Cadet Boys Doubles Event   Against the odds Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria and Vladislav URSU of Moldova clinched the gold medal at the Cadet Boys Doubles Event at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb. In the final they overcame Truls MOREGARDH and Martin FRIIS of Sweden in four games.   “We had wonderful championships here. We never put pressure on ourselves by thinking against whom we are going to play. They were all favorites but we did not think about rankings. We played ball for ball match for match ” said KOLODZIEJCZYK.   “We beat Azerbaijan’s pairing’s after we were 2:0 down. After that we exploded ” said URSU.   Top seeds Vladimir SIDORENKO and Maksim GREBNEV excided earlier then their rankings predicted. Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria and Vladislav URSU of Moldova prevailed in four games.   “They are better players and they were top seeds but we did not think about it. We were focused on our game. We did not give up even in the moments when they were on their way back into the match ” explained Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK.   The pairings teamed up at the beginning of the season and clinched silver in Italy.   In other semi final Truls MOREGARDH and Martin FRIIS of Sweden justified their rankings and beat Lilian BARDET and Jules CAVAILLE of France.   “We were very motivated. French players are very good but we were more consistent. Also our team spirit is very high. We cheered and pushed further each other ” explained Martin FRIIS.     Final   Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (Austria) Vladislav URSU (Moldova) – Truls MOREGARDH Martin FRIIS (Sweden) 3:1 (11:9 7:11 12:10 11:7) Semi Final   Lilian BARDET Jules CAVAILLE (France) – Truls MOREGARDH Martin FRIIS (Sweden) 1:3 (6:11 11:7 6:11 3:11)   Vladimir SIDORENKO Maksim GREBNEV (Russia) – Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (Austria) Vladislav URSU (Moldova) 1:3 (8:11 11:8 9:11 9:11)  

Cadet Boys Doubles Event   Against the odds Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria and Vladislav URSU of Moldova clinched the gold medal at the Cadet Boys Doubles Event at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb. In the final they overcame Truls MOREGARDH and Martin FRIIS of Sweden in four games.   “We had wonderful championships here. We never put pressure on ourselves by thinking against whom we are going to play. They were all favorites but we did not think about rankings. We played ball for ball match for match ” said KOLODZIEJCZYK.   “We beat Azerbaijan’s pairing’s after we were 2:0 down. After that we exploded ” said URSU.   Top seeds Vladimir SIDORENKO and Maksim GREBNEV excided earlier then their rankings predicted. Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria and Vladislav URSU of Moldova prevailed in four games.   “They are better players and they were top seeds but we did not think about it. We were focused on our game. We did not give up even in the moments when they were on their way back into the match ” explained Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK.   The pairings teamed up at the beginning of the season and clinched silver in Italy.   In other semi final Truls MOREGARDH and Martin FRIIS of Sweden justified their rankings and beat Lilian BARDET and Jules CAVAILLE of France.   “We were very motivated. French players are very good but we were more consistent. Also our team spirit is very high. We cheered and pushed further each other ” explained Martin FRIIS.     Final   Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (Austria) Vladislav URSU (Moldova) – Truls MOREGARDH Martin FRIIS (Sweden) 3:1 (11:9 7:11 12:10 11:7) Semi Final   Lilian BARDET Jules CAVAILLE (France) – Truls MOREGARDH Martin FRIIS (Sweden) 1:3 (6:11 11:7 6:11 3:11)   Vladimir SIDORENKO Maksim GREBNEV (Russia) – Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (Austria) Vladislav URSU (Moldova) 1:3 (8:11 11:8 9:11 9:11)  

Cadet Girls Doubles Event   Tania PLAIN of Romania and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA of Russia clinched the crown in the Cadet Doubles Event at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb. On their way to the throne they created top rated upset. The pairings who teamed up just before the start of the tournament overcame top seeds Anastasia KOLISH and Kristina KAZANTSEVA of Russia.   Only one game went to favorites account.   “Our fighting spirit lead us to the victory. Even we do not realize what we did but I hope we will play together in future too ” said PLAIN.   In semis last year’s quarterfinalists KOLISH and KAZANTSEVA beat Zdena BLASKOVA of Czech Republic and Katarina STRAZAR of Slovenia in four games.   “We are playing eight years together and we are very confident in each other. The match was not very difficult; the biggest problem was that we did not warm up enough for the match. We had only 40 minutes of warm up training and it was not enough. That is why we had problems at the beginning ” said KAZANTSEVA.   In second match Tania PLAIN of Romania and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA of Russia beat Ozge YILMAZ and Ece HARAC of Turkey in another four games match.   “We are very proud we made it to the final because we teamed up just here. Turkish girls put us under pressure with their service game we struggled with receive but it ended well ” said PLAIN.     Final Anastasia KOLISH Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) – Tania PLAIN (Romania) Ekaterina ZIRONOVA (Russia) 1:3 (5:11 5:11 11:9 8:11)   Semi final Anastasia KOLISH Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) – Zdena BLASKOVA (Czech Republic) Katarina STRAZAR (Slovenia) 3:1 (11:3 9:11 13:11 11:6)   Ozge YILMAZ Ece HARAC (Turkey) – Tania PLAIN (Romania) Ekaterina ZIRONOVA (Russia) 2:3 (11:6 6:11 4:11 12:10 3:11)  

Cadet Girls Doubles Event   Tania PLAIN of Romania and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA of Russia clinched the crown in the Cadet Doubles Event at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb. On their way to the throne they created top rated upset. The pairings who teamed up just before the start of the tournament overcame top seeds Anastasia KOLISH and Kristina KAZANTSEVA of Russia.   Only one game went to favorites account.   “Our fighting spirit lead us to the victory. Even we do not realize what we did but I hope we will play together in future too ” said PLAIN.   In semis last year’s quarterfinalists KOLISH and KAZANTSEVA beat Zdena BLASKOVA of Czech Republic and Katarina STRAZAR of Slovenia in four games.   “We are playing eight years together and we are very confident in each other. The match was not very difficult; the biggest problem was that we did not warm up enough for the match. We had only 40 minutes of warm up training and it was not enough. That is why we had problems at the beginning ” said KAZANTSEVA.   In second match Tania PLAIN of Romania and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA of Russia beat Ozge YILMAZ and Ece HARAC of Turkey in another four games match.   “We are very proud we made it to the final because we teamed up just here. Turkish girls put us under pressure with their service game we struggled with receive but it ended well ” said PLAIN.     Final Anastasia KOLISH Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) – Tania PLAIN (Romania) Ekaterina ZIRONOVA (Russia) 1:3 (5:11 5:11 11:9 8:11)   Semi final Anastasia KOLISH Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) – Zdena BLASKOVA (Czech Republic) Katarina STRAZAR (Slovenia) 3:1 (11:3 9:11 13:11 11:6)   Ozge YILMAZ Ece HARAC (Turkey) – Tania PLAIN (Romania) Ekaterina ZIRONOVA (Russia) 2:3 (11:6 6:11 4:11 12:10 3:11)  

Cadet Mixed Doubles Event   Last year’s bronze medalists Russia’s Lev KATSMAN and Kristina KAZANTSEVA clinched gold medal in the Cadet Mixed Doubles at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb. In the final they overcame Vincent PICARD and Prithika PAVADE of France.   “It is my second gold medal first was in teams event. We are so happy. We knew that French boy is strong in Doubles. He has good service game good return and flip too. But we find the solution to stop him ” said KAZANTSEVA.   In the semi final YANG Xinyu and ZHOU Chuy of Azerbaijan had a better start against Vincent PICARD and Prithika PAVADE but when French pairings settle into the rhythm Azerbaijan’s players could not find much answers to their game.   “We are playing for a first time together but we enjoy it very well. We wanted to win this match ” said Vincent PICARD.” It was important that our service game stay on high level.”   Prithika PAVADE added: ”My service had to be good. We had to play on first ball. With second we did not have the chance.”   In second penultimate stage match Lev KATSMAN and Kristina KAZANTSEVA beat Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria and Tania PLAIAN of Romania.   “Last year we were third at the European youth Championships. This time we came for gold. We had very strong adversaries but we were not afraid ” said KATSMAN.   Kristina KAZANTSEVA admitted she was under pressure.   “To play against Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK was very hard for me. His service game is very good.”   Cadet Mixed Doubles   Final   Vincent PICARD Prithika PAVADE (France) – Lev KATSMAN Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) 1:3 (11:6 6:11 5:11 9:11)   Semi Final   YANG Xinyu ZHOU Chuyi (Azerbaijan)- Vincent PICARD Prithika PAVADE (France) 2:3 (11:7 10:12 4:11 11:3 6:11)   Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (Austria) Tania PLAIAN (Romania)- Lev KATSMAN Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) 1:3 (7:11 6:11 11:8 10:12)  

Cadet Mixed Doubles Event   Last year’s bronze medalists Russia’s Lev KATSMAN and Kristina KAZANTSEVA clinched gold medal in the Cadet Mixed Doubles at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb. In the final they overcame Vincent PICARD and Prithika PAVADE of France.   “It is my second gold medal first was in teams event. We are so happy. We knew that French boy is strong in Doubles. He has good service game good return and flip too. But we find the solution to stop him ” said KAZANTSEVA.   In the semi final YANG Xinyu and ZHOU Chuy of Azerbaijan had a better start against Vincent PICARD and Prithika PAVADE but when French pairings settle into the rhythm Azerbaijan’s players could not find much answers to their game.   “We are playing for a first time together but we enjoy it very well. We wanted to win this match ” said Vincent PICARD.” It was important that our service game stay on high level.”   Prithika PAVADE added: ”My service had to be good. We had to play on first ball. With second we did not have the chance.”   In second penultimate stage match Lev KATSMAN and Kristina KAZANTSEVA beat Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria and Tania PLAIAN of Romania.   “Last year we were third at the European youth Championships. This time we came for gold. We had very strong adversaries but we were not afraid ” said KATSMAN.   Kristina KAZANTSEVA admitted she was under pressure.   “To play against Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK was very hard for me. His service game is very good.”   Cadet Mixed Doubles   Final   Vincent PICARD Prithika PAVADE (France) – Lev KATSMAN Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) 1:3 (11:6 6:11 5:11 9:11)   Semi Final   YANG Xinyu ZHOU Chuyi (Azerbaijan)- Vincent PICARD Prithika PAVADE (France) 2:3 (11:7 10:12 4:11 11:3 6:11)   Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (Austria) Tania PLAIAN (Romania)- Lev KATSMAN Kristina KAZANTSEVA (Russia) 1:3 (7:11 6:11 11:8 10:12)  

European Youth Championships   The duel between bronze medal winners from Ostrva 2014 and bronze medal winners from Bratislava 2015 ended with the victory of the pairings who won medal last year. Aliaksandr KHANIN and Daria TRIGOLOS of Belrus clinched the gold In the Junior Mixed Doubles Events at the European Youth Championships in Zagreb.   In the final they overcame Tomas POLANSKY of Czech Republic and Tin Tin Ho of England.   “We lost the opening game and we were down 3:5 in second. We had to change something so we started to play with less risk. It paid off ” said KHANIN.   The duel of the semi final was more difficult for winners.   “After we beat Darko JORGIC and Tamara PAVCNIK of Slovenia we were sure we can win the Event ” said TRIGOLOS.   Tomas POLANSKY and Tin Tin Ho were on express line in the semi final. In two opening games Thomas GRININGER Karoline MISCHEK of Austria won only 10 points and it was only the third set when we saw some action on the table.   “I had a difficult day yesterday and on top of all the first match of the day is always hard. However we managed to stay focus and to win ” said POLANSKY who celebrated his birthday today.   Only in third game winning pairings was challenged.   “They started to play better but we responded ” said Tin Tin Ho.   Aliaksandr KHANIN and Daria TRIGOLOS needed four games to beat Darko JORGIC and Tamara PAVCNIK of Slovenia in second semi final.   “We are playing for three years together and it is good to have experience in big matches. Last year we won bronze so we were not under severe pressure. We knew how to play important matches. The key to this win was brilliant performance of Daria. She was absolutely perfect today. I was good yesterday but this was her morning” said KHANIN.   TRIGOLOS laughed:   “We already won bronze and it took all pressure on me. I felt good.”       Junior Mixed Doubles   Final   Tomas POLANSKY (Czech Republic) Tin Tin HO – (England) Aliaksandr KHANIN Daria TRIGOLOS (Belarus) 1:3 (11:5 11:13 5:11 5:11)   Semi Final   Darko JORGIC Tamara PAVCNIK (Slovenia) -Aliaksandr KHANIN Daria TRIGOLOS (Belarus) 1:3 (6:11 3:11 11:6 7:11) Thomas GRININGER Karoline MISCHEK (Austria) -Tomas POLANSKY (Czech Republic) Tin Tin HO (England) 0:3 (5:11 5:11 11:13)

Cadet Girls Events   Zdena BLASKOVA of Czech Republic halted progress of CHEN Xingtai of Azerbaijan to book the position in the medal rostrum of the cadet Girls Singles Event at the European Youth Championships. She did it just after CHEN beat top seeded Anastasia KOLISH.   “I feel perfect. Two hours ago I also clinched the medal in doubles. Chinese born girl who play for Azerbaijan was really danger. I prepared very hard for this but still it is very hard to maintain high level after 10 days of play ” said BLASKOVA.   She will meet Kristina KAZANTSEVA of Russia. Russia’s player beat Claire PICARD of France in the quarters.   Maria TAILAKOVA of Russia overcame Anna WEGRZYN of Poland.   “I started very well with 3-0. But she had found some way to play against me so I was a little bit afraid. But I knew that I had to play to her forehand. In the last game was a lot of chances on both sides but I was better ” said TAILAKOVA.   TAILAKOVA will meet ZHOU Chuyi of Azerbaijan. In the match for the medal ZHOU beat Prithika PAVADE.   Top seed Anastasia KOLISH of Russia lost her Round of 16 match against CHEN Xingtai of Azerbaijan. She managed to win only one game.   Croatia’s last survivor Marta VUKELIC also departed the competition in the Round of 16. She lost against PAVADE of France.   “It is unbelievable how Prithika can play so many matches on highest level. You can see how much she benefit from the big international experience ” said Croatia’s coach Nikica VUKELJA. “ Generally we are satisfied. All the girls lost in the match against better-ranked players. They all gave their best.”     Cadet Girls Doubles Event     In the semi final of the Cadet Girls Doubles Event top seeds Anastasia KOLISH and Kristina KAZANTSEVA of Russia tomorrow will meet Zdena BLASKOVA of Czech Republic and Katarina STRAZAR of Slovenia. In other semi final Ozge YILMAZ and Ece HARAC of Turkey will play against Tania PLAIN (Romania) and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA .    

Junior Girls Events   Top seed Adina DIACONU showed no mercy on her way to the medal rostrum in the Junior Girls Singles Event at the European Youth Championship in Zagreb. In the semi final she overcame Eline LOYEN of Belgium in six games.   Belgium’s player showed brave performance.   “I did not expect to play against her in the quarters. On her way she beat really good Daria TRIGOLOS. The pressure was on me; she is the type of player who does not give easy points and her game is mistakes free ” said DIACONU. ”After 1:1 I won third game and that was important moment.”   Adina will meet ZHANG Xuan Xu of Spain in the semi final.   “It is first time that I beat Maria MIGOT. It was difficult to play seven games for me. So far I never managed to beat Adina but I hope it will be interesting match ” said ZHANG.   Tin Tin HO of England demonstrated the power. She beat Audrey ZARIF of France in straight games.   “ I just wanted to play at my best level. It was important for me to put the ball on the table and to forget about everything else “ said HO.   HO will meet JING Ning of Azerbaijan in the semis. JING maintained her patience to overcame defending skills of Maria MALANINA of Russia.   In the Round of 16 Eline LOYEN of Belgium upset the ranking order. Number 15 seed overcame Daria TRIGOLOS of Belarus seeded no. 5.   “We met for a first time but I did not have any problem to deal with her famous tricky service game. I had an answer to it. I started very well with 2:0 in an easy way but then I suffered from lack of focus in the third game so I lost next two sets. I recovered luckily to finish the match in six games ” said LOYEN.     Junior Girls Doubles Event   In semi final of the Junior Girls Doubles Event Maria MALANINA and Daria CHERNORAY of Russia faced early exit after their duel against Lisa LUNG and Eline LOYEN of Belgium.   “We played smart that was the key. Good tactics opened the door to our win. Also Russian girls may be tired after a lot of matches. I am so happy; this is first medal for me. We play together for a long time ” said Eline LOYEN.   They will meet ZHANG Xuan Xu and Ana GARCIA of Spain.   “This is first time we play together because my doubles partner is ill. After we won the first game we saw the chance to win. Izabela LUPULSKU and Andrea KLAPA are good players they are always in the last stages of the every tournament; it was very hard. But our tactics was good we played smart. Result was close but we had strength in crucial moments” said GARCIA.   In the lower half of the draw Marie MIGOT and Oceane GUISNEL of France emerged successfully in the quarters to meet second seeds Adfina DIACONU and Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania.