Mixed results for the Spanish finalists in Spain’s top-tier international U18 tournament. The ITF J300 Villena – Eduardo Ferrero Memorial has been underway all week at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy, where Ferrero himself has been present throughout the week. Finally, this Saturday will see the finals of both singles draws, the men’s and the women’s.

Paola Piñera is the big story for Spain. At just 15 years old, the young tennis player has managed to dominate her opponents with ease and reaches the final without having dropped a single set. Her opponent for the title will be the tournament’s top seed, who is already ranked among the top 600 players in the WTA world rankings. Germany’s Mariella Thamm has had a much tougher road than Paola to reach the tournament’s final round. In any case, her greater age and experience in finals (this is her fourth final this year) promise a closely contested and wide-open match.

Less luck in the men’s draw, where Alberto Pulido, the last remaining Spanish contender, fell to the fifth seed 6-3, 7-6(4). The Italian Ciurnelli showed fresher legs and managed to impose his rhythm on Pulido, who appeared more worn out from the previous day’s grueling battle. Thus, the Italian reaches the final and will face the Bulgarian and second seed, Dimitar Kisimov. Both players have performed at a high level throughout the tournament and, like Paola, have not dropped a single set on their way to the final. This Saturday, they will battle for the title that could catapult them into the Top 10 of the junior rankings.

On Friday, the 20th, the doubles finals were also played. Eudald González and Alberto Pulido were crowned champions in the men’s category, while Tereza Hermanova (Czech) and Maja Pawelska (Polish) did the same in the women’s draw.

The finals will be held this Saturday, the 21st, at 9:45 a.m., with the men’s final followed by the women’s final. In addition to the general public, the Ferrero family is expected to attend. It is worth noting that the tournament was renamed in memory of Eduardo Ferrero, father of the tennis player (Juan Carlos Ferrero) and a great promoter of tennis in the Valencian Community, who passed away during a previous edition of this tournament a few years ago.