STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   Newly crowned champions at the Junior Mixed Doubles Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships are Jules ROLLAND and Lucie GAUTHIER of France. In the final they overcame Denis IVONIN and Mariia TAILAKOVA of Russia. Bronze medalist are Nikita ARTEMENKO and Anna KRASIKOVA of Russia and Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU of Romania   French pairings were 2:1 in reverse before they recovered to level.   “It was very close match. We faced three match balls in the decisive game but I think we were stronger mentally. We believed more that we could win ” said ROLLAND.   Jules ROLLAND Lucie GAUTHIER faced no problems in the penultimate stage of the Event. Russia’s Nikita ARTEMENKO and Anna KRASIKOVA failed to put any pressure on their adversaries.   “We wanted to win the opening game because in the matches of best of five it is very important. After the opening game our adversaries were mentally down. We also wanted to prevent ARTEMENKO of playing on his forehand. We won many points on receive service game ” said Jules ROLLAND.   In other match of the semi final Denis IVONIN and Mariia TAILAKOVA beat Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU the winners of the title in Mixed Doubles as cadets in 2014.   “It was not an easy game as the results predicts. We try to halt Adina’s attempt to use the forehand and against PLETEA we played soft balls on his backhand. We did a lot of variation in service game down or no spin service ” said TAILAKOVA.     Last years champions KHANIN and TRIGOLOS were not on duty in Portugal. KHANIN is no longer junior so TROGOLOS played with Greece’s SGOUROPOULOS and reached the Round of 32.    Semi final Cristian PLETEA Adina DIACONU (Romania)- Denis IVONIN Mariia TAILAKOVA (Russia) 0:3 (9:11 8:11 8:11) Nikita ARTEMENKO Anna KRASIKOVA (Russia) – Jules ROLLAND Lucie GAUTHIER (France) 0:3 (6:11 2:11 6:11) Final Denis IVONIN Mariia TAILAKOVA (Russia) -Jules ROLLAND Lucie GAUTHIER (France) 2:3 (4:11 11:7 11:9 12:14 9:11)

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   The winners of the Cadet Mixed Doubles Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Guimaraes are Vladimir SIDORENKO and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA of Russia. In the final they overcame Vladislav MAKAROV and Nataliya MALININA of Russia. Bronze medals winners are Martin FRIIS and Rebecca MUSKANTOR of Sweden and Daniel RINDERER and Anastasia BONDAREVA of Germany.   SIDORENKO and ZIRONOVA both winners of their respective Team’s Events earlier this week started the match in big style. Fearless game leads them into very fast 2:0 before they realized they could win.   “We were confident but in the third game we realized we are so close to the gold. We started to struggle a little but soon we rebuilt our confidence to seal the match ” said SIDORENKO. ”Ekaterina played perfectly at that point despite the fact that she was not very happy to play against lefthander.”   In the semi final SIDORENKO and ZIRONOVA never managed to create wider gap but they were always one step forward against Sweden’s Martin FRIIS and Rebecca MUSKANTOR.   “It was difficult match. There were four lefthanders at the table. That gave us hard time to prepare the tactics. Service and receive was important so we managed to be good with the first ball ” said SIDORENKO who teamed up with ZIRONOVA not long before the start of the STAG 2017 EYC.   Vladislav MAKAROV and Nataliya MALININA also started to play together recently. They worked together in the preparation camp in Russia but they do not have international experience. It was visible at the beginning of the penultimate stage match against Daniel RINDERER and Anastasia BONDAREVA of Germany.   “I was nervous so we needed a time to settle into the rhythm. First game was very close. Later everything fits in its place ” said MAKAROV.” BONDARENKO is very powerful player good rubbers but I am good with block and spin.”    Semi final Vladimir SIDORENKO Ekaterina ZIRONOVA (Russia) – Martin FRIIS Rebecca MUSKANTOR (Sweden) 3:0 (12:10 11:8 12:10) Vladislav MAKAROV Nataliya MALININA (Russia) – Daniel RINDERER Anastasia BONDAREVA (Germany) 3:0 (17:15 11:6 11:8) Final Vladimir SIDORENKO Ekaterina ZIRONOVA (Russia) – Vladislav MAKAROV Nataliya MALININA (Russia) 3:0 (11:4 11:4 12:10)  

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   With two juniors in the semi final of the Girls Singles Event Russia continued with their dominancy at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Portugal. Mariia TAILAKOVA of Russia beat Luisa SAGER of Germany in the quarters (6 7 8 -10 5) whilst Anastasia KOLISH overcame Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania (10 -8 8 6 6).   “I was not nervous nor under pressure. The exception was the last game when I had to close the match in fifth game. It is my first medal in singles. I am so happy that I won it because last time when I played against DRAGOMAN I lost ” said KOLISH.   Unfortunately for Russia only one will reach the finals since they will meet each other tomorrow morning.   In other semi final top seeded Adina DIACONU of Romania will play against NING Jing of Azerbaijan. DIACONU beat Jennie WOLF of Germany (6 7 6 -12 10). NING overcame Kristina KAZANTSEVA of Russia (-9 9 5 8 8).   “In the two last games I had a hard time. WOLF found the answer to my game. I put a lot of spin to my balls and try to get German player far from the table. I never lost against her and since I was out of the game in all other Events I feel even more motivated to reach the title in singles ” said Adina.   In the Cadet Girls Singles Event for the place in the semis Wenna TU of Germany beat Arina SLAUTINA of Russia (9 10 -4 4 9).   “Before and at the start of the match I was nervous. It is my first medal ever at the European Championships and first time that we met each other ” admitted Wenna TU.   She will meet her compatroiot Anastasia BONDAREVA who overcame Ece HARAC of Turkey (-5 7 -10 3 10 -5 8). Elizabet ABRAAMIAN of Russia beat Prithika PAVADE of France (-7 8 5 7 -6 5). Elena – Adriana ZAHARIA of Romania prevailed against Nataliya MALININA of Russia (8 2 -8 -8 7 8).   “Since the beginning of the match I was very emotional. It was the first time that I played against her and my first medal here. I already had one in Team’s not in singles. I struggled to attack her on the backhand ” said ZAHARIA.

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships European cadet singles champions from 2015 Cristian PLETEA of Romania is in the semi final of the Junior Singles Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Portugal. In quarterfinal he halted the progress of Tom JARVIS of England 4:1 (7 10 -5 2 10).   “Tom is very strong both on attack and in defense. He has a many variations on the service. I had to attack him to the middle and also to change my service game ” said PLETEA. “It is my first semis as a junior and I am feeling very well.”   He will meet Simon SODERLUND of Sweden who overcame Carlo ROSSI of Italy (8 9 4 8). Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS of Greece enjoyed his day by playing against Artur ABUSEV of Russia. Last game he won 11:0 (3 9 -6 6 0). He will meet Rares SIPOS оf Romania who beat Gerrit ENGEMANN of Germany (-10 6 -7 10 4 9).   “I avenged my defeat in the Team’s Event against ENGEMANN. Then I was 10:5 in the decisive game and I lost. Now in the Singles I was 2:8 down in the sixth game and I won 11:9.” Explained SIPOS. “Now I felt fresh ENGEMANN had a very safe game so kept my flip under control.”   In the Cadet Boys Singles Event reigning champion Vladimir SIDORENKO of Russia reached the medal rostrum. In the quarterfinal he beat Olav KOSOLOSKY of Belgium 4:1 (8 7 10 -10 3).   “Olav KOSOLOSKY had a very good tactics against me ” said SIDORENKO. “ Against Samuel I played few times before and I know it is going to be a close encounter.”   For the final he will meet Samuel KULCZYCKI of Poland. Polish player overcame Bilal HAMACHE of France 4:0 (7 7 7 9).   “I played incredibly well HILAL was not at the top of his game. So far it is best match that I have played in Portugal. I am so happy I won the medal here ” said Samuel KULCZYCKI.   Maksim GREBNEV of Russia beat Dorian ZHENG of France 4:3 (8 -11 8 -7 8 -10 8). Truls MOREGARDH of Sweden beat Frantisek ONDERKA of Czech Republic 4:1 (7 -5 4 7 7)  

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   Seeded no. one in the Junior Boy’s Doubles Event Cristian PLETEA of Romania and Denis IVONIN of Russia will play in tomorrow’s semi final of the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships. In quarters they prevailed against Matteo MUTTI and Carlo ROSSI of Italy 3:0   In semis PLETEA and IVONIN will meet Istvan MOLNAR of Hungary and Andrei PUTUNTICA of Moldova. This combination overcame Jiri MARTINKO and Jan VALENTA of Czech Republic in four games.   “There are no words I can describe the feeling. It is our first European Championships that we play together and we reached the semis” said Andrei PUTUNTICA.   Patrik JUHASZ and Norbert NAGY of Hungary beat YANG Xinyu and WANG Chenxi of Azerbaijan after fierce battle in five games whilst Simon SODERLUND of Sweden and Cedric MEISSNER of Germany beat Rares SIPOS of Romania and Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS of Greece   “It is my first European Youth Championships. It is also first time that we are playing together. The fact that we have a medal is a great thing ” said Cedric MEISSNER.   SODERLUND added: “We changed the direction of the receive in each set. They failed to adjust their game. “     Hungarian pairings were forced to go full distance.   “It is always hard to play against players from China. It is the second time that we play together but it is first European Championships. Our opponents were very strong to the forehand. There were no pressure on us ” Patrik JUHASZ.   In Junior Girls doubles semi final Izabela LUPULESKU and Sabina SURJAN of Serbia will meet NING Jing and CHEN Xingtai of Azerbaijan. Serbia’s players prevailed against Lucie GAUTHIER and Nolwenn FORT of France 3:2.   “When we saw French girls beating top seeds Adina DIACONU and Andreea DRAGOMAN we knew wehad our chance. We were still under influence of defeat in singles where we both lost 3:4 but we kept going and fighting. We won two opening games; our adversaries recovered to level and even had 9:7 but we did not panicked. We stood on our path ” explained Izabela LUPULESKU.   Azerbaijan’s pairings beat Julia SLAZAK and Agata ZAKRZEWSKA of Poland 3:2. In the lower half of the draw Maria YOVKOVA of Bulgaria and Fanni HARASZTOVICH of Hungary overcame Leili MOSTAFAVI and Romane LE SCOUR of France 3:1.   “We were calm and active throughout the match. The second game we lost because of lack of focus. We blocked French forehand ” said Fanni HARASZTOVICH who paired with YOVKOVA for a first time.   Luisa SAGER and Jennie WOLF of Germany succeeded against Simay KULAKCEKEN of Turkey and Mihaela PLAEASU of Romania

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   Top seeds in Cadet Boys Doubles Event Vladimir SIDORENKO and Maksim GREBNEV of Russia secured the place at the medal rostrum at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Portugal. In the quarterfinal they overcame Olav KOSOLOSKY and Adrien RASSENFOSSE of Belgium 3:1.   Today they will meet Jules CAVAILLE and Myshaal SABHI of France. French pairings overcame Heorhi KUNATS and Mikhail TSYHANOUSKI of Belarus. In the lower half of the draw Bilal HAMACHE and Dorian ZHENG of France beat Samuel KULCZYCKI and Maciej KUBIK of Poland 3:0.   “At the beginning we were nervous because we played for the medal. We suffered by their hands in the past. We were excited and we screamed after each point. Polish players always wanted to flip the ball so we adjust our service to block that. We won a lot of points with the service game ” said Bilal HAMACHE.   French pairings will meet Truls MOREGARDH and Martin FRIIS of Sweden. Daniel RINDERER and Felix WETZEL of Germany lost their encounter in quarters 3:2.   “We were 0:2 down because we gave our adversaries chance to attack. In the third game we were ready to recover and to change the course of the match. Tactically we forced them to play our game ” said MOREGARDH.   The places at the medal rostrum in cadet Girl’s Doubles Event will be distributed between Russia Germany and Turkey. Russia has representatives in both semis. Ekaterina ZIRONOVA and Elizabet ABRAAMIAN of Russia beat Adriana Elena ZAHARIA and Luciana Camelia MITROFAN of Romania in straight games. Today they will meet Sophia KLEE and Anastasia BONDAREVA of Germany who prevailed against Şükran CANGIR and Betul TOZ of Turkey by same margin.   “We won opening game but we were in reverse in the next one. However we managed to win by narrow margin. We put a lot of rotation to our first ball to angels and direct to body of our adversaries. Their service was long and we faced difficulties to answer that ball “ said BONDAREVA.   Arina SLAUTINA and Nataliya MALININA of Russia beat Darya KISEL and Ulyana AKLHOUSKAYA of Belarus and they will play against Ozge YILMAZ and Ece HARAC of Turkey. Turkish pairings overcame Jamila LAURENTI of Italy and Natalia BRINZA of Moldova 3:1.   “We are so happy now we have a medal. We played to the forehand of both our adversaries since both had defense rubbers on the backhands ” said Ozge YILMAZ.    

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Guimaraes   In the second Round of the Junior Girls Singles Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Guimaraes on her first exit to the table top seeded Adina DIACONU of Romania easily prevailed against Martina NINO of Italy (3 4 5 10). In the second match she repeated the result. Reigning Junior Girls Singles Champion overcame DENG Simeng of Azerbaijan (6 2 10 11).   On the lower half of the draw Maria TAILAKOVA of Russia showed no mercy against Katarina STRAZAR of Slovenia (4 7 5 5) before she overcame Andrea PAVLOVIC of Croatia (10 8 4 6).   For other member of the Russia’s gold winning team it was different scenario. Tijana JOKIC of Serbia beat Daria SHANDRINA of Russia.   “When I saw the draw I was so angry. I am good against players with aggressive style and I could not believe I will have to play against defense again. I promised myself I would not let her beat me twice. I played point for point; I did not let the one I lost affect my confidence and focus. Eventually I prevailed “ said JOKIC who failed to repeat the success in the next round against Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania (6 7 8 5).   For Anastasia KOLISH it was another easy win in the second round. She overcame Slovenia’s Aleksandra VOVK (-14 7 6 5 8). However in next stage she needed six games to overcame Julia SLAYAK of Poland (10 5 11 -11 -6 6).   “The opening game was very close – 50:50. I made a lot of mistakes because of lack of focus that is why I lost it. After that I was much determent. My tactics was to short the service and to attack to the middle when the opportunity occurs. Most of the time it was successful ” said KOLISH after victory over VOVK.   In the second Round of the Cadet Girls Singles Event Ekaterina ZIRONOVA added another straight games victory to her record. She beat Emilija RILSKYTE of Lithuania (9 6 4 7) whilst at the bottom of the draw Elena ZAHARIA of Romania overcame Viola PHAN of Hungary in same impressive style (5 4 8 6). After a fierce battle top seeded ZIRONOVA lost against Anastasia BONDAREVA  of Germany in six games (10 -10 7 -8 12 10).   ZIRONOVA is safely through to the Round of 16 in cadet Girls Doubles Event. With Elizabeta ABRAAMIAN she overcame Carina ENGLUND and Kaarina SAARIALHO of Finland (1 5 3). Seeded no. two Jamila LAURENTI and Natalia BRINZA overcame Denisa URITU and Ioana SINGEORZAN of Romania (10 6 4).

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   In the Junior Boy’s Singles Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships Bulgaria’s Stefan TODOROV caused the major upset by beating Like SAVILL of England in the second round (8 -6 9 9 12). TODOROV is currently ranked at the position no. 115 at the European Rankings whilst SAVILL is Europe’s no 35. He continued with the good results and reached the Round of 16 after victory over Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria (5 -10 -7 -2 6 7 10).   “It was tough game. I started the game thinking I will be better then him. It meant I needed to be focused on each ball and every ball had to be errorless. I tried to block the game with the short services and to be first to attack. I was playing to his forehand. Sometimes I will make a longer service to his left and I made a lot of variation on that service. Unfortunately this tactics did not work at the beginning but at the end it paid off ” said Stefan after first victory.   Favorites were free yesterday and today they came fresh from the break. At least no. one seed Cristian PLETEA of Romania who beat Finn VETVIK of Norway in the opening round and against Antonino AMATO of Italy in next. His compatriot Rares SIPOS who prevailed against WALASZEK of Poland before he beat JHoan MASIP of Spain.   Iannis SGOUROPOULOS of Greece joined them after victory over Mislav MARTINEK of Croatia.   “I did not have any problems at all. So far it was good season for me. I was at the World Championships this year with senior team and it helped me gain the experience ” said SGOUROPOULOS who overcame Laurens DEVOS of Belgium in evening program.     Jonathan THIMON of Sweden already cased the upset yesterday by beaten Istvan MOLNAR of Hungary but today he proved it did not come as an accident. He reached the third round by beating Greece’s representative Georgios STAMATOUROS (-7 -6 10 3 9 3).   “I was under stress at the beginning because my adversary put so many balls at the table. I was losing 0:2. When I recovered in third game I felt my adversary started to lose his steam and it boosted my confidence. From that moment on I just kept attacking “ said THIMON.   In next Round he suffered by the hands of Denis IVONIN of Russia.    Carlo ROSSI of Italy beat the member of thegold medal winning team Tobias HIPPLER of Germany.   “I feel so good. This year was not easy for me I did not have good results as I used. Beating the champion now will help me. When I played I think of my family ” said ROSSI.” I was more active then my adversary. In easch game I tried something new and fought for each point. “   Top seed in Cadet Boys Singles Event Vladimir SIDORENKO easily prevailed in his second round match against Romania’s Andrei TOMICA of Romania. In next reigning European champions beat Elias HARDMEIER of Switzerland.   At the start of the day Tiago LI of Portugal beat Alessandro CICCHITTI of Italy but he was stretched to full distance. LI recovered from two games to null in reverse.   “Playing in front of the home crowd put an extra pressure on me. Few times during the match I was very nervous. In some moments I was to passive but I managed to win ” said LI.   The joy did not last for long. In next round LI suffered by the hands of Myshaal SABHI of France.   In the second Round Felix WETZEL of Germany beat Amau PONS of Spain in six games (-4 -10 7 9 7 2) before he sealed the faith of Tomas MARTINKO of Czech Republic.   “I was two null down because I was struggling to put a spin on the ball. I did not give up and at the start of the third game I attacked with more spin to his forehand and to the middle ” said WETZEL after the match against PONS.   Lode HULSHOF from Netherlands beat Matteo GULADI of Italy to reach the third Round (3 -8 10 9 -3 -6 8).   “This is good victory for me because I am lower ranked player compering my adversary. I was 3:1 up because I was very aggressive and on semi long play I was very strong. From 3:1 to 3:3 I lost my focus and I was only putting the balls on the table waiting for Matteo’s error. Unfortunately he did not made any mistakes so I had to change something. On the decisive game I won because I was only focused on that was going on the table ” said HULSHOF who suffered in the next round by the hands of Gleb IVANOV of Russia.   Truls MOREGARDH beat Maciej KUBIK of Poland and Emir CULPEDIN of Romania on his way to best 16 tonight.

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   In the semi final of the Cadet Mixed Doubles tomorrow at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Guimaraes will play Vladimir SIDORENKO and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA of Russia against Martin FRIIS and Rebecca MUSKANTOR of Sweden whilst in other match Vladislav MAKAROV and Nataliya MALININA of Russia will meet Daniel RINDERER and Anastasia BONDAREVA of Germany.   In the quarterfinal SIDORENKO and ZIRONOVA beat Felix WETZEL and Sophia KLEE of Germany (8 -11 6 7).   “We had a good start but they recovered in second game. In the third game the coach had to call for time out because they were getting close after our advantage. After that we changed the tactics with more rotation on attacks “said SIDORENKO.   FRIIS and MUSKANTOR overcame Tiago LI of Portugal and Kornelija RILISKYTE of Lithuania (-9 10 8 6).   “In the beginning we were playing on Tiago’s backhand and he is very strong there. We changed it on the second game and took the control of the match ” said MUSKANTOR.   MAKAROV and MALININA overcame Csaba ANDRAS of Hungary and Elena – Adriana ZAHARIA of Romania (-3 7 7 11) whilst RINDERER and BONDAREVA beat Ivor BAN and Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia (-5 10 9 5).

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   In the evening hours of the 8th day of the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Guimaraes four Mixed Doubles in junior category secured medals. Tomorrow at the penultimate phase Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU of Romania will play against Denis IVONIN and Mariia TAILAKOVA of Russia WHILST Nikita ARTEMENKO and Anna KRASIKOVA of Russia will meet Jules ROLLAND and Lucie GAUTHIER of France.   In the quarterfinal PLETEA and DIACONU easily prevailed against YANG Xinyu and DENG Simeng of Azerbaijan (5 11 4).   “Before the match we did not know what to expect from them. We tried to play to the middle and forehand since are really strong at the backhand. The second game that we 13:11 since they started to build their confidence. We halted them on time ” said PLETEA.   IVONIN and TAILAKOVA were under little pressure against Carlo ROSSI of Italy and Sabina SURJAN of Serbia (9 -6 11 10).   “In the previous round we were not good as today. In this match we finally settled into the rhythm together. ROSI was more dangerous then Sabina so we had to attack him and to block his forehand and play the ball short” said TAILAKOVA.”Sabina was not very strong today on top spin but we had to be cautious because on short ball she had good control.”   ARTEMENKO and KRASIKOVA overcame Nikita ARTEMENKO and Anna KRASIKOVA of Russia (12 6 -8 9) and ROLLAND and GAUTHIER beat Kamil NALEPA and Julia SLAZAK of Poland (6 10 8).