The quarterfinal line-up in the Under 19 Girls Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar is now complete. France will face Spain, Bulgaria will take on Germany, Portugal will meet Austria, and Poland will play Romania.
Top seeds France advanced to the quarterfinals with a commanding 3-0 victory over 13th seeds Slovakia. Jade HUYNH gave France the opening point with a straight-games victory over Nina DAROVCOVA, maintaining control throughout to win 11-9, 11-7, 11-9.
Leana HOCHART then doubled France’s advantage with an emphatic performance against Sara HABAROVA, before Nina GUO ZHENG completed the clean sweep in equally dominant fashion, defeating Emma MOLNAROVA 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 to send the top seeds safely into the last eight.
Sixth seeds Germany progressed to the quarterfinals after defeating 12th seeds Croatia 3-1. Lisa-Sophie WANG gave Germany the perfect start with a dominant straight-games victory over Lana BENKO, while Koharu ITAGAKI doubled the advantage by overcoming Leeloo HAN VUKELJA in straight games. The Croatian offered her strongest resistance in the third game, but ITAGAKI held her nerve to close it out 13-11.
Croatia stayed in contention through Franka MISKIC, who defeated Elisa NGUYEN in four games. WANG then returned to secure Germany’s place in the last eight with another assured straight-games victory, defeating HAN VUKELJA 11-5, 11-5, 11-9.
Third seeds Poland advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-0 victory over 22nd seeds Denmark. Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA gave Poland the opening point with a straight-games victory over Stella ROSENMEIER, edging two tight games 12-10 after taking the opener comfortably.
Natalia BOGDANOWICZ then came through the closest contest of the tie against Maja HANSEN. After the players shared the opening four games, BOGDANOWICZ took control of the decider to prevail 11-6.
Karolina HOLDA completed the sweep with a four-game victory over Fiona OVERGAARD. After losing the opening game, HOLDA responded strongly to secure Poland’s place in the quarterfinals.
Second seeds Romania progressed with a 3-1 victory over ninth seeds Hungary. Alesia Sofia SFERLEA gave Romania the perfect start by defeating Judit NAGY in straight games. After edging a competitive opening game 12-10, SFERLEA took control to complete an impressive victory.
Bianca MEI ROSU doubled Romania’s advantage with another commanding display, overcoming Johanna PETERY in straight games. The Romanian held her nerve to win a tight second game 14-12 before comfortably taking the third.
Hungary reduced the deficit through Nora DOHOCZKI, who defeated Patricia STOICA in four games to keep her team in contention.
MEI ROSU then returned to seal Romania’s place in the last eight in emphatic fashion, allowing Judit NAGY just 13 points in a dominant straight-games victory.
Seventh seeds Austria progressed to the quarterfinals after defeating 16th seeds Türkiye 3-1. Nina SKERBINZ gave Austria the perfect start with a straight-games victory over Aybuke SIMSEK. After comfortably winning the opening two games, SKERBINZ held her nerve in a thrilling third game, edging it 15-13.
Mariia LYTVYN doubled Austria’s advantage in another hard-fought contest. She recovered after dropping the second game on deuce to Busra DEMIR, winning the next two convincingly to secure a four-game victory.
Türkiye reduced the deficit through Asude Tuba SIMSEK, who produced a straight-games win over Elina FUCHS, keeping her team in contention.
SKERBINZ returned to finish the job, allowing DEMIR just 15 points in another dominant straight-games victory to seal Austria’s place in the quarterfinals.
Fifteenth seeds Bulgaria produced one of the biggest upsets of the Round of 16, defeating 10th seeds Ukraine 3-1 to reach the quarterfinals.
Anita PETKOVA gave Bulgaria the opening point after edging Daria KOVALOVA in a dramatic five-game battle. Nina NIKOLOVA then doubled Bulgaria’s advantage with another five-game victory, this time over Olha PONKO. The Bulgarian won the opening two games, saw PONKO force a decider, and then regained control to prevail 11-8.
Ukraine stayed in contention through Veronika VASYLENKO, who recovered from two games down to defeat Sidelya MUTLU 13-11 in the deciding game.
NIKOLOVA returned to finish the tie, overcoming KOVALOVA in straight games. After edging the opener 13-11, she took firm control of the next two to secure Bulgaria’s place in the last eight.
PETKOVA was delighted with both her team’s performance and their composure under pressure.
“We’re very happy with the way we played as a team. It was a very emotional match because the first three singles all went to five games. I think our victory came down to both our mentality and our tactics. We managed the important points better and stayed calm in the decisive moments. Winning the opening match was very important because it gave the whole team confidence and belief that we could win the tie. Then Nina also came through another five-game battle, which gave us even more momentum. By the time we went into the fourth match, we felt much more confident and comfortable with the situation, and that helped us finish the job.”
Fifth seeds Spain booked their place in the quarterfinals after edging eighth seeds Belgium 3-2 in a dramatic encounter.
Maria BERZOSA gave Spain the perfect start with a commanding straight-games victory over Kathe DE MEYER, but Belgium responded through Lilou MASSART, who defeated Camila MOSCOSO in four games to level the tie.
Renata SHYPSHA restored Spain’s advantage with a convincing straight-games victory over Lessia LEWYCKYJ, putting the Spaniards one point away from qualification.
Belgium refused to surrender as MASSART produced another outstanding performance, and beat BERZOSA in five games.
MOSCOSO held her nerve in the winner-takes-all contest. After dropping the opening game to DE MEYER, she responded strongly to claim the next three games 11-8, 11-7, 11-5, securing Spain’s place in the last eight.
Fourth seeds Portugal completed the quarterfinal line-up by overcoming 17th seeds Czechia 3-2.
Veronika POLAKOVA gave Czechia the perfect start with a commanding straight-games victory over Mariana SANTA COMBA, but Julia LEAL responded for Portugal by edging Hanka KODET in five games. LEAL won the opening two games, saw KODET force a decider, and then regained control to prevail 11-6.
Beatriz PINTO put Portugal ahead with a straight-games victory over Magdalena SCIBRANIOVA, leaving the fourth seeds one point away from qualification.
Czechia fought back through POLAKOVA, who overcame LEAL in another dramatic five-game contest to level the tie.
SANTA COMBA then secured Portugal’s place in the quarterfinals with a four-game victory over KODET. After dropping the opening game, she won the next three, edging the fourth 12-10 to complete Portugal’s 3-2 success.
