The semifinal line-up in the Under 19 Boys Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar is complete. France will face Poland, while Spain will take on Romania, with all four teams now guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
Top seeds France secured their place in the semifinals after edging sixth seeds Italy 3-2 in a dramatic quarterfinal.
Nathan LAM gave France the opening point with a straight-games victory over Francesco TREVISAN, winning 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. Italy responded through Danilo FASO, who produced a commanding straight-games victory over Nathan PILARD to level the tie.
Antoine NOIRAULT restored France’s advantage with another assured performance, defeating Giacomo IZZO in straight games, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7.
FASO then kept Italy’s hopes alive in a five-game battle against LAM. The French player won the opening game, but FASO took the next two before LAM forced a decider with an 11-4 victory in the fourth. The Italian held his nerve in the fifth, prevailing 11-8 to level the tie at 2-2.
PILARD delivered when it mattered most, defeating TREVISAN in straight games, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7, to send France into the last four.
Second seeds Poland booked their place in the semifinals with a 3-0 victory over fifth seeds Sweden. Samuel MICHNA gave Poland the opening point after a dramatic five-game battle against Adam WALLIN. MICHNA dominated the opening game 11-2, but WALLIN responded by edging the second 15-13 and taking the third 11-7 to move ahead. The Polish player recovered strongly, winning the final two games 11-6, 11-6 to complete the comeback.
Marcel BLASZCZYK doubled Poland’s advantage with a commanding straight-games victory over William BERGENBLOCK, winning 11-6, 11-5, 11-5.
Mateusz SAKOWICZ then sealed Poland’s place in the semifinals after another five-game encounter. Noa DAHLSTROM took the opening game 11-6, but SAKOWICZ responded by winning the next two 11-5, 11-4. DAHLSTROM forced a decider with an 11-9 victory in the fourth before SAKOWICZ held his nerve to take the fifth 11-9 and complete Poland’s 3-0 success.
Ninth seeds Romania continued their impressive run by defeating 11th seeds Austria 3-1 to reach the semifinals.
Julian RZIHAUSCHEK gave Austria the opening point with a straight-games victory over Robert PODAR. The Austrian edged a dramatic second game 16-14 before closing out the match 11-6 in the third.
Romania responded immediately through Robert ISTRATE, who defeated Petr HODINA in straight games. After taking the opening two games comfortably, ISTRATE held his nerve in a tight third game, winning it 13-11 to level the tie. Andrei TIBIRNA then put Romania ahead with a commanding straight-games victory over Tobias HOLD.
ISTRATE sealed Romania’s place in the semifinals with another outstanding performance against RZIHAUSCHEK. After dropping the second game, the Romanian regained control, winning the third and fourth 11-6, 11-8 to complete Romania’s 3-1 victory and secure a place on the medal rostrum.
Fourth seeds Spain completed the semifinal line-up after edging third seeds Slovakia 3-2 in another thrilling quarterfinal.
Luca KHIDASHELI gave Spain the opening point with a four-game victory over Damian FLORO. The Spaniard controlled the first and third games before holding his nerve in a tense fourth, winning 16-14.
Samuel ARPAS levelled the tie for Slovakia by defeating Francesc CARRERA in four games. After dropping the second game, ARPAS regained control to close out the match 11-7, 11-3.
Slovakia then moved ahead as Pavol KOKAVEC produced a commanding straight-games victory over Dario SALCEDO, leaving his team just one point away from the semifinals.
KHIDASHELI responded for Spain, defeating ARPAS in straight games to level the tie at 2-2 and force a deciding fifth match.
The final singles delivered another thriller. CARRERA recovered from losing the opening game to edge FLORO in five games. After FLORO won the third 12-10 to move within one game of victory, the Spaniard fought back to take the fourth 11-9 before sealing the decider 13-11, completing Spain’s dramatic comeback and booking a place in the semifinals.
Francesc CARRERA said:
“When the match ended, the first thing that went through my mind was that we had achieved a dream. It was something I had imagined for a long time, and finally we had made it happen.
As you grow up, you see your teammates winning medals and you hear people saying, ‘I hope I can do that one day.’ You want to experience that feeling too. When you start seeing the people around you achieve it, your own desire becomes even stronger. Last year, we watched our female teammates win a medal, and that gave us even more motivation to try to do the same.
To achieve it in my final year, with five friends and the best group I could possibly have come here with, makes it even more special.
It does not matter who is playing. Everyone has an important role, and everyone gives one hundred per cent at all times, whether they are on the table, on the bench or helping the team in another way. We need every single person, and we are like brothers.
Together with our coach, we have created the best possible group. He is like a father to us. He is with us every day and gives everything for this team.”
