Modena Futures 2026: Gottardi/Orsi Toth Dominate the Final as Italy Sweeps the Podium

On the beach court in Modena, at the 2026 Modena Futures, the women's final ended in just two sets. Home pair Gottardi/Orsi Toth beat van Vegten/de Groot of the Netherlands 21-11, 21-12 to take gold. A 21-point margin spread across two sets is rare in a beach volleyball final, where every serve and every defensive play can swing the momentum.

Based on my experience following beach volleyball matches, a scoreline like this in a final usually reflects a gap in level rather than an even contest decided by a few plays.

A tournament at the entry tier

The Modena Futures sits at the lowest tier of the three-level international beach volleyball system, below the Elite16 and Challenge events. For new pairs, it is where the first ranking points are collected. For established pairs, it is a chance to keep match rhythm and protect their ranking floor.

Gottardi/Orsi Toth arrived in Modena as a pair that had won an Elite16 event. For a pair at that level to appear at a Futures venue is unusual, and it raises the question of their real goal: points, rediscovering feel, or playing at home in Italy.

The match details

Across five matches in Modena, Gottardi/Orsi Toth went unbeaten with 10 sets won and only 1 lost. In the semifinal they beat compatriots Pelloia/Mancinelli 21-13, 21-16. In the final, serve pressure and the ability to organize attacks from the reception gave the Dutch pair no chance to close the gap.

Their final opponents took a different road. Van Vegten/de Groot came through a three-set semifinal against the 10th seed, 19-21, 21-16, 17-15. Having to fight to the last point of the third set before entering the final is a sign of depleted physical and mental reserves.

The third set reaching 17-15 showed the Dutch pair had nerve, but that nerve was not enough against a higher-tier opponent once their legs were heavy.

The counterintuitive angle

The women's podium in Modena featured two Italian pairs and one Dutch pair. Counting the men's events, Italian pairs took five spots. The notable part is the bronze medal: Pelloia/Mancinelli received bronze after Puccinelli/Mattavelli withdrew. A medal won by withdrawal provides no real match data, and it leaves a gap in assessing the true level of the 10th seed.

The Dutch pair had won three medals at the Futures tier during the season. That record shows they own this stage, but the heavy final loss raises another question: whether they have hit the ceiling of the Futures tier. In beach volleyball, pairs that dominate Futures often struggle when moving up to Challenge.

Here the contrast between the spotlight of the men's events and the silence around the women's events is clear. A trophy does not distinguish gender; only the spotlight does.

What remains after the final

Toward the next Olympic cycle, depth matters more to a nation than a single standout. Italy putting multiple pairs on the podium at a home event, including a pair making its international debut, is a sign they are building from the ground up.

The girl back then did not know she was writing history. For women's beach volleyball, events like Modena Futures draw little attention, but that is where pairs learn to win. An empty stadium teaches us to hear the beat of the ball more clearly.