World Cup: Italy Sweep USA and Egypt in Perfect Doha Start

Italy could hardly have asked for a better first day at the FIP World Cup in Doha. Both national teams won their opening ties 3-0 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex: the men beat the United States in Group D and the women swept Egypt in Group C, losing no sets between them.

For the women, the opener was the first step in a familiar mission. Italy won bronze at the 2021, 2022 and 2024 World Cups and arrived in Qatar looking to stay on the podium. The men have never finished in the top three and want to change that this week. Both squads are led by Marcela Ferrari, assisted by Saverio Palmieri and Filippo Scala.

Women: three pairs, no sets dropped against Egypt

Carolina Orsi and Giorgia Marchetti opened with a 6-3, 6-0 win over El Halaby and Morales Llorente. Giulia Sussarello and Clarissa Aima then beat Tawfik and Fathy Elsayed 6-2, 6-3. Italian outlet Padel Magazine reported the whole tie took less than three hours.

The third point went to Giulia Dal Pozzo and Emily Stellato, 6-2, 6-0 winners over Hakim and El Nimr.

"Each year the World Championship is a new experience, because padel's level is growing in every country," Ferrari said after the tie, according to Padel Magazine. "When you wear the national jersey there is always some pressure, but our girls are great professionals and today it went great, with a 3-0 victory."

Men: Cassetta and Iacovino seal the sweep against the USA

The men's tie was closer, at least early on. Alvaro Montiel Caruso and Simone Cremona needed a tight second set to beat Humphreys and Osses Konig 6-3, 7-5. Aris Patiniotis and Giulio Graziotti followed with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Di Francesco and Segura.

Marco Cassetta and Simone Iacovino completed the 3-0 by beating De Armas and Ruiz Alvarez 6-1, 6-3. The USA were never a straightforward opponent: Italian media had warned before the tie how quickly nations from the Americas have been improving.

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Brazil the key rival in Group D

Brazil also beat Mexico 3-0 in Group D. Their wins came from Matheus De Avila Simonato and Joao Pedro Flores (6-4, 6-1), Lucas Bergamini and Diogo Correa (7-6, 6-3), and Julio Julianoti and Stefano Palma Flores (6-1, 6-3). With two quarter-final places available in each group, the meeting between Italy and Brazil looks likely to decide who finishes first.

In the women's Group C, Sweden beat Indonesia but were pushed hard, needing three sets in two of the three matches.

On Tuesday, Italy's women face Indonesia in the 14:00 local-time session and the men take on Mexico on the centre court from 18:00. The group stage ends on Wednesday, and the quarter-finals start on 5 November.