There was plenty to savour on both sides of the net as the Sand Series Braslíia Classic drew to a close at the weekend.

Andre Baran and Nikita Burmakin made it a double delight in the Brazilian Sand Series this year after previously capturing the Ribeirão Preto crown in April, with the pair eking out a match tie-break win against Nicolas Gianotti and Mattia Spoto in the country’s capital.

The match ebbed and flowed with Gianotti and Spoto up a break in the opening set before being pegged back but eventually clinching it 7-5 on a deciding point on Spoto’s serve. The second set was an equally tight affair. However, Burmakin and Baran made the breakthrough at 4-3 up, breaking Spotto’s serve with Baran serving it out to take the match to a fitting conclusion, Burmakin and Baran triumphing 10-7 in the match tie break to win the title.

Having finished as runners-up last year, the victory would have felt even sweeter, particularly after navigating defending champions and their 2022 adversaries Antomi Ramos and Michele Cappelletti in the semi-finals.

However, the week is far from doom and gloom for Nicolas Gianotti, whose performances over the last twelve months, culminating with the appearance in the final of this tournament, will see him reach the world No. 1 ranking for the very first time. He becomes the first French player to achieve the feat.

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"We played amazing - it’s an honour to play in my country with this atmosphere," said Baran after the match and, acknowledging his opponent's achievement, added: “Congratulations to new world No. 1 in [Nicolas] Gianotti."

Burmakin added: “I’ve played three finals here and lost two, but finally my moment arrived."

Meanwhile, World Champions Rafaella Miiller and Patricia Diaz took the women’s title to make it two Sand Series Classic titles this year after last month’s Gran Canaria victory, taking their winning streak to fifteen successive matches. Although they did not drop a set on their way to the title, they faced a tricky semi-final against Sophia Chow and Vitoria Marchezini. The Brazilian-Venezuelan pair were up a break in the opening set but found themselves level at five games apiece before eventually breaking down their opponents 7-5 6-2.

The championship match saw them victorious against Flaminia Daina and Nicole Nobile, teaming up for the first time this year. Miiller and Diaz knew they needed to be at their best and respect their opponents, having lost their most recent meeting during last year’s BT400 Balneário Rincão semi-final. The duo now has five titles overall in 2023, which matches their 2019 total as a pair only halfway through the year.

“It’s difficult to maintain this level but we are doing it," said Diaz. "We are supporting each other even in difficult times."

The next Sand Series will see players head to the Baltic states, to Parnü, next month, with the ANOC World Beach Games Bali 2023 fast approaching from 6-11 August.