In the duel between top European players Chantal MANTZ beat last year’s champion Nina MITTELHAM. MANTZ of Germany is the new Junior Singles Event champion. In very close and emotionally demanding final CHANTAL showed very aggressive performance. Before t In the duel between top European players Chantal MANTZ beat last year’s champion Nina MITTELHAM. MANTZ of Germany is the new Junior Singles Event champion. In very close and emotionally demanding final CHANTAL showed very aggressive performance. Before this final MANTZ lost four times in the last stage of the European Championships. In the semi final both German representatives showed impressive performance. Nina MITTELHAM was first to leave the arena victoriously. She beat Pauline CHASSELIN of France. “I started to play only two weeks ago. Since November I struggled with injury. I am so happy that I improved my game here during the Championships. It was difficult to play against CHASSELIN and that maks me even more happy ” said MITTELHAM. Chantal MANTZ admitted she was afraid before the match against Ekaterina GUSEVA of Russia started. “We have not play against each other since Kazan. And on our last meeting she beat 3:0 without any chance created from my side. Here she played tactically different but I managed to eat her ” said MANTZ. Final – Nina MITTELHAM Germany – Chantal MANTZ Germany 1:4 (-10 11 6 9 9). Semifinal: Nina MITTELHAM Germany – Pauline CHASSELIN France 4:0 (6 13 8 9); Ekaterina GUSEVA Russia – Chantal MANTZ Germany 1:4 (7 -5 -8 -10 -8)  

The most successful player at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships is Adina DICONU of Romania. After clinched the titles in Team’s Event Mixed Doubles and Doubles she become Cadet Singles Event champion. In the final she prevailed against the adv The most successful player at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships is Adina DICONU of Romania. After clinched the titles in Team’s Event Mixed Doubles and Doubles she become Cadet Singles Event champion. In the final she prevailed against the adversary against who she had played in mixed doubles and played with in doubles – Lisa LUNG of Belgium. Adina showed no mercy against Lisa and beat her in straight games. In semi final DIACONU beat Maria TAYLAKOVA of Russia in five games.“I am so happy now. I lost against Maria TAYLAKOVA in the Team’s Event so I was under great pressure. Last year it was surprise that I played in the final but this season everyone expected good result from me. Also it is my last year in cadets so I wants to say goodbye in big style ” said DIACONU. Lisa LUNG prevailed against Serbia’s Izabela LUPULESKU. “Despite the result it is never easy to play in the semi final. I won without losing the set but I could not relax at any point. Izabela kept changing the rhythm coming from behind so I had to be focused all the time ” said Lisa. Final – Adina DIACONU Romania – Lisa LUNG Belgium 4:0 (8 7 9 4). Semifinals: Adina DIACONU Romania – Maria TAYLAKOVA Russia 4:1 (-10 4 5 7 8); Lisa LUNG Belgium – Izabela LUPULESKU Serbia 4:0 (9 9 11 5) 

Tomislav PUCAR and Lea RAKOVEC clinched the title in the Junior Mixed Doubles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships. In the final they prevailed against Nandor ECSEKI of Hungary and Bernadett BALINT of Romania. New champions were 2:0 down Tomislav PUCAR and Lea RAKOVEC clinched the title in the Junior Mixed Doubles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships. In the final they prevailed against Nandor ECSEKI of Hungary and Bernadett BALINT of Romania. New champions were 2:0 down after poor start but newly formed Croatian pairings recovered to win the duel by narrow margin. In the semi final PUCAR and RAKOVAC beat pairings from Portugal and Israel Diogo CHEN and Nicole TROSMAN in another full five games duel. “We started this match just few moments after I lost the encounter in singles. I was all cried out and emotionally shaken. I needed time to enter this duel but thanks to Tomislav I succeeded. His fighting spirit and support gave me power ” explained Lea. Tomislav was very modest after the semis. “I have not played that good Lea was the key figure here. I am very unhappy with the numerous mistakes I have made.” In other semi final match the former European bronze medalists in cadet category exceeded their previous success as they reached junior competition. Nandor ECSEKI of Hungary and Bernadett BALINT of Romania beat Turkish pairings Ibrahim GUNDUZ and Damla UZEL. “Our tactic was to attack them with aggressive approach. That paid of ” said BALINT. ECSEKI added: ”It is difficult to play against two lefthanders but we believed we can win. We attacked them with the forehand then went for a backhand.” Final  – Nandor ECSEKI Bernadett BALINT (Hungary Romania) – Tomislav PUCAR Lea RAKOVAC (Croatia) 2:3 (11:9 11:9 8:11 9:11 10:12). Semi final: Nandor ECSEKI Bernadett BALINT (Hungary Romania) – Ibrahim GUNDUZ Damla UZEL (Turkey) 3:1 (-10 7 7 6); Tomislav PUCAR Lea RAKOVAC (Croatia) – Diogo CHEN Nicole TROSMAN (Portugal Israel) 3:2 ( -8 6 -4 6 1)

Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU of Romania clinched the gold medal in the Cadet Mixed Doubles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships. In the final they prevailed against Rares SIPOS and LISA Lung the Romanian Belgium combination. Only mi Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU of Romania clinched the gold medal in the Cadet Mixed Doubles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships. In the final they prevailed against Rares SIPOS and LISA Lung the Romanian Belgium combination. Only minutes away from the physically and emotionally difficult quarterfinal where she secured the medal in seven games LISA Lung failed to repeat her performance in the final of the Mixed Doubles. SIPOS and LISA failed to put their adversaries under pressure at any point of the duel. Previously SIPOS  and LUNG  saved match point at 2:1 and 10:9 for Russia’s Anton KOTOV and Anastasia KOLISH before they recovered to win the semi final match. “I had to change tactics but most of all I was very positive. I did not gave up hope even when we faced match ball ” explained Lisa. Rares admitted: “We did not play that well but sometimes fighting spirit counts. We did not give up and we fought by the last point.” PLETEA and DIACONU  were in the fast line in the semis. In four quick games they overcame Nolan GIVONE and Lucie GAUTHIER of France. “It was fast for sure but not that easy as it looked. We were much more determent. So far we had many national titles together and we wanted finally one in the international event ” explained Adina. PLETEA added: “We were mentally strong and we wanted this victory more.” Final – Cristian PLETEA Adina DIACONU (Romania) – Rares SIPOS Lisa LUNG (Romania Belgium) 3:0 (11:2 11:4 12:10). Semifinals: Cristian PLETEA Adina DIACONU (Romania) – Nolan GIVONE Lucie GAUTHIER (France) 3:0 (5 8 8). Semifinal: Anton KOTOV Anastasia KOLISH (Russia) – Rares SIPOS Lisa LUNG (Romania Belgium) 2:3 (9 -7 6 -10 -9)  

Sweden will have two players in the penultimate stage of the Junior Boys Singles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships. Filip ZELJKO of Croatia will meet Alexandre CASSIN of France whilst Elias RANEFUR of Sweden will play against compatrio Sweden will have two players in the penultimate stage of the Junior Boys Singles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships. Filip ZELJKO of Croatia will meet Alexandre CASSIN of France whilst Elias RANEFUR of Sweden will play against compatriot Anton KALLBERG. In quarterfinal Filip ZELJKO needed full seven games to beat Nikita YARUSHIN of Russia who already upset another favorite. Nikita beat top seeded David REITSPIES of Czech Republic in previous round. Alexandre CASSIN prevailed against Carl AHLANDER JOHANSSON of Sweden in five games. However Sweden will have representatives in the medal rostrum. Anton KALLBERG beat Elia SCHMID of Switzerland and Elias RANEFUR overcame Darko JORGIC of Slovenia. In Junior Girls Singles Event top seeded Nina MITTELHAM of Germany will meet Pauline CHASSELIN of France whilst Ekaterina GUSEVA of Russia will play against Chantal MANTZ of Germany. Pauline CHASSELIN beat Nicole TROSMAN of Israel in seven games after Nicole had five match balls. Also we saw dram in the duel against Chantal MANTZ and Bernadett BALINT of Romania. Nina MITTELHAM overcame Laura PFEFER of France in five games and the same outcome was in the duel between Ekaterina GUSEVA and Natalia BAJOR of Poland. Two French players in the Cadets’ semis In the semi final of the Cadet Boys Singles Event at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships Irvin BERTRAND of France will play against Artur ABUSEV of Russia and Nolan GIVONE of France will meet Rares SIPOS of Romania. Irvin BERTRAND prevailed in the duel against top seed and Europe’s no one player Cristian PLETEA of Romania. The thriller was stretched to full seven games before French player recovered from 3:2 in reverse. Another Frenchman Nolan GIVONE also needed full seven games. Denis IVONIN of Russia recovered from 1:3 but did not have strength to seal the match. Artur ABUSEV beat Andreas DILLING of Denmark whilst Rares SIPOS prevailed against Remi MENAND of France. In penultimate stage of the Cadet Girls Singles Event Adina DIACONU of Romania will play against and Maria TAYLAKOVA of Russia; Izabela LUPULESKU of Serbia will meet Lisa LUNG of Belgium. Lisa LUNG had most difficult match. She was forced to go full distance against Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania. It was completely opposite situation in duels between Izabela LUPULESKU and Anastasia KOLISH of Russia. LUPULESKU never been seriously tested. Maria TAYLAKOVA prevailed in similar style against Daria TRIGOLOS of Belarus. Top seeded Adina DIACONU needed five games to beat ZHANG Xuan Xu of Spain.  

Italy’s Daniele PINTO and Carlo ROSSI took advantage of the home soil and clinched the medal at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Riva del Garda. They succeeded to the semi final of the Cadet Boys Doubles Event and tomorrow will meet Nolan G Italy’s Daniele PINTO and Carlo ROSSI took advantage of the home soil and clinched the medal at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Riva del Garda. They succeeded to the semi final of the Cadet Boys Doubles Event and tomorrow will meet Nolan GIVONE and Irvin BERTRAND of France. In other penultimate stage duel Cristian PLETEA and Rares SIPOS of Romania will meet Gerrit ENGEMANN and Jannik XU of Germany. In the quarterfinal top seeds Cristian PLETEA and Rares SIPOS beat Simon SODERLUND and Viktor GULLBO of Sweden. They left only 14 points in whole match to their adversaries. In same impressive style Gerrit ENGEMANN and Jannik XU overcame Slovenia’s Tilen CVETKO and Peter HRIBAR. Italians needed four games to overcame Jiri MARTINKO and Vlastimil BUBEN of Czech Republic on their way to the semis. Nolan GIVONE and Irvin BERTRAND escaped from any drama in the clash against Aleksander WERECKI and Kamil NALEPA of Poland. In Cadet Girls Doubles Event Adina DIACONU of Romania and Lisa LUNG of Belgium will play against Izabela LUPULESKU and Sabina SURJAN of Serbia in the semi final. I second match ZHANG Xuan Xu of Spain and Cristiana DUMITRACHE of Italy will meet Leili MOSTAFAVI and Romane LE SCOUR of France. Top seeded DIACONU and LUNG lost only one game against Stina KALLBERG and Ellen HOLMSTEN of Sweden whilst LUPULESKU and SURJAN needed even one less to beat Marina NIGUES and Ana GARCIA of Spain. Italian supporters were delighted when ZHANG and DUMITRACHE beat Andreea DRAGOMAN and Mihaela PLAEASU of Romania. In full five games Leili MOSTAFAVI and Romane LE SCOUR overcame Orsolya FEHER an Leonie HARTBRICH of Hungary.

Four countries that will win the medals at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in the Junior Boys Team’s Event are already known. Czech Republic Portugal Sweden and Hungary will have representatives at the medal rostrum tomorrow. David REITSPIE Four countries that will win the medals at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in the Junior Boys Team’s Event are already known. Czech Republic Portugal Sweden and Hungary will have representatives at the medal rostrum tomorrow. David REITSPIES and Tomas POLANSKY of Czech Republic will meet Portugal’s Diogo CHEN and Jorge COSTA. Whilst in other match of the ultimate stage Anton KALLBERG and Carl AHLANDER JOHANSSON of Sweden will play against Hungary’s Adam SZUDI and Nandor ECSEKI. That is the outcome of today’s fierce battles in Riva del Garda. Simon BERGLUND and Anders ERIKSSON of Sweden already halted the progress of the top seeds AKKUZU and CASSIN of France but they could not repeat the success in another full distance duel against REITSPIES and POLANSKY. This time favorites prevailed. At the bottom of the draw SZUDI and ECSEKI also justified their status. Hungarian pairings needed four games to overcame Konstantin CHERNOV and Sadi ISMAILOV of Russia. Tomislav PUCAR and Filip ZELJKO played so many important matches today and it seamed they run out of steam in the match against Diogo CHEN and Jorge COSTA. Anton KALLBERG and Carl AHLANDER JOHANSSON was stretched to full five games against Kilian ORT and Dang QIU of Germany. In Junior Girls Doubles Event in the semi final will play Rita FINS and Patricia MACIEL of Portugal vs. Laura PFEFER and Pauline CHASSELIN of France and Bernadett BALINT of Romania and Nicole TROSMAN of Israel vs. Lea RAKOVAC of Croatia and Natalia BAJOR of Poland. Rita FINS and Patricia MACIEL seized the opportunity when top seeds Nina MITTELHAM and Alena LEMMER were forced to withdraw. Portugal’s pairings overcame Dutch doubles LOYEN and DEGRAEF before they succeeded against Leila IMRE and Csilla NAGYPAL of Hungary. At the bottom of the draw Lea RAKOVAC and Natalia BAJOR beat Chantal MANTZ and WAN Yuan of Germany. They were seeded at position no. two before they faced departure earlier than their seeding predicted. Laura PFEFER and Pauline CHASSELIN justified their rankings in the match against Ipek KARAHAN and Ezgi KAPUSUZOGLU of Turkey as well as Bernadett BALINT and Nicole TROSMAN against Kristyna STEFCOVA and Karolina MYNAROVA of Czech Republic.

At the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Riva del Garda the Dutch team is playing all their matches today wearing a black mourning-band to remember the victims of the catastrophic event that resulting in the loss of 295 lives. Last Thursday a At the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Riva del Garda the Dutch team is playing all their matches today wearing a black mourning-band to remember the victims of the catastrophic event that resulting in the loss of 295 lives. Last Thursday a Malaysian airliner crashed over eastern Ukraine. Although many things are still not clear it is likely that the Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by a ground to air missile from an altitude of 12.000 meters. All 295 passengers have been killed. As far as known by now 193 of them were from the Netherlands. Among them a member of the First Chamber (Senat) of the Dutch parliament a group of notable aids researchers and many children some of them known by members of the Dutch team.      

Turkey is in fantastic run at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Italy. In the Junior Boy’s Team’s Event Batuhan ULUCAK cased the biggest upset of the Round of 32 by beating the European player no. two. ULUCAK halted the progress of French go Turkey is in fantastic run at the STERILGARDA European Youth Championships in Italy. In the Junior Boy’s Team’s Event Batuhan ULUCAK cased the biggest upset of the Round of 32 by beating the European player no. two. ULUCAK halted the progress of French gold medal winner in Team’s Event Can AKKUZU. Europe’s no. 3 also faced early departure. Ibrahim GUNDIZ beat Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia to underline Turkey’s success. “I knew it is going to be hard match but I had faith I could win. I just played ball after ball and kept my focus on each points ” said Batuhan ULUCAK after seven games victory over AKKUZU. The list of upsets went on with the victory of Nikola MARINKOVIC of Serbia against Nandor ECSEKI of Hungary. The difference at the rankings is 73 places in favor of Hungarian player currently ranked at position no. 7. Andreas ERIKSON of Sweden overcame QIU Dang of Germany. The Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK of Austria also was the player who exceeded his rankings in Round of 32. of the Cadet Boy’s Singles Event. KOLODZIEJCZYK still without ranking points beat Europe’s no. 7 Thomas JARVIS of England in six games. They played more then an hour before Austrian succeeded. Europe’s no. 27 XU Jannik of Germany is also out. He lost against Luka MARTINEK of Croatia player who is placed at position no. 73. Turkey proved their quality is not to deny in Junior Girls Event as well. Ipek KARAHAN overcame Marie MIGOT of France in six games to reach the Round of 32. Nina MITTELHAM and Chantal MANTZ of Germany showed no trace of weakness on their way to the 4th Round. Nina overcame Tamara AGOSTON of Serbia whilst Chantal prevailed in the match against MARCHETTI of Belgium. In cadet Girls Singles Event In the Round of 32 Agata ZAKRZEWSKA of Poland ranked at position 54 beat Nolwenn FORT of France placed at position no. 26 at the European rankings after thrilling five games. Jana BERNARD of Belgium posted another hard earned seven games victory against Cristina DUMITRACHE of Italy.