The top seed in the Under 19 Boys Singles Event at the European Youth Championships in Ostrava, Daniel BERZOSA of Spain, suffered an early exit after a six-game defeat to Romania’s Dragos BUJOR, seeded only at No. 14.
“It was a crazy match. He led 1-0, then I went up 3-1, but I felt some emotions and pressure and lost the fifth game. Still, I stayed focused and played my game. In the last game, I even had to change my racket because I broke the rubber, but honestly, I didn’t think about it. I just stayed calm, played, and finished the match,” BUJOR said. “Before the match, I truly believed in myself and knew I could beat him. This is my first U19 singles medal, so I’m really happy and proud, especially because I beat the top seed! I’m heading into the semifinal with a clear head and the goal to win.”
In the semifinal, BUJOR will meet Hungary’s David SZANTOSI (No. 4 seed), who ended the impressive run of England’s Joseph HUNTER. The Englishman, seeded only at No. 96, had shocked everyone in the Round of 16 by defeating Croatia’s No. 6 seed Leon BENKO in a seven-game thriller.
“It was a really tough match. He’s a strong player and got bronze last year, so I knew his level was high. I was up 3-1, then it became 3-3, I think I got a bit nervous. I didn’t really change my tactic; he just started playing better. The final game was the most difficult. We had some really great rallies. I took a timeout just to calm myself down. I have no expectations for the next round. I just want to enjoy it and show my best! I’m really happy with this win,” said HUNTER.
Meanwhile, another upset came when Poland’s Marcel BLASZCZYK (No. 9 seed) eliminated Romania’s Iulian CHIRITA, the No. 5 seed.
“I knew it would be a tough match. CHIRITA is a very good player and has many EYC medals. But I had a really good tactic. I discussed it with Milosz REDZIMSKI, who knows CHIRITA well, and with my coach. I think this was the best match of my career. The last game was the most difficult due to the pressure. I kept thinking how great it would be to beat him, and that made me a bit stressed. But I did it, and I’m very happy,” BLASZCZYK said.
He followed that victory with another dramatic seven-game win in the quarterfinals, overcoming No. 3 seed Balazs LEI of Hungary.
“Before the match, both my coach and I were really nervous. This is my first U19 singles medal and I still can’t believe it. We’ve played many times and it’s always close, so I expected a hard match. Honestly, I don’t even know what happened toda, this feels like the luckiest day of my life. First CHIRITA, then LEI, and now I’m in the semifinal.
The last game was especially intense—I was leading 8-5, then it was 10-10. I just took a risk, and it worked. I changed my tactics a lot during the match—different serves, different strategies—and that made the difference. Now I go into the semifinal with a clear head, hoping to reach the final.”
In the lower half of the draw, Portugal’s Tiago ABOUDIN continues his strong run. In the quarterfinals, he overcame No. 7 seed Nathan LAM of France to book his spot in the semifinals.
