Rares SIPOS and Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania are the new crowned Mixed Doubles champions at the 2021 GAZPROM European Under 21 Championships in Spa. In the final they overcame Bastien REMBERT and Isa COK of France (12:10 3:11 11:8 11:5).
In their final year at this tournament Rares SIPOS and Andreea DRAGOMAN finally reached the top step at the medal rostrum.
“We played so many time together and we do not have the medal from the Under 21 Championships I am so happy that we finally did it ” said DRAGOMAN who won silver in singles last year in Varazdin.
SIPOS returned to the table after very heavy defeat against Maksim GREBNEV in the quarterfinal of the Men’s Singles Event.
“Together with Lav KATSMAN he is one of the best players here and he played at the unbelievable level against me. I could not do anything else but to lift myself from the scratches after that defeat and to find new straight to face REMBERT and COK in the final. Now I am so happy and tired “said SIPOS.
In the penultimate stage Bastien REMBERT and Isa COK overcame Irvin BERTRAND and Leili MOSTAFAVI in all French duel. They needed four games (11:7 9:11 11:6 12:10).
“It it is so difficult to play against the teammates. They know all your strengths and all your weakness. On top of all BERTRAND and MOSTAFAVI are both left-handers so we constantly has to be very cautious where we would place the ball. At the end we did less mistakes and it was most important in the fourth game. It came very close so we were very focused on the first ball and good placement ” explained COK.
On their way to the semis they eliminated Darious MOVILEANU and Elena ZAHARIA of Romania in five games. They French pairings had to play against Maksim GREBNEV and Olga VISHNIAKOVA of Russia 3:1 before they beat Matteo MUTTI of Italy and Sabina SURJAN of Serbia in straight games.
“We had a tough road to the final and the opening match was the toughest one. After that we “warmed up” we played better and better as the tournament went ” added COK.
SIPOS and DRAGOMAN beat Vladimir SIDORENKO and Mariia TAILAKOVA of Russia in full distance thriller (9:11 11:7 9:11 11:9 8:11).
“I was nervous and I think that is the reason why I did not play at my usual level. I did not attack; after the receive I just looked for a option to put the ball down not to finish the point ” said DRAGOMAN after the match.
