Pellicano progresses but Curmi, men’s doubles bow out at Mediterranean Games

Helene Pellicano is through to the Last 16 in the tennis tournament at the Mediterranean Games but there was no joy for Francesca Curmi and the doubles partnership of Matthew Asciak and Alex Degabriele.

In the girls singles, Pellicano drew on all her reserves of steel to see off Egyptian player Aya El Sayed.

The young Maltese tennis player found herself behind after losing the opening set 6-4.

But then she fought back strongly to win the next two sets 6-1 and 7-5 to secure victory.

Next up for Pellicano is a clash against Nuria Brancaccio for a place in the quarter-finals. The Italian player has a high ranking of 284 in the WTA list.

Francesca Curmi failed to join Pellicano into the last 16 as Malta’s rising star was beaten by experienced Moroccan player Aya El-Aouni.

The Maltese player, who was coming into the tournament on the back of successive ITF Junior titles in Tunisia earlier this month, was off to a flier as she took the first set 6-3.

But the Moroccan player stepped up her game from then on and managed to profit from Curmi’s limited movement due to cramp to take the next two sets 7-6 7-6.

In the men’s doubles, Matthew Asciak and Alex Degabriele, were up against Amr El Sayed and Karim-Mohammed Maamoun.

The Egyptians pairing banked on all their experience to overcome the challenge offered by the Maltese duo to progress to the next round 6-2 7-5.