Mair Survives the Tie-Break and Flies into the Last 16
25.11.25
A very long day of tennis at the Sparkasse ITF W50 Val Gardena Südtirol: the round-of-16 draw is now complete.
With the third day of play at the Sparkasse ITF W50 Val Gardena Südtirol in Ortisei, the tournament has entered its hot phase: the big favourites have made their entrance into the $40,000 event, but immediately found stern opposition. Home fans had their eyes especially on Laura Mair (WTA 586), expected to live up to her status as the local favourite. In the end, the 22-year-old from Val Gardena trembled, suffered, but after 2 hours and 41 minutes she clinched a photo-finish victory against the qualified Ukrainian Anastasiia Firman: 6–4, 3–6, 7–6(5).
A win far more complicated than expected. For days, Mair has been struggling with the switch from clay to indoor hard, and the insecurity emerged again this time: many unforced errors, a forehand lacking bite, with only her serve truly holding up. In the third set, at 2–2, Firman had three break points and the player from Val Gardena wobbled, but hung on all the way to the tie-break. There she fell behind 2–3 before firing off four consecutive points to turn the match around. The delicate dropshot for 4–3 was worthy of applause and brought a sigh of relief from the packed arena in Ortisei.
“We both made a lot of mistakes,” Mair admitted. “In the second set I slowed down because I didn’t feel confident. In the tie-break I started better and found some good returns.” In the round of 16 she will now face the Canadian Kayla Cross (WTA 233), a 20-year-old left-hander chasing valuable points in her bid to secure a place in the Australian Open qualifying draw.
Maines Claims the Biggest Win of Her Career
There was joy as well for the other Italian of the day: Noemi Maines (WTA 833) won the TC Rungg derby by beating the higher-ranked Camilla Zanolini (WTA 553). The 19-year-old from Trentino, who has been training in South Tyrol for only a few months, showed clear progress under the guidance of coach Valerio Gasbarri.
“Today my serve made the difference,” Maines explained after the most important win of her young career. She admitted she was very nervous “because we train together every day and I had to get used to her very high pace.” She also thanked her former club ATA Battisti “for the excellent work over the past years.”
In the last 16 she will face the Swede Lisa Zaar (25 years old, WTA 437), who produced a surprising 6–4, 6–3 win over American Anna Rogers (WTA 251).
A Derby Between Portuguese Sisters
The tournament also offers a family curiosity: Portuguese sisters Francisca and Matilde Jorge will face each other in the round of 16. The elder sister, Francisca (25 years old, WTA 207), is around 50 places ahead of her sibling. The two won a WTA 125 doubles title together in 2024, but in Ortisei they will be separated by at least one set.
Marathons Beyond Three Hours
The day’s strongest emotions came from two never-ending matches. Former WTA top-30 player Urszula Radwańska subdued Spain’s Cristina D. Adrover after 3 hours and 34 minutes of battle: 7–6(3), 5–7, 6–4, in a clash that kept spectators glued to their seats.
Kathinka von Deichmann also had to sweat until the very last point to put an end to the run of the defending champion, Poland’s Weronika Falkowska. After an intense 2–6, 7–6(5), 7–6(5), the player from Liechtenstein earned her ticket to the last 16.
