will do damage. Our French bow so in 2 sets face opportunistic Italians in this part and obviously a big Britos who said to himself "slightly injured". There too bluffing? We let you forge your opinion with this article HERE.

Capitani, the executioner of the French

And here we are again a year after the defeat against the Italians at the world championships in padel 2016, against the same player who had hurt us so much: Marcelo Capitani.

A true magician who will realize once again a great match.

In front of the Italians, the vice-champions of France, Jérémy Scatena and Jérémy Ritz had no other choice but to save the fatherland. They did everything by realizing an exceptional match. it was not enough.

In the first set, here too, France managed to breaker by leading 3 / 2 40 / 15 on the service of the French ... But Italy unbridled in the wake. The set went straight to this tie-break.

Ritz / Scatena in strong makes a very good start ... leading 3 / 1 in the tie-break. But Italy is coming back to win the decisive game 7 / 5.

But France is brave. Jérémy Scatena and Jérémy Rtiz make a superb match despite the loss of this first set. And they leave again by realizing a perfect set to win 6 / 1.

In the third set, we feel the tension. The two pairs neutralize each other. Jérémy Scatena smashes from all corners of the court, while Jérémy Ritz is a real wall in defense. They will be strong but not strong enough. Opposite, there is a magician, capable of everything and especially the best in hot moments: Marcelo Capitani.

At 3 everywhere, France has 2 breakpoints that it fails to achieve. Behind, it is the sanction of Italy with the break to lead 5 / 3 service to follow. France is fighting, but Italy does not give up and therefore wins 6 / 3.

The 3e match of France with the patrol Blanqué / Bergeron is thus without stake. We feel a lot of frustrations among our French, disappointed not to play the decisive match. Against these Italians, the French are above, but they do not play and lose the first set before winning the next two.

A beautiful week that ends a little difficult.

Team France Padel Gentlemen therefore finished 4th in these European Championships.

 Franck Binisti - Padel Magazine

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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