Article by Franco Longo – Photos by the Italian Tamburello Federation
Double Triumph for Italy at the Rome World Championship
Italy crowned World Champion in both men’s and women’s events, France defeated in both finals 13–6
The 2026 Indoor Tamburello World Championship in Rome concludes with a double triumph for Italy. In both finals, France was defeated with a score of 13–6. The Italian teams redeemed their 2023 defeat and repeated the double victory already achieved in Rovereto (Trento) in 2019. Among the pleasant surprises was Catalonia, finishing third in the men’s competition and fourth in the women’s.
The French team had reached the final after defeating Brazil in the semifinals.
Women’s Final
The first final to be played was the women’s. Italy took the court with the Zeni sisters—players accustomed to competing at this level—and the young and talented Ludovica Stella from Asti.
At the fifth game came the first deuce (40-all), won by France, narrowing the gap to 3–2. Italy did not lose momentum and, thanks to high-quality play, extended the lead to 5–2, also winning another deuce. The Italian dominance continued, with only a slight dip towards the end allowing a minor French comeback that did little to change the outcome of a match clearly controlled by Italy.
Men’s Final
In the men’s final, Italy started well, leading 2–1, but France responded with determination, turning the score around to 4–2. The match was full of excitement. Italy equalized at 5–5 and then pulled ahead by two games, with the contest remaining very balanced.
The determination and fighting spirit of the Italian team ultimately made the difference.
Italy moved ahead to 11–6, thanks to outstanding plays by Umberto Pastrone, as well as strong performances from Lorenzo Tonon and Eros Valentini. The world title was sealed with the final game decided at deuce (40-all).
Awards Ceremony
The awards ceremony was conducted by Maurizio Pecora, General Secretary of the Italian Tamburello Federation. President Edoardo Facchetti expressed great satisfaction with the results achieved.
Also present were federal council members Alessandra De Vincenzi, Simona Trionfini, Chiara Arcozzi, and Lorenzo Cardarelli, along with Nicola Valentini and Andrea Fiorini, who attended as team managers. Representing the federation were also Sara Pucciatti and Giovanni Crosato.
A Memorable Championship
The World Championship hosted in the Eternal City will long remain in the memories of Italian fans for this remarkable double victory—gold in both the men’s and women’s competitions—and especially for the players, who reaped the rewards of countless training sessions carried out with maximum dedication.
