Italy has arrived in the tournament.

Wet field, cool head: Fistball players beat Argentina

In difficult court conditions following persistent rain, Italy's national fistball team relied on a controlled service game in the emotional South American duel on Sunday – and thus celebrated its first victory at the World Games in Chengdu (China).

August 11, 2025

From: pm

In a match characterized by difficult court conditions and strong serves, the Azzurri prevailed against Argentina 3-1 sets (11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5). The court at Tianfu Park was still deep and slippery due to heavy rain the previous day, forcing the cancellation of all matches. Even on the day of the match itself, the surface was far from optimal – the ball barely bounced, and flat defenses became a lottery. The goal was therefore to put pressure on the opponent on serve while avoiding any errors. The Azzurri succeeded brilliantly in this in three of the four sets, laying the foundation for their success.

Just like the heated clash against Chile, this time the match against the South Americans was once again emotionally charged. Loud cheers, brief discussions, and grand gestures characterized the proceedings – much to the delight of the crowd, who celebrated every action. The first set was close from the start. Italy exploited a brief weakness in the Argentinians in the decisive phase and converted the first set point at 10-9. Set 2 unfolded in a mirror image: This time, it was the South Americans who had the upper hand in the final rallies.

It continues on Monday

The third set proved to be the turning point of the match. With the score at 9-9, the Squadra Azzurra held their nerve and reclaimed a 2-1 lead. With this momentum, Italy played freely in the fourth set and won decisively 11-5. "On such a wet pitch, every mistake in attack and defense is one too many – and we did that better than Argentina today," summarized coach Florian Runer. Captain Armin Runer was also satisfied: "We knew we had to stay patient and play our game. The win gives us a boost for the next challenges."

With one win and one loss, Italy is now in a much better position in the race for the quarterfinals. Their next opponent, New Zealand, awaits on Monday at 16 p.m. local time – a win would secure them a place in the quarterfinals.