In the Under 19 Girls’ Team Event, top seeds France faced no difficulties. In the opening round of the tournament, the reigning champions overcame Slovakia in straight matches. Nia GUO ZHENG, Leana HOCHART, and Jade HUYNH defeated Dominika WILTSCHKOVA, Vanda VANISOVA, and Nina DAROVCOVA without dropping a match. The excitement was reserved for Group B, where Austria prevailed in a dramatic encounter against host nation Czechia. The no. 2 seeds in the group failed to find an answer for the outstanding Nina SKERBINZ, who secured victories over both Vendula ŠICHANOVÁ and Veronika POLÁKOVÁ. “We played really well. It’s my first year playing U19, and the first match was not easy, new hall, new tournament, so I had to get used to it. My opening match against Vendula ŠICHANOVÁ was tough, but once I adjusted, I started playing my best,” said SKERBINZ.“My teammate Julia DUR was down 0–2 but came back to win 3–2 against Adéla SAZIMOVÁ, and that was a really important match for our team. In my last match against POLÁKOVÁ, I had a good start, going 2–0 up, but then lost two games. At 2–2, my focus wasn’t where it should be, but I told myself, ‘Come on, win this game.’ I refocused and eventually won 3–2. She didn’t start well — made many mistakes — but then played much better, and I got a bit confused. I didn’t change tactics; I just stayed strong mentally, and that helped me a lot,” she added. Nina SKERBINZ clinched gold in Under 15 Doubles last year in Malmö, partnering Elina FUCHS. In Group D, Ukraine secured a 3–0 win over Bulgaria, following the expected standings. However, the rest of the groups saw major upsets. Top seeds Poland lost 1–3 to Hungary. Judit NAGY, Rebeka NAGY, and Nora DOHOCZKI displayed exceptional form against Karolina HOLDOVA, Natalia BOGDANOWICZ, and Oliwia WATOR. Judit lost the opening match to HOLDOVA but sealed the overall victory by defeating BOGDANOWICZ. “My playing style in the first match wasn’t as good as it could be, I struggled a bit, but the second one went much better. I really wanted to win. Our team performance was excellent. My sister Rebeka beat their number one, BOGDANOWICZ, and Nora had a very tough 3–2 win against WATOR. I think that was the most important match. If Nora didn’t win, it would’ve been very hard to beat Poland. In my last match against BOGDANOWICZ, the opening game ended 20–18. That was the most crucial moment — winning that game gave me the confidence to win the whole match,” said NAGY. In the Under 15 Girls’ Team Event, top-seeded Germany opened with a win over Croatia. But for no. 2 seeds Czechia, the story was quite the opposite. Led by reigning European champion Hanka KODET, the Czech team suffered a 1–3 defeat against France. Eva LAM, Lou-Anne BOCQUET, and Lisa ZHAO proved too strong for KODET and Simona HOLUBOVÁ. Group C also brought surprises. Slovakia beat Austria, and Italy overcame Sweden. In Group D, top seeds Romania fell to Poland in another intense battle. Maja MADAR of Romania explained: “It was a very tough match for us but also really important. Winning the first match at the EYC is always good — it helps for the upcoming matches. I lost my first match against Wanessa KULCZYCKA, she’s a very strong player. If I had won, it would’ve been much easier for our team. The second match was a tough one for Patricia STOICA, she went full distance and won 3–2 with a great performance. In doubles, Patricia and I played really well and won 3–0, probably our best doubles match so far. Patricia then faced KULCZYCKA again and lost 1–3. It was very difficult for her, Wanessa is an extremely strong player. The most crucial point came in my last, deciding match against Lena PUZIO. It was 2–0, 10–8, and she played two great points to make it 10–10. I knew she had a strong forehand, even though I had been playing to her backhand. So I switched it up and played to her forehand. It worked and I managed to close the match.”

The 2017 European Under 21 champion and member of Germany’s gold-winning team at the 2021 European Championships, Chantal MANTZ, has taken on a new role at the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava. This time, she is not playing – she is coaching. And not for Germany, but for Belgium. It’s her first time coaching, her first time as a national coach, and her debut came against none other than her home country, Germany – a challenge that made the occasion even tougher. Germany lived up to expectations, with Mia GRIESEL, Lisa-Sophie WANG, and Eireen KALAITZIDOU defeating Lilou MASSART, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, and Lilly LAFFINEUR in straight matches. “From the beginning, it was clear that we weren’t likely to cause a surprise against Germany. We tried our best, but they were just too strong. We went into the match hoping we might pull off an upset, but in the end, it wasn’t to be,” said MANTZ. How did you end up coaching Belgium? “I’ve been living with Martin ALLEGRO for almost a year now — we’ve been together for nearly three years. I was training with the boys and had some contacts within the Belgian federation. At the time, the junior girls and women’s teams didn’t have a coach, so they approached me and asked if I would be interested. I thought, ‘Yeah, why not? I’ll give it a try and see how it goes.’” Are you coaching the women’s team as well? “Yes, because the teams are almost the same — many of the junior girls also play for the senior team. So I agreed to coach both. I had just one week of preparation with the girls before heading straight into the European Championships. We’ll see how things develop in the future, but I’m really happy to have this opportunity.” Who are your top players? “In the Under 19 team, our number one is Lilou MASSART. Then we have our number two, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, who is really talented. We also have some promising younger players like Lotte DEMEYER, Lotte NUYTTENS… In the senior team, we have Margo De GRAEFF and Julie VAN HAUWAERT among others. So yes, we have a solid group, and we’ll see what we can achieve.” What’s your goal for this championship? “Our main goal is to stay in the first division — that’s our priority. Germany was the strongest team in our group, and we’ve already played them. Tomorrow we’ll face Czechia and Austria – that won’t be easy either. After that, we’ll see how things go, but the focus is definitely on maintaining our position in the top division.” Are you still playing yourself? “Yes, I’m still playing, but not for the national team anymore. Just in the German league, semi-professionally, in the first division.” And how does it feel to be a coach now? “A bit strange, to be honest. I enjoy it – it’s interesting to see things from the other side. I’m more relaxed now. As a player, you’re always nervous and under pressure. As a coach, I can take a step back. But yes, it’s still a bit strange being the national coach for Belgium instead of Germany. People keep asking me about it, and I’m still getting used to the change — but I’m adapting,” said MANTZ.

Already on the opening day of the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava, fierce battles and surprising upsets marked the Team Events. In the Under 19 Junior Event, Czechia, backed by loud cheering and drums inside the Torax Arena, overturned the rankings by defeating the top-seeded team in Group D, Spain. Led by Štěpán BRHEL, who recorded two wins against Francesc CARRERA and Daniel BERZOSA, the host team triumphed in a thrilling five-match encounter. The Czech team trailed 1–2 after Martin ŠIP lost to BERZOSA and Jindřich MORÁVEK fell to Luca KHIDASHELI. However, BRHEL overcame BERZOSA, and ŠIP sealed the duel with a win over CARRERA. BRHEL played excellently against Spain. He overcame several difficult moments in his match against Francesc CARRERA and always managed to regain composure. In the third set, for example, he led 9:2 but eventually won it 13:11. He later admitted that the match was all about mental strength. “That’s exactly it. It wasn’t easy. We knew that Spain’s strength lies in their number one player, so if we wanted to win, we had to beat CARRERA. It was all about staying focused. Concentration – and probably something else, but I don’t know what right now. It was difficult, but that was the key to success,” he said after the match, his hoarse voice reflecting the intensity and team spirit. “Yeah, yeah, it reminds me of the team atmosphere at the championship in Gliwice. We’re a great bunch, and we really support each other.” For the top-seeded team France, the journey was smooth. Nathan LAM, Nathan PILARD, and Antoine Jean NOIRAULT defeated Germany’s Lleyton ULLMAN, Alexander UHING, and Matej HASPEL 3–1. “We’re really happy to win against Germany because it’s a really strong team, and we knew it would be a tough start to the European Championships – everyone here plays really well. My teammates performed great, all of them. In my final match against ULLMAN, I won 3-0, but at the beginning, I knew it would be difficult because he’s a very good player. In the last game, it was a little strange – I was leading 5:1, and suddenly it was 5:8, so I was quite surprised. He changed his tactic, and I had to adapt mine as well. That helped me win the set and the match,” said LAM, the reigning French junior champion. In Group B, Austria emerged victorious in their duel against Croatia. Despite being seeded only fourth, Julian RZIHAUSCHEK, Petr HODINA, and Tobias HOLD secured a straight-matches win. In the Under 15 category, top-seeded Italy had to go the full distance against Switzerland. Lowis VOGLER proved too strong for both Giulio CAMPAGNA and Francesco TREVISAN and narrowly lost in the doubles, partnering Elias-Mate SIMO. However, CAMPAGNA defeated SIMO in the deciding match. Türkiye and Sweden secured straight-match victories in their encounters against Spain and Austria, respectively. In contrast, the top-seeded team in Group C, Hungary, failed to justify their ranking and lost to France. The biggest drama unfolded in Group D, where top seeds England had to battle through five long matches before eventually overcoming Romania. The key player in their success was Kacper PIWOWAR, who won two matches – including the decisive one against Andrei TIBIRNA. “I think we did a really good job, especially the boys on the bench, Pablo and Jake – they really helped us. I started well in the first match and felt comfortable. Then my teammate Abraham SELLADO played really well and won 3:0. We struggled a bit in the doubles, but it was really close – there wasn’t much we could do. In Abraham’s next singles match, he was just unlucky; it was very close. In my final match, I wasn’t really nervous, but of course, I wanted to win, for the team and for myself. I think the most crucial point was when I won the third game. If I had lost that, it would have been much harder for me,” said PIWOWAR.

The 67th European Youth Championships officially began today in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The competition opened with the team events, and fans can follow all the action on ETTU TV and the official ETTU YouTube channel. Ostrava is hosting the EYC for the third time, and the Czech team has high hopes and plenty of reasons to look forward to the tournament with great anticipation. Among the home favourites is Hanka KODET, a two-time European champion in the Under 15 singles category. She now aims to complete a hat-trick of titles. Last year in Malmö, KODET also took medals in the team and mixed doubles events. She claimed bronze alongside Simona HOLUBOVÁ and Adéla BRHELOVÁ in the team event and with Jan ŠKALDA in mixed doubles. The Czech Under 15 boys’ team — Jan ŠKALDA, Ondřej MORÁVEK, Jakub KABELKA, and Filip RAČÁK — also secured bronze. “My first impressions here in Ostrava are very positive – the playing conditions are excellent, and I feel good on the court,” said KODET. “I’ll try to perform at my highest level and hopefully defend my title again. I’m very happy that such a major tournament is taking place here in the Czech Republic.” The Czech Under 19 boys’ team faces a challenging group. Although Romania was drawn from the fourth seeding pot, they are considered one of the strongest contenders. “Romania is very strong, their youth tournament participation is limited – which affects their ranking. In my opinion, they are the favourites in our group. Iulian CHIRITA is ranked 67th in the senior world rankings, and Dragos BUJOR and the others are also top players,” said head coach Karel KARÁSEK. Jakub MAKARA is making his EYC debut. “This is my first EYC, and I’m really happy to have been selected, and that the tournament is happening here in the Czech Republic. The venue is a bit slow, which suits my defensive style of play. I’m mainly looking forward to measuring myself against Europe’s best and gaining valuable experience.” The Czech Under 19 girls will face their toughest group opponent, second-seeded Germany, on Saturday. But first, they open their campaign today against Austria. According to coach Jaroslav MIKESKA, the group is demanding, but the Czech girls are capable of qualifying. “Both Austria and Belgium have strong number one players. Nina SKERBINZ has shown her class internationally, and Belgium’s Lilou MASSART could easily take two points. However, I believe we have a more balanced and overall stronger team. We’re aiming for second place – and we’re not without a chance against Germany either.” The Czech Under 15 girls’ team is the highest-seeded home squad, second only to Germany. Returning with last year’s bronze-medal-winning lineup plus newcomer Laura MARŠÍČKOVÁ, they again have podium ambitions. Their first match is against France on Table 1 at 13:20. “France is our toughest opponent in the group. Though drawn from the third pot, they’re realistically the second-strongest team. They don’t have a standout star this year, but it’s still France. We’ll also face Spain and Belgium on Saturday. With all due respect to our adversaries, I firmly believe we’ll qualify directly for the round of 16,” said coach Tomáš VRŇÁK. While confident, VRŇÁK also noted potential pitfalls. “Doubles could be tricky. In cadet matches, the doubles come after the first two singles — and even two strong players can lose to weaker pairs. Still, I’m confident we’ll advance from the group and fight for medals in the playoffs. That’s our main goal – anything less would be a disappointment.” Czech Under 15 boys’ coach Jakub MERTA is also making his EYC debut — at home and with a team defending last year’s bronze medal. Despite the pressure, he is optimistic. “This is the kind of group we were hoping for. It’s certainly manageable in terms of direct qualification. Among the top-seeded teams, we got England — probably the most favourable opponent. Romania, drawn from the third pot, is stronger, but we know their players and should be slight favourites. Portugal is a bit of an unknown since they rarely compete in international events.”