60th STAG European Youth Championships   Reigning champions team of Russia secured the place in the quarterfinal of the Cadet Girls Team’s Event at the 60th STAG European Youth Championships in Giumaraes. In the last eight they will meet Czech Republic.   “I was 2:1 down in the opening match but after three games I was able to adjust my game and to move better. As a team we expecting the victory. We are here for gold ” said Russia’s Elizabet ABRAAMIAN.     In other matches Turkey will play against Romania Belarus against Moldova Lithuania against France.   Czech Republic overcame Bulgaria on their way to the quarters. They needed full five games.   “It was the match full of ups and downs. Only first match was easy. Kristyna PENKAKOVA beat Kalina HRISTOVA in straight games. After that Linda ZADEROVA had 1:0 lead and 5:1 in the second game. It looked like she easily won it but Ivet ILIEVA recovered ZADEROVA got injured …She played in the doubles with PENKAKOVA and won it by she could not repeat it in second singles match. Once again she lost in five games. PENKAKOVA however proved she is very strong. She saved three match points in the decisive game of the decisive match to win it eventually ” explained coach of the Czech team Andrea BOTKOVA.   Turkey beat Slovakia Romania overcame Belgium Belarus beat Germany Moldova overcame Hungary Lithuania prevailed against Croatia and France beat Italy.   “Prithika PAVADE played three games in the row and it affected her focus. That is why she was 0:2 down in the fourth game. However she recovered and won it ” said French coach Remy LUDOVIC.

60th STAG European Youth Championships   In the quarterfinal of the Junior Girls Team’s Event at the 60th STAG European Youth Championships Romania will play against Czech Republic Poland against Azerbaijan Serbia against Spain and Slovenia against Russia.   Top seeded team of Romania prevailed against Turkey. Once again Adina DIACONU was the driving force behind the team’s success. She won two matches like in previous occasions. She beat Betul Nur KAHRAMAN and Simay KULAKCEKEN who also suffered by the hands of Andreaa DRAGOMAN. Gul Pembe OZKAYA overcame Tania PLAIAN.   “I can not tell it was hard or easy game. I think we managed it very well. For sure it was important match; first in the main draw. Now we will meet Czech Republic ” said DIACONU.   Before the match between Czech Republic and Belgium was finished DRAGOMAN commented she would prefer Czechs in the next round so she had her wish come true.   Spain beat Sweden 3:1. Filippa BERGAND gave Sweden good start after victory over Ana GARCIA but after that it was one-way street for the Spanish side. ZHANG Xuan Xu recorded two victories and Marina NIGUEZ added one to the scoreboard.   “Before the first match I was little bit nervous but I manage to focus and I won both my encounters. We are happy that we won and reached the quarterfinal otherwise we will have to stay in the hall and play another round tonight. Now we have some time to rest. Our aim is to gain the medal. Now we will meet Serbia. Last year we lost againt them easily. We will not let them get away that easy this time ”said ZHANG Xuan Xu. “ Regarding my games I was feeling confortable. My adversary struggled with the receive so I took the advantage of it.” Before the re-run of the last year’s semi final and match against Spain Serbia beat Croatia. It was already seen last year in the quarters.   “We were under pressure because we had to repeat the success from the last year and to prove it did not came as an accident. Most important today was to stop Andrea PAVLOVIC. Sabina SURJAN successfully fulfiled the task in the opening match in five games. After that it was easy ” said Tijana JOKIC who overcame Leona SANTEK.   Slovenia beat Belarus 3:0 to reach the next stage. Ana TOFAT overcame Daria TRIGOLOS 3:2 to pave the path of success. Katarina STYRAZAR and Aleksandra VOVK secured the victory with the triumphs over Nadezdha BOGDANOVA and Marharyta BALTHUSHITE.     Poland Beat France 3:1 Azerbaijan succeeded against Norway 3:0.    

60th STAG European Youth Championships   In the quarterfinal of the Junior Girls Team’s Event at the 60th STAG European Youth Championships Romania will play against Czech Republic Poland against Azerbaijan Serbia against Spain and Slovenia against Russia.   Top seeded team of Romania prevailed against Turkey. Once again Adina DIACONU was the driving force behind the team’s success. She won two matches like in previous occasions. She beat Betul Nur KAHRAMAN and Simay KULAKCEKEN who also suffered by the hands of Andreaa DRAGOMAN. Gul Pembe OZKAYA overcame Tania PLAIAN.   “I can not tell it was hard or easy game. I think we managed it very well. For sure it was important match; first in the main draw. Now we will meet Czech Republic ” said DIACONU.   Before the match between Czech Republic and Belgium was finished DRAGOMAN commented she would prefer Czechs in the next round so she had her wish come true.   Spain beat Sweden 3:1. Filippa BERGAND gave Sweden good start after victory over Ana GARCIA but after that it was one-way street for the Spanish side. ZHANG Xuan Xu recorded two victories and Marina NIGUEZ added one to the scoreboard.   “Before the first match I was little bit nervous but I manage to focus and I won both my encounters. We are happy that we won and reached the quarterfinal otherwise we will have to stay in the hall and play another round tonight. Now we have some time to rest. Our aim is to gain the medal. Now we will meet Serbia. Last year we lost againt them easily. We will not let them get away that easy this time ”said ZHANG Xuan Xu. “ Regarding my games I was feeling confortable. My adversary struggled with the receive so I took the advantage of it.” Before the re-run of the last year’s semi final and match against Spain Serbia beat Croatia. It was already seen last year in the quarters.   “We were under pressure because we had to repeat the success from the last year and to prove it did not came as an accident. Most important today was to stop Andrea PAVLOVIC. Sabina SURJAN successfully fulfiled the task in the opening match in five games. After that it was easy ” said Tijana JOKIC who overcame Leona SANTEK.   Slovenia beat Belarus 3:0 to reach the next stage. Ana TOFAT overcame Daria TRIGOLOS 3:2 to pave the path of success. Katarina STYRAZAR and Aleksandra VOVK secured the victory with the triumphs over Nadezdha BOGDANOVA and Marharyta BALTHUSHITE.     Poland Beat France 3:1 Azerbaijan succeeded against Norway 3:0.    

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   Russia’s Ekaterina ZIRONOVA Elizabet ABRAAMIAN Natalya MALININA and Arina SLAUTINA scored 9:0 in three matches and booked top spot in Group A of the Cadet Girls Team’s Event at the 2017 STAG European Youth Championships.   In Group B France lost are also impressive with 9:1 score and wins over Turkey Belarus and Poland. In direct clash for second position Turkey overcame Belarus.   “We played with the same team last year too. Girls improved from that time. They played in the final of the French Open this year. Our pairings Ece HARAC and Ozge YILMAZ work perfectly in doubles so we also expect success in second part of the tournament ” said coach Halil ADAK.   Romania is at the top of the group C but they were stretched to full distance twice against Ukraine and Sweden. However the only team that lost 3:0 against Romania reached the second position in the group. It is Croatia.   “The hardest match was the one against Romania. We suffered defeat yesterday and that is why was very difficult for me to play at the beginning of todays duel against Ukraine. Hanna LONCAREVIC lost her match and I was not playing well at first against Iolanta YEVTODII. Latter I was more aggressive ” said Hana ARAPOVIC.   Germany is at the top position in Group D whilst Czech Republic is second.

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   Russia’s Ekaterina ZIRONOVA Elizabet ABRAAMIAN Natalya MALININA and Arina SLAUTINA scored 9:0 in three matches and booked top spot in Group A of the Cadet Girls Team’s Event at the 2017 STAG European Youth Championships.   In Group B France lost are also impressive with 9:1 score and wins over Turkey Belarus and Poland. In direct clash for second position Turkey overcame Belarus.   “We played with the same team last year too. Girls improved from that time. They played in the final of the French Open this year. Our pairings Ece HARAC and Ozge YILMAZ work perfectly in doubles so we also expect success in second part of the tournament ” said coach Halil ADAK.   Romania is at the top of the group C but they were stretched to full distance twice against Ukraine and Sweden. However the only team that lost 3:0 against Romania reached the second position in the group. It is Croatia.   “The hardest match was the one against Romania. We suffered defeat yesterday and that is why was very difficult for me to play at the beginning of todays duel against Ukraine. Hanna LONCAREVIC lost her match and I was not playing well at first against Iolanta YEVTODII. Latter I was more aggressive ” said Hana ARAPOVIC.   Germany is at the top position in Group D whilst Czech Republic is second.

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships The victory over the top seeded team of France and Slovenia day earlier gave England enough space to secure the leading position in Group A even after the defeat against Poland. They stretched Poland to full distance and despite their victory Polish side concluded the Group stage at the bottom. From the spot no. two France also progressed to the best 16 teams in the Junior Boys Teams Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships.   “It was amazing win against France. I could not believe we did it. I felt well; my teammates were very supportive. In the match against BERTRAND it was very difficult for me to receive his service. He was very good so I struggled to put the ball at the table ” said Tom JARVIS who eventually beat Irvin 3:1.   The yesterdays win left the team little bit without the fuel.   “I was tired and Poland had nothing to lose. They played risky. I was focused on every aspect of the game ” said JARVIS who lived in Sweden.   JARVIS is familiar with the climate in Portugal. He was here earlier this year practicing for the Youth Championships in the High Performance Center in Vila Nova de Gaia.   In Group B Romania recorded three 3:0 win against Czech Republic Denmark and Serbia. Czech Republic is second.   Whilst Russia’s progress to Round of 16 was out of question the battle for the spot no. two was fierce. Germany and Spain decided who would have afternoon off in direct clash. Germany was the better in the five matches duel.   Gerrit ENGEMANN gave Germany the dream start with the victory over Joan MASIP and he sealed the match with the victory over Francisco RUIZ.   “It was hard to come back after the defeat against Russia day earlier. That is why my victory in the opening match was very important. However Spain managed to recover and they took the lead. We changed the approach. Played more aggressive and more important we were faster and moved better ” said ENGEMANN.   In group D Italy beat the odds and from spot. no. two moved to the top with three victories. Belgium slipped one place below.

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships The victory over the top seeded team of France and Slovenia day earlier gave England enough space to secure the leading position in Group A even after the defeat against Poland. They stretched Poland to full distance and despite their victory Polish side concluded the Group stage at the bottom. From the spot no. two France also progressed to the best 16 teams in the Junior Boys Teams Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships.   “It was amazing win against France. I could not believe we did it. I felt well; my teammates were very supportive. In the match against BERTRAND it was very difficult for me to receive his service. He was very good so I struggled to put the ball at the table ” said Tom JARVIS who eventually beat Irvin 3:1.   The yesterdays win left the team little bit without the fuel.   “I was tired and Poland had nothing to lose. They played risky. I was focused on every aspect of the game ” said JARVIS who lived in Sweden.   JARVIS is familiar with the climate in Portugal. He was here earlier this year practicing for the Youth Championships in the High Performance Center in Vila Nova de Gaia.   In Group B Romania recorded three 3:0 win against Czech Republic Denmark and Serbia. Czech Republic is second.   Whilst Russia’s progress to Round of 16 was out of question the battle for the spot no. two was fierce. Germany and Spain decided who would have afternoon off in direct clash. Germany was the better in the five matches duel.   Gerrit ENGEMANN gave Germany the dream start with the victory over Joan MASIP and he sealed the match with the victory over Francisco RUIZ.   “It was hard to come back after the defeat against Russia day earlier. That is why my victory in the opening match was very important. However Spain managed to recover and they took the lead. We changed the approach. Played more aggressive and more important we were faster and moved better ” said ENGEMANN.   In group D Italy beat the odds and from spot. no. two moved to the top with three victories. Belgium slipped one place below.

STAG 2017 European Youth Championships   Reigning champions in Junior Girl’s Team’s Event Romania succeeded in all three matches in the Group stages at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships in Guimaraes. Led by Adina DIACONU who showed no cracks in her armor so far Romania beat France Croatia and Slovenia to reach the Round of 16.   France failed to justify their second position in the group. They concluded first stage at the position no. three. Croatia beat them today. However no. two spot finally was booked by Slovenia the team that beat Croatia yesterday.   In Group B Russia was even more convincing. They are yet to lose the match. Russia recorded three 3:0 wins over Sweden Belgium and Norway. Belgium beat Sweden 3:0 in the last round to swap positions and to secure second place.   Below leading Azerbaijan with three wins Belarus and Spain fought today for the place no. two. Spain’s Ana GARCIA YHANG Xuan Xu and Alba FERNANDEZ eventually won 3:1 and progressed to the Round of 16.   Serbia on the wings of yesterday triumph over Germany gave Turkey no chance. They booked spot. No. one.   “For a first time I beat Luisa SAGER and it is very good result for me. As soon as we saw the draw we were preparing for that duel because we knew it will be crucial for us. However after the victory we did not lose our focus and motivation. We beat Turkey 3:0. The first part of the journey concluded. Now we have to wait for the outcome of the draw” said Izabela LUPULESKU.   In that Group Poland beat Germany for second position and to skip the play-off.