Francesca Curmi has made history once again becoming the first Maltese player to compete in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) main draw at Palermo.

The 21-year-old Maltese young woman made her debut at the 34 Palermo Open, her first time competing at such a high level.

In a clash against formidable opponent Cristina Bucsa, Curmi showcased her talent and came close to securing a remarkable victory.

Curmi dominated the court, taking an impressive lead of 5-3 in the third set. Victory was within her grasp, just two points away from claiming her maiden career Top 100 win.

However, Bucsa fought back with unwavering determination, snatching a comeback to narrowly escape with a hard-fought victory of 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Curmi continues to prove that Maltese tennis is a force to be reckoned with on the international stage, being just the 4th player in our country to achieve such a WTA ranking, following Kimberley Cassar, Elaine Genovese and Helene Pellicano.

Photo by Mark Axiak

Well done Francesca!