The opening rounds of the doubles events at the European Youth Championships in Malmö saw top seeds progressing smoothly in both the Under 19 Boys’ and Girls’ categories although not all higher-ranked pairs avoided early exits. In the Junior Boys’ doubles Romania’s top seeds Iulian CHIRITA and Andrei ISTRATE needed four games to overcome Nazarii SOLODKYI (Ukraine) and Adil AHMADZADA (Azerbaijan). Romania’s Darius MOVILEANU and Dragos BUJOR also prevailed against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Dario PEJIC and Aron KANLIĆ. Poland’s Mateusz ZALEWSKI and Croatia’s Borna PETEK defeated Ivan KAHN and Brent RONDE of the Netherlands. The German-Spanish clash ended with Germany’s Andre BERTELSMEIER and Wim VERDONSCHOT beating Francesc CARRERA and Francesc KHIDASHELI. An upset occurred when Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Benjamin ZIJADIC and Serbia’s Andras OROS seeded 61st defeated Hungary’s 10th seeds David SZANTOSI and Botond ZOLTAN VARGA in four games. In the Junior Girls’ doubles Germany’s Mia GRIESEL and Romania’s Bianca MEI ROSU the top seeds easily defeated Scotland’s Shannon BROWN and Ireland’s Anjali SINGH. No. 2 seeds Zuzanna WIELGOS and Anna BRZYSKA overcame Serbia’s Jana HAVELA and Teodora GOJKOV 3-1. French pair Clea DE STOPPELEIRE and Agathe AVEZOU seeded third progressed in straight games against Slovenia’s Lana SLATINSEK and Ema CRNKOVIČ. Poland’s Natalia BOGDANOWICZ and France’s Elise PUJOL beat Denmark’s Emma My-Linh ECKEROTH and Sofie Khanh-Linh ECKEROTH in four games. Ukraine’s Veronika VASYLENKO and Alina OVRIAKH created an upset by defeating Bulgaria’s Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA and Sidelya MUTLU in a full five-game match. Moldova’s Camelia MERENCO and Alexandra CHIRIACOVA also won a five-game duel against Spain’s Eugenia SASTRE and Italy’s Miriam CARNOVALE.

  Final Result Team Event EYC 2024         U19B U19G U15B U15G     Level 1 1   ROMANIA 1   FRANCE 1   ITALY 1   GERMANY       2   GERMANY 2   ROMANIA 2   ROMANIA 2   POLAND       3   FRANCE 3   POLAND 3   CZECHIA 3   PORTUGAL       3   SLOVAKIA 3   GERMANY 3   TÜRKIYE 3   CZECHIA       5   POLAND 5   SLOVAKIA 5   POLAND 5   SPAIN       5   ITALY 5   CZECHIA 5   FRANCE 5   FRANCE       7   HUNGARY 7   SPAIN 7   ENGLAND 7   AUSTRIA       7   CROATIA 7   PORTUGAL 7   GERMANY 7   CROATIA       9   NETHERLANDS 9   HUNGARY 9   SPAIN 9   ROMANIA       9   PORTUGAL 9   BULGARIA 9   SWITZERLAND 9   HUNGARY       11   CZECHIA 11   UKRAINE 11   PORTUGAL 11   SWEDEN       11   SPAIN 11   ITALY 11   HUNGARY 11   SLOVAKIA       13   AUSTRIA 13   BELGIUM 13   SWEDEN 13   BELGIUM       13   SWEDEN 13   TÜRKIYE 13   BELGIUM 13   MOLDOVA       15   ISRAEL 15   CROATIA 15   AUSTRIA 15   TÜRKIYE       16   SLOVENIA 16   DENMARK 16   GREECE 16   SERBIA     Level 2 17   BELGIUM 17   AUSTRIA 17   UKRAINE 17   ITALY       18   TÜRKIYE 18   LITHUANIA 18   ISRAEL 18   SWITZERLAND       19   GREECE 19   MOLDOVA 19   CROATIA 19   GREECE       19   SWITZERLAND 20   ISRAEL 19   LUXEMBOURG 20   AZERBAIJAN       21   BULGARIA 21   LUXEMBOURG 21   BULGARIA 21   UKRAINE       21   NORWAY 22   SLOVENIA 21   SLOVENIA 22   ESTONIA       23   UKRAINE 23   ENGLAND 23   SLOVAKIA 23   BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA       23   ENGLAND 24   SWEDEN 23   MOLDOVA 24   LATVIA       25   LUXEMBOURG 25   ESTONIA 25   AZERBAIJAN 25   SLOVENIA       25   FINLAND 26   NETHERLANDS 25   DENMARK 26   DENMARK       27  

The ETTU Young Umpires Project which began last year in Gliwice continues to thrive. During the European Youth Championships 24 young umpires received training and attended workshops. Following the event a mentorship program was initiated to ensure the ongoing development of these young match officials. Four Gold Badge Umpires shared their expertise through online sessions and at events mentoring young umpires from 10 different associations. Now in Malmö this inaugural program is concluding with many of the trained umpires officiating at the European Youth Championships. Sweden has proven to be an ideal host for fostering the growth of young match officials with 22 interested umpires attending the first session about the ETTU Young Umpires Project all eager to join the new mentorship program for 2024/2025. “It is excellent to continue the program for the next period until 2025 and to start especially here in Sweden. The Swedish Association is putting a lot of effort into developing their match officials and ETTU also continues this successful project which started in Poland last year. After one year we can state that 50% of all participants in the mentorship program 2023/2024 have already reached the next level on the umpire career pathway and we will see some of them in the International Umpire Exam 2024. Thanks to Kerstin DUCHATZ Ingrid BOGREN Pol PIERRET and Mark BECKMANN for sharing their experience in the mentorship program and to Asko RASINEN for coordinating the project. Let us start the next activities for our young umpires ” said ETTU URC Chair Werner THURY.

Italy is the newly crowned champion in the Under 15 Boys event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö marking their fifth gold at the 66th edition of the event. In the final they overcame Romania while Czechia and Türkiye secured bronze. In the final Danilo FASO defeated Mihai NAGY and Robert Alexandru ISTRATE. Although ISTRATE managed to beat Francesco TREVISAN the Italian pair prevailed against Romania’s duo. “I feel amazing. It’s very good for us to win this European with the team we had. We really fought well together because we’re also very good friends. So I’m very happy for this tournament and this win. Very very happy ” said FASO who won all his matches. “Yeah this is a very good feeling. I managed to play at my best level we can say. Also it was good for my mentality because the second game tonight against Istrate was difficult for me. It was very good to win it at 18-16 and then the other one was easy. I was focused and played my best.” Teams: Romania: Robert Alexandru ISTRATE Mihai NAGY Matei Gabriel EPARU Italy: Danilo FASO Francesco TREVISAN Giulio CAMPAGNA Erik PAULINA Bronze Medalists: Czechia: Jan SKALDA Jakub KABELKA Ondrej MORAVEK Filip RACAK. Türkiye: Görkem ÖÇAL Kenan KAHRAMAN Mustafa NEBHAN Berk OZTOPRAK. Final Under 15 boys teams event Italy – Romania 3-1 Danilo FASO – Mihai NAGY 3-0 (11-7 11-9 11-4) Francesco TREVISAN – Robert Alexandru ISTRATE 1-3 (2-11 4-11 11-9 6-11) Danilo FASO Francesco TREVISAN – Robert Alexandru ISTRATE Mihai NAGY 3-1 (11-5 5-11 11-4 11-9) Danilo FASO – Robert Alexandru ISTRATE 3-0 (11-5 18-16 11-3)  

Germany defended their title in the Under 15 Girls Team’s event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö securing their 26th title in the history of the EYC. In the final they overcame Poland while Portugal and Czechia won bronze. Koharu ITAGAKI maintained her unbeaten status in singles though she experienced her first loss in doubles in Sweden 2024. Itagaki defeated both Maja LAKOMA and Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA while Lisa-Sophie WANG also prevailed against RAJKOWSKA. In doubles ITAGAKI partnered with Josephina NEUMANN but they lost to the Polish pair. “I’m really happy now! We won last year also in teams but this year was different. It’s not easy to win and we are really happy about the victory. My first match was good but in the last one I was really really nervous. It was a tough match that I could have lost because the score was 18-16 11-9 11-9 for me. I’m happy that I did it ” said ITAGAKI. When asked about their celebration plans Koharu replied “We won’t celebrate too much because we have Mixed Doubles tomorrow morning.” The complete list of players in Team Germany includes Koharu ITAGAKI Lisa-Sophie WANG Josephina NEUMANN and Elisa NGUYEN. Team Poland comprised Maja LAKOMA Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA Wanessa KULCZYCKA and Emilia TWARDAWA. Team Portugal consisted of Beatriz PINTO Julia LEAL and Joana PINTO while Czechia was represented by Simona HOLUBOVA Hanka KODETOVA and Adela BRHELOVA. Final Under 15 Girls teams event Germany – Poland 3-1 Koharu ITAGAKI – Maja LAKOMA 3-0 (11-8 11-7 11-2) Lisa-Sophie WANG – Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA 3-0 (11-2 11-5 11-3) Koharu ITAGAKI Josephina NEUMANN – Maja LAKOMA Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA 0-3 (9-11 7-11 5-11) Koharu ITAGAKI – Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA 3-0 (18-16 11-9 11-9)

Romania defended their title in the Under 19 Boys Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö. This victory marks their third consecutive gold in this event and their 34th overall in the 66-year history of the EYC. In the final they overcame Germany in straight matches while France and Slovakia secured the bronze medals. From last year’s winning team Eduard IONESCU was absent but Iulian CHIRITA took over the role of leader proving his capability by remaining unbeaten throughout the entire championships so far. Germany took a risk with their lineup but it didn’t pay off. Andre BERTELSMEIER opened the match against CHIRITA who won in four games. Andrei ISTRATE then overcame Wim VERDONSCHOT 3-1 before Darius MOVILEANU needed one game less to defeat Lleyton ULLMANN. “I feel very happy that we won the Under 19 boys team title for the third time in a row together with my teammates. We’ve been the same team for three years and I’m happy that we managed to win again. It was a little bit hard at the beginning but we managed to play better and better. I think the key to this match was Germany changing BERTELSMEIER to the second position so I played him in the first match and could win. I’m very happy that all my teammates played very well “ said CHIRITA. CHIRITA’S personal record is equally impressive: “For 3 years in a row I did not lose in team’s at the European Championships. I hope I will not lose next year either. This gives me much confidence for the singles event so I hope I will continue to play better and better.“ In addition to Iulian CHIRITA the Romanian team included Andrei ISTRATE Darius MOVILEANU and Dragos BUJOR. Germany’s complete list of players included Andre BERTELSMEIER Wim VERDONSCHOT Manuel PROHASKA Matej HASPEL and Lleyton ULLMANN. The bronze medalists from France were Flavien COTON Nathan LAM Antoine Jean Christian NOIRAULT and Celian BESNIER. Slovakia’s team included Samuel PALUSEK Samuel ARPAS Damian FLORO and Jakub GOLDIR. Final Under 19 boys teams event Romania – Germany 3-0 Iulian CHIRITA – Andre BERTELSMEIER 3-1 (11-4 8-11 11-6 13-11) Andrei ISTRATE – Wim VERDONSCHOT 3-1 (11-6 11-5 2-11 11-5) Darius MOVILEANU – Lleyton ULLMANN 3-0 (11-5 11-7 11-4)

France clinched the gold medal in the Under 19 Girls Team event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö. This victory marks their 25th overall title in the history of the EYC. On their way to the top of the medal rostrum they halted the title defenders Romania after a grueling five-match encounter. Bronze medals were secured by Poland and Germany. Both finalists experienced a generational change and had rejuvenated teams. Nina GUO ZHENG and Leana HOCHART led France to silver in the Under 15 category last year in Poland while Romania had only one member of the gold-winning Under 19 team Bianca MEI ROSU. In the opening match of the final Bianca MEI ROSU justified her status by defeating Nina GUO ZHENG. After being down 1-2 Bianca won the next two games 14-12 and 12-10. The match then entered a different pace as Leana HOCHART and Clea DE STOPPELEIRE won their duels against Alesia Sofia SFERLEA and Andrea TEGLAS in straight games. MEI ROSU in another long-distance encounter overcame HOCHART once again after being down 1-2. Throughout the entire team’s event MEI ROSU did not suffer a single defeat. However her effort saved her record but could not stop France. Eventually Nina GUO ZHENG overcame Alesia 3-0. “Last year in the final of the Under 15 event we lost against Germany 2-3. In addition I played the decisive match against Josephina NEUMANN and lost two games 13-11 11-9. I was really nervous. I think I lost it because I was stressed and felt enormous pressure. Here we are now in another final and I entered the game at 2-2. However this time I was wiser and learned from my mistakes. All this stress looks different now and it’s something I can work on ” said GUO ZHENG. Before defeating Romania France overcame Poland Spain and Belgium with all duels concluding in straight matches. “Before the final our toughest challenge was the encounter in the group stage against Czechia. We were also forced to go the full distance and then Leana HOCHART played the decisive match that concluded in the decisive game with 11-9 ” added GUO ZHENG Elise PUJOL was also part of Team France while Romania included Evelyn UNGVARI. The bronze medalists from Poland were Zuzanna WIELGOS Anna BRZYSKA Natalia BOGDANOWICZ Karolina HOLDA and Zuzanna PAWELEC. The German team included Lorena MORSCH Mia GRIESEL Eireen KALAITZIDOU Lena GOTTSCHLICH and Melanie Maxi MERK. Final Under 19 Girls teams event Romania – France 2-3 Bianca MEI ROSU – Nina GUO ZHENG 3-2 (12-10 9-11 8-11 14-12 12-10) Alesia Sofia SFERLEA – Leana HOCHART 0-3 (7-11 9-11 10-12) Andrea TEGLAS – Clea DE STOPPELEIRE 0-3 (5-11 4-11 9-11) Bianca MEI ROSU – Leana HOCHART 3-2 (3-11 11-7 6-11 12-10 11-8 ) Alesia Sofia SFERLEA – Nina GUO ZHENG 0-3 (5-11 4-11 4-11)  

Title holders in the Under 19 Boys teams event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö Romania will play against last year’s bronze medalists Germany. In Sweden bronze medals were secured by Slovakia and France. Both Under 18 Boys semifinals brought great suspense. Germany’s Andre BERTELSMEIER Wim VERDONSCHOT and Manuel PROHASKA were stretched to the full distance in their clash against the team that advanced from Level 2 of the Championships. Slovakia’s Samuel PALUSEK Samuel ARPAS and Damian FLORO put the favorites to a severe test. ARPAS and FLORO won against VERDONSCHOT and PROHASKA. “It was an amazing performance from our team. We fought hard and never gave up. I am satisfied with my own play. We are looking forward to playing Romania tomorrow. We are the underdog but sometimes the underdog wins ” warned BERTELSMEIER. In the other semifinal Iulian CHIRITA was the player of the moment. He overcame Flavien COTON 3-2 and Nathan LAM 3-0. COTON managed to overcome Andrei ISTRATE while Darius MOVILEANU prevailed against Antoine Jean Christian NOIRAULT 3-2. “It was an amazing performance from our team. I was satisfied with my play today. We have a strong team with three good players. Our goal is to win the final tomorrow ” said CHIRITA.

Reigning champions Germany are just one step away from defending their title in the Under 15 Girls teams event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö. Tomorrow in the final they will meet no. 2 seeds Poland. Bronze medals were secured by Portugal and Czechia. In the semifinal top-seeded Germany represented by Koharu ITAGAKI Lisa-Sophie WANG and Josephina NEUMANN overcame no. 7 seeds Portugal with Beatriz PINTO Julia LEAL and Joana PINTO. Germany’s Lisa-Sophie WANG crushed Portugal’s hopes at the very beginning after a hard-earned victory over LEAL in five games. Afterwards ITAGAKI justified her status in both singles and doubles with NEUMANN. “This match was very difficult for us. We were never challenged in Malmö the way we were challenged now in the semis. The crucial moment was Lisa’s win over LEAL. She was forced to go the full five games and was down in the decisive game. It could have gone the other way around. That is why we are very happy to reach the final and I hope we will achieve our goal and defend the title again. It doesn’t matter who will be on the other side of the table we will be focused on us ” said ITAGAKI. For a second time today Poland was stretched to five full matches. After overcoming last year’s finalists France Poland beat no. 3 seeds and last year’s bronze medalists Czechia in the evening program. Both Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA and Maja LAKOMA scored in their singles and doubles matches while Hanka KODETOVA secured two wins for Czechia. “I’m very happy with my team. We played very well. I hope we will be even better tomorrow ” said LAKOMA. Tomorrow’s final is scheduled for 17:30.  

Reigning champions Romania will face France in tomorrow’s final of the Under 19 Girls teams event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö. No. 1 seeds Poland were defeated in their match against France equaling last year’s achievement and clinching the bronze medal. The same goes for Germany. Seeded at position no. 3 France beat the top-seeded Poland in straight matches. Nina Guo ZHENG set the pace with a 3-1 victory over Zuzanna WIELGOS. Leana HOCHART also lost only one game against Anna BRZYSKA while the duel between Clea De STOPPELEIRE and Natalia BOGDANOWICZ went the full distance. “I feel very happy because we beat Poland 3-0. They are such a good team. I felt stressed when I won 3-2. It was a difficult match for me so I feel very lucky right now. I had 2-0 and 8-4 and then the pressure came. She came back with two games. But I won that’s the most important ” said Clea De STOPPELEIRE. Last year’s finalists Germany played a re-run of the ultimate stage duel in Gliwice but this time Romania concluded the match with one duel less winning 3-1. Both teams came to Sweden with rejuvenated line-ups. There was only one exception on both sides: Bianca MEI ROSU and Mia GRIESEL. Mia was the only scorer for Germany tonight. She beat Alesia Sofia SFERLEA but failed to repeat the success against Bianca MEI ROSU. Lorena MORSCH also lost to Bianca and Andrea TEGLAS secured the third point for Romania in the duel against Eireen KALAITZIDOU. “We are ready for the finals and to win the title. Romania is a good team. We will see but we hope to win tomorrow ” said MEI ROSU. “It was a tough match and we had to play well to win. Our goal when we came here was to reach the final. We are looking forward to playing against France in the final. We will have to play at our highest level to win.” The final will be played tomorrow at 17:30 CET.