Italian duo Alessandro Calbucci, centre right, and Michele Cappelletti, centre left, claimed the ITF Beach Tennis World Championships title ©ITF

Italian duo Alessandro Calbucci and Michele Cappelletti claimed the International Tennis Federation Beach Tennis World Championships title on home sand in Terracina after stunning the top seeds today.

Nikita Burmakin of Russia and Tommaso Giovannini of Italy had been viewed the favourites but had no answer to second-ranked Calbucci and Cappelletti and were blown away in straight sets.

Neither pair had dropped a set in the tournament and a tight final had been expected, but it was the Italian duo who dominated, winning 6-3, 6-0 in just 56 minutes.

Cappelletti fell to his knees after securing his fourth world title in five years, having suffered defeat at the semi-final stage in 2018.

Cappelletti fell to his knees in celebration after the return of his serve went long ©ITF
Cappelletti fell to his knees in celebration after the return of his serve went long ©ITF

It was also former footballer Calbucci's fourth world crown following successes in 2011, 2013 and 2014 – and the first won by Cappelletti and Calbucci as a pairing.

Earlier, sixth seeds Nicolas Gianotti and Antonio Miguel Ramos Viera secured third place by beating unseeded duo Ramon Guedez and Aksel Samardzic in straight sets.

Spaniard Viera, who won the 2018 title alongside Mikael Alessi, and France's Gianotti beat Venezuela's Guedez and Samardzic of Aruba, 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and five minutes.