Italy booked their place in the Round of 16 at the Team World Championships Finals in London after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Portugal in the Women’s Event.
The tie opened with a setback for Italy, as Yu FU mounted a strong comeback against Gaia MONFARDINI, recovering from two games down to give Portugal the early lead.
Italy responded immediately through Giorgia PICCOLIN, who produced one of the matches of the day. Trailing 0-2 against Jieni SHAO, she turned the contest around with a determined display to level the overall score and shift the momentum.
Debora VIVARELLI then put Italy in front, showing composure in key moments to overcome Matilde PINTO and move her team within one point of victory.
All eyes turned back to MONFARDINI, who returned to the table under pressure. This time, she delivered, holding her nerve in crucial phases to defeat SHAO and seal Italy’s progression.
After the match, MONFARDINI admitted she was overwhelmed by the moment:
“I’m speechless. I still can’t believe it. I think I’ll need a couple of days to really take it in, but we don’t have that time. This was my dream over the past few days. It meant everything to come back after the first match, to stay motivated and brave. It’s not easy. I’m really proud of myself and proud of my team.”
Italy – Portugal 3-1
- Gaia MONFARDINI – Yu FU 2-3 (11-9, 11-7, 3-11, 7-11, 5-11)
- Giorgia PICCOLIN – Jieni SHAO 3-2 (8-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9)
- Debora VIVARELLI – Matilde PINTO 3-1 (10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 13-11)
- Gaia MONFARDINI – Jieni SHAO 3-1 (12-10, 13-11, 6-11, 11-8)
