In the most important week of the year for padel in Italy, that of BNL Italy Major Premier Padel on stage at the Foro Italico in Rome, Marcela Ferrari, the Technical Director of the Italian National Team (male and female) has released the list of those called up who will represent our country at the European Padel Championshipsthe thirteenth edition of the European Championships FIP scheduled from Monday 22 to Saturday 27 July at Tennis Club Cagliari. Italy will host the event for the fourth time, after the inaugural one in Ravenna (1995) and the subsequent ones in Bologna (2005) and Rome (2019). Our men, winners of the title awarded in 2019, will be called to defend the silver won in 2021 in Marbella; the women won the bronze in the same edition. In both selections of eight names drawn up by Marcela Ferrari, for the first time also at the helm of the men’s national team after years at the helm of the women, there are five confirmations compared to the last event for nations (the 2022 world championship in Dubai), a return and two new entries. This, in detail, is the list of those called up:
NATIONAL WOMEN’S TEAM
Carlotta CasaliGeorgie MarchettiCarolina BearsClear PappacenaMartina Parmesan cheeses,
Emily StarryGiulia SussarelloLorraine Vain
NATIONAL MEN’S TEAM
Michele BrunoMarco CassetteSimon CremonaLorenzo Giovanni’sFacundo
DominguezGiulio GraziottiAris PatiniotisRichard Synicropes
Marcela FerrariTechnical Director of Italian senior national team: “As coach of the men’s and women’s national padel teams, it is an honor to be able to announce the names of the members of the two selections who will represent Italy at the European Championships in Cagliari. I carefully reflected and evaluated multiple aspects to outline my choices. I would like to thank all those excellent players who, despite not having been called up on this occasion, are an integral part of our project, a resource for the present and future of the blue padel. I spoke to each of them, explaining with extreme clarity the reasons behind each of my decisions. I not only considered sporting results but also the behavior of each athlete on and off the field, his ability to integrate and the contribution he can provide to the team. The objective was to form a cohesive and strong team, finding the perfect mix between different characters and temperaments, between elements of experience and young talents. I have full confidence in the team we have selected together with the technical staff and col
support of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation. I am convinced that these teams have the potential and preparation to compete at the highest levels and fight for the best positions at the European Championship. To all padel lovers in Italy, I ask you to strongly support this great team: I invite them to come to Cagliari to cheer and give us the push we need.”
THE CALLED – Among the women confirmed are the inevitable Carolinas BearsGeorgie MarchettiEmily StarryClear Pappacena and Giulia Sussarellowhile Carlotta returns to get a blue shirt Casali, protagonist of an excellent season in the Premier Padel circuit. Absolute news, however, is the summoning of Lorena Vain and Martina Parmesan cheeses. The former, a native of Caserta and raised in Malaga, improved to the point of becoming the second Italian in the world ranking, crowning her blue dream. The second, however, achieved very important results at a national level, deserving the call of the CT. Among the men, however, they will find the blue Marco CassetteSimon CremonaLorenzo Giovanni’sRichard Synicropes and Giulio Graziottibut also Michele Bruno who was not among the eight of the last World Cup, but with the blue shirt he has a history of some depth, given that he was on the pitch (with Andres Britos) in the match that in 2019 in Rome gave Italy the only European title in our history. The two absolute new entries, however, are the Italian-Argentinians Facundo Dominguez and Aris Patiniotis, respectively number 57 and 63 in the world rankings. The two pair up on the international circuit and have already highlighted themselves several times this year, even beating the legend Belasteguin in Riyadh.
Below is a brief profile of each member of the squad:
CARLOTTA CASALI – Born on January 30, 1993, she discovered padel in Madrid where she went to study, remaining there to live and starting a career that is becoming more and more interesting. The Roman is very close to the top 50 in the world and is the reigning Italian Champion, together with Emily Stellato. She plays on the left.
GIORGIA MARCHETTI – Born on 21 January 1995, a former excellent tennis player, she dedicated herself to padel after retiring and immediately achieved important results. In 2023 you won the gold medal at the European Games in Krakow, with Carolina Orsi. She was the best Italian at the last BNL Italy Major, reaching the round of 16. She plays on the left.
CAROLINA ORSI – Born on 4 July 1991, she has established herself as the best Italian player in the last two years, reaching the top 30 in the world and achieving international results never achieved before by any compatriot. In 2023 you won the gold medal at the European Games in Krakow, with Giorgia Marchetti. She plays on the right.
CHIARA PAPPACENA – Born on 14 July 1994, she has long been one of the pillars of our national team. She was one of the very first Italians to achieve results on the major circuit, at the time of the fruitful collaboration with Giulia Sussarello, as well as having dominated the Italian scene for years and years. She plays on the right.
MARTINA PARMIGIANI – Born on 16 June 1994, this is her first call-up, an achievement that is the result of increasingly prestigious results at a national level. This year she won the first two stages of the Slam by MINI circuit, as well as the final Master of the 2023 edition. She plays on the left.
EMILY STELLATO – Born on May 31, 1982, she has been among the best players in our movement for some time now and has had an excellent 2023 season at international level, coming within a step of the top 50 in the world. Furthermore, she is the reigning Italian Champion, together with Carlotta Casali. She plays on the right.
GIULIA SUSSARELLO – Born on May 29, 1992, she has long been one of the symbolic players of Italian padel and was among the first to get noticed internationally. Between 2017 and 2021 you won the Italian title five times in a row. She returned to the circuit at the end of May, after becoming a mother for the first time. She plays on the left.
LORENA VANO – Born in Caserta on 15 August 1998, and raised in Malaga (Spain), she crowned a long pursuit of the blue jersey, thanks to increasingly important results in the Premier Padel circuit. Today she occupies the 55th position in the FIP ranking, second best Italian in the world. She plays on the right.
MICHELE BRUNO – Born on 14 January 1989, he was a member of the Italian national team that won Europe in 2019 in Rome, where he won (with Andres Britos) the decisive match in the final against France. In the same year he also won the Italian title. He returns to the national team three years after his last call-up. He plays on the left.
MARCO CASSETTA – Born on May 27, 1999, he is the youngest among the Italians called up for the European Championships. Among those born in Italy he is the highest in the FIP world ranking, at number 110. In 2022 he won the Italian Championships, paired with Simone Cremona. He can play in both positions.
SIMONE CREMONA – Born on 14 September 1987, he has been one of the strongest players in the Italian movement for years. Member of the national team that won Europe in 2019 in Rome, he holds the record for titles at the Italian Championships: six in the last seven editions. This year he reached the second round at the BNL Italy Major. He plays on the right.
LORENZO DI GIOVANNI – Born on 25 December 1987, he won the blue shirt in 2021 and has never been missing from the squad since then. In 2023, together with Daniele Cattaneo he became the first Italian to win a padel match on the Centrale del Foro Italico, as well as having won the National title with Cremona. He plays on the left.
FACUNDO DOMINGUEZ – Born on 9 November 1997 in Mar del Plata (Argentina), he defends the colors of Italy on the international circuit, as number 57 in the FIP ranking. This year, in the Premier Padel tournament in Riyadh, he took on the challenge of beating the legend Fernando Belasteguin. It is his first call up to the national team. He can play in both positions.
GIULIO GRAZIOTTI – Born on August 28, 1998, in recent years he has grown to become one of the most prominent names in our movement. In 2024, paired with Flavio Abbate he won five titles in the Cupra FIP Tour, equaling the absolute record for victories on the circuit (eight). He plays on the left.
ARIS PATINIOTIS – Born on 12 November 1991 in Mar del Plata (Argentina), he boasts a long history on the international circuit, in which he defends the colors of Italy. He is number 63 in the FIP ranking, and Italian team champion with the Orange Padelclub. It is his first call up to the national team. He can play in both positions.
RICCARDO SINICROPI – Born on 12 September 1990, he had a good career in tennis before dedicating himself to padel, quickly becoming one of the best Italian players. In 2022, in Rome, he was the first Italian to win a match in the main draw of a major tournament, with Daniele Cattaneo. He plays on the right.
The Editorial Staff | Source: Press Release
