In the last round of the third day of play in the Under 19 Boys Event at the European Youth Championships in Ostrava, Slovakia became the first team to book their place in the quarterfinals. Seeded no. 6, Samuel PALUSEK, Samuel ARPAS, and Damian FLORO halted the spirited progress of the 28th seeds Switzerland, represented by Noe KEUSCH, Abishek VEPA, and Levi ULRICH, in straight matches. “We started really well at this tournament. We won the group stage – the hardest match was against Portugal, where we were 0-2 down, but we made a comeback and won 3-2. I am really proud of that win. In the Round of 16, we faced Switzerland and won every match 3-0; we didn’t lose a single game. We knew it would be a tough match, because one of their players had beaten me last time. So we couldn’t underestimate them, even though they weren’t among the top seeds. All of us played really well, and we didn’t have any problems during the matches. We hope to play the same way tomorrow. In my match, I knew I had to stay focused, and I tried to win every ball,” said ARPAS. An extraordinary wave of emotions swept through the stands as the Czech junior boys fought for a place in the quarterfinals of the European Championships in Ostrava. They were trailing 0-2 against Slovenia, but an incredible comeback saw them turn the match around and deservedly advance among the top eight. The cadet girls will also be fighting for medals after defeating Austria 3-1. Things looked bleak for the Czech junior team for a long time. Štěpán BRHEL and Martin ŠÍP both lost their opening singles, and Slovenia seemed close to advancing. But then came a remarkable turnaround. Jindřich MORÁVEK, with ice-cold composure, defeated Bor BRODNJAK and sparked a shift in momentum. “I knew that if I could win, we’d still have a chance to qualify. That’s why I tried not to be nervous and just play my game. It was a tough match, but I’m higher on the rankings and it worked out,” he said after the match, still receiving congratulations from teammates on the Czech national team. BRHEL, who had been the team’s key player throughout the group stage, managed to bounce back from his opening loss and beat Miha PODOBNIK in the fourth match. It may not have been the most beautiful table tennis, but the emotions from both players, amplified by the roaring crowd, created a gripping scene. “The first match was mentally tough. I got unnecessarily frustrated and didn’t play my game. But after Jindra MORÁVEK’S win, I felt recharged. After the second set, I calmed down and knew I wouldn’t let the match slip. At 0-2, Matyáš KOLEČKÁŘ told me it’s still 0-0 and that I should win 3-0. So I did. Without MATYÁŠ, who knows how it would have ended,” he said with a smile, confirming the great atmosphere within the Czech team. The comeback was completed by Martin ŠÍP, who defeated Brin Vovko PETROVSKY without dropping a set. Cheered on by dozens of fans, he ran around the court with his arm raised, firing up the crowd. Italy pushed top-seeded France to the limit in a high-quality encounter. Giacomo ALLEGRANZA claimed impressive victories over both Nathan PILARD and Nathan LAM, keeping Italian hopes alive. However, the French team showed composure and resilience – Flavio MOURIER defeated Matteo FANTONI, and in the decisive fifth match, PILARD overcame Giacomo IZZO to seal a narrow 3-2 win. The Spanish boys followed in the footsteps of their female counterparts and also secured a spot in tomorrow’s quarterfinals. No. 4 seeds Daniel BERZOSA, Luca KHIDASHELI, and Francesc CARRERA prevailed against 21st-seeded Norway, whose team included Khai Noah LAM, Martin FROSETH, and Michael FARNES. Poland needed only three matches to overcome Sweden, despite the close proximity in seeding suggesting a tighter contest. The Polish trio, Rafal FORMELA, Marcel BLASZCZYK, and Alan KULCZYCKI, seeded 8th, defeated Sweden’s Noa DAHLSTROM, Adam WALLIN, and Elias SJOGREN, who were seeded 10th. BLASZCZYK said: “In this match we were really focused. I think this was our best performance so far. Everyone in my team was ready, and we felt really good. When we saw the draw for the first time, we knew it would be a really hard match, because we had lost to them last year in the group stage in Malmö. I played against Adam WALLIN and won 3-0. I played really well, didn’t change anything, and just followed the tactics we had discussed with my coach. KULCZYCKI also played really well, at first he was a bit nervous and didn’t know how to play against SJOGREN. He lost the first game, but then he became more confident and won 3-1. In the next round, we will fight for every ball just like we did today.”

Watching 11-year-old Ladimir MAYOROV lead Spain to victory in the Round of 16 of the Under 15 Event at the European Youth Championships was a unique experience. Spain reached the quarterfinals after the team, seeded no. 9, defeated no. 4 seeds England 3-1. See photos here. MAYOROV overcame both Abraham SELLADO and Kacper PIWOWAR, while also partnering with Tianxiang ZOU to prevail in the doubles. SELLADO scored England’s sole point with a win over Alexander MALOV. However, it was not just the victory that captured attention in the Torax Arena in Ostrava — it was the style, the maturity, and the strategic intelligence that the 11-year-old boy displayed, thinking three steps ahead like a seasoned professional. His father and coach, Eduard MAYOROV, explained: “Ladimir has the mindset of a semi-professional and much older player. He trains every day for 3 to 4 hours – because he wants to. I don’t think it’s necessary, but he’s doing it because he enjoys the game. He enjoys thinking about tactics, about combinations. Twice a week, he is also in the high-performance center where he trains with me and his mother, Svetlana BAKHTINA, a former member of the national team.” In the quarterfinals, Spain will meet the top-seeded Italy. Danilo FASO and Francesco TREVISAN justified their ranking with a solid win over Hungary’s Mark GERGELY and Lenard SZABO. “In the first match, FASO Danilo played against GERGELY, which was a really good match – we believed in him because we knew FASO knows how to play against Mark. The next match I played against Lenard SZABO, which I lost 2-3; he was leading 2-0, but then I won two games and it was 2-2. In the fifth game, I was up 8:6 but lost 8:11. In the following matches — the doubles and my last singles – I was much calmer and more focused, and that helped me a lot to win. In doubles with FASO, we won 3-1, and in my last match against GERGELY, I played really well and won 3-1,” explained TREVISAN. Denmark, seeded no. 17, reached the top 16 and have now gone one step further. On their way to the quarterfinals, Malik SEVERINSEN and Emil HASSELBALCH overcame Portugal. “I can say that we slightly changed our lineup because we knew MALIK would need some breaks if we were to continue playing more matches – and we hit the right combination in the lineup. We led 2-0 early, which was a big advantage for us. The most difficult match was definitely the second one – Emil HASSELBALCH struggled a bit when he was leading, but fortunately, he played very smart and calm. In that match, he changed tactics — started to use more spin and a lot of short shots. Portugal really had problems with that, especially the short balls — we had identified that as a weakness from the start. In the next round, we can play more freely and with calmness. We’ve played a lot of youth series, so we actually expected to make it to the Round of 16,” explained coach Claus ARNSBAEK. In the Under 15 Girls Event at the European Youth Championships, Czechia found their winning rhythm in the Round of 16, played at the end of the third day of competition in Ostrava. Hanka KODET, Adela BRHELOVA, and Simona HOLUBOVA overcame Austria’s Mariia LYTVYN, Sophia PICHLER, and Vanessa TANG. “For sure, it is a big relief that we won against Austria. We knew it would be a tough match, but we stayed focused and tried to play our best the whole time. We struggled a lot in the group stage, so we are really happy that we made it to the Round of 16 – and I think we were a bit lucky. The most important match was the doubles, because that match is always the most decisive. In this match, we chose the tactic to play more short balls. In my singles match against Mariia LYTVYN, I felt really good because I had beaten her the last time we played – so maybe she had that in her head and was more nervous than me. But I didn’t focus on that win, because every match is different. I went into the match with a clear head. To be honest, it wasn’t a simple match, the last two points really helped me,” explained KODET. Romania’s Patricia STOICA and Maya Roberta MADAR were fully in control as they defeated Belgium’s Juliette DEDECKER and Temperance TANG in convincing fashion. France caused an upset by beating Sweden in straight matches. Lou-Anne BOCQUET, Eva LAM, and Albane ROCHUT exceeded expectations and outplayed Siri BENJEGÅRD and Angelina BEBAWY.

The knockout stage of the Under 19 Girls Team Event at the European Youth Championships in Ostrava heated up the atmosphere in the RT Torax Arena. The beginning of the Round of 16 brought the surprising absence of the Czech team, seeded no. 7, which caused disappointment among home supporters but opened the door for no. 30 seed Greece to feel the heat of the action. See photos here. However, Greece failed to prolong their stay among the top 16 teams and lost to Hungary in straight matches. The top-seeded team and reigning champions, France, showed no mercy against Bulgaria. Nina GUO ZHENG, Lena HOCHART, and Jade Quynh-Tien NUYNH won in straight matches. No. 2 seeds Germany followed suit – Lorena MORSCH, Mia GRIESEL, and Eireen KALAITZIDOU defeated Türkiye. Austria dropped one point against Italy. The team composed of Nina SKERBINZ, Elina FUCHS, and Julia DÜR overcame Irene MORETTI, Candela SANCHI, and Francesca SEU 3-1. “Our goal was to remain in the top division, but here we are in the top eight! I am very happy that we achieved it with a very young team. All the players are in their first Under 19 year, and it gives us great hope for the future,” said coach Ivana MALOBABIC, who is also a Croatian Olympian from Paris 2024. Austria is seeded at position 13, while Italy is just two places below at no. 15. “We were aware that in the Round of 16 there was no chance of an easy adversary. The Italian players are very aggressive, two of them play with materials, which makes it very difficult to find the game to beat them. We had to make very detailed tactics to manage it. Our no. 1, Nina, secured two wins and proved herself as a leader. She did exactly what we planned: being aggressive and focused, showing discipline. However, Elina FUCHS brought the crucial win to the team with a 3-2 victory over Candela SANCHI. She was 1-2 down and on the ropes, but she managed to recover. There wasn’t a single easy point in that match. I also have to say that our third player, Julia DÜR, gave a very brave performance. She faced a player with very strong spin.” Spain prevailed against Croatia, with Maria BERZOSA justifying her status by winning both of her matches against Neva GOJKOVIC and Victoria PUSTAJ. Mariona MUNNE added a point with a victory over Leeloo HAN VUKELJA. “When we saw the draw, we knew it would be a difficult match. All of us were under a lot of pressure. In the first match, Camila Renata MOSCOSO lost 1-3 — she was really nervous, and that’s why I think she lost. In the second match, I played against Neva GOJKOVIC. It was a really hard duel for me because she plays with a defensive style. The first game was 17-15 for me, so it gave me more power, and I won 3-1. I think this match was the most important for us, because if we went 0-2 down, it would’ve been really hard to make a comeback.” Maria BERZOSA continued: In the third match, Mariona MUNNE played against HAN VUKELJA and won 3-0. In my last match, I won 3-0 against PUSTAJ, but in the third game I was up 10-7, then it became 10-10. I stayed calm and focused. I think the most important point was when I played a really good counter-spin on match point. In the next round, we will play against Romania, which is a really strong team, but we will try our best for sure!” Last year’s runners-up, Romania, overcame Belgium.

At the European Youth Championships in Ostrava, the teams that progressed directly to the Round of 16 from the top two spots in the Under 19 Girls’ Teams Event are: France and Spain (Group A), Germany and Austria (Group B), Portugal and Ukraine (Group C), Romania and Hungary (Group D). In Group B, Austria lost the final group-stage duel against Germany, but the defeat did not diminish the overall quality of their performance in Ostrava. Dorotheea ALEXANDRU, Gabriela KEZAI, and Nina SKERBINZ secured second place behind Germany. Mia GRIESEL played in all three of Germany’s group-stage matches, all of which ended with a 3-0 scoreline. Lisa-Sophie WANG, Eireen KALAITZIDOU, Lorena MORSCH, and Elisa NGUYEN also contributed strongly. “All of us played really well in this match. I faced KEZAI, and she had a lot of problems with my serves, so I had a big advantage there. We didn’t play many long rallies, I tried to change tactics and do things differently, and it worked,” said GRIESEL. “In the third match, NGUYEN played against Nina SKERBINZ. It was a really close one, NGUYEN was down 1-2, then leveled to 2-2, and even trailed 6-10 in the final game, but managed to win 12-10. I think she was mentally stronger in that moment. Nina made an error at 7-10, and maybe that was the turning point when pressure got to her, but that’s just my opinion.” GRIESEL was satisfied with Germany’s overall performance. “We had a good seeding here, as the second seed, so of course we had expectations to fight for a medal. But it’s always tricky at the beginning, new tournament, new hall. I was especially happy with our win over Czechia. Playing them at home, with so many fans and so much noise, made things uncomfortable. It’s not easy when the entire venue is against you, but we made it, and I’m really proud. Czechia has very good players. We had a training camp with them before EYC, so we had an idea of how they played and were able to prepare accordingly. For example, we chose our defensive player Lisa-Sophie WANG to play against them because we knew they struggle against defense.” In Group C, Ukraine’s 2-3 loss in the second round did not prevent them from progressing directly to the Round of 16. Daria KOVALOVA, Veronika MATIUNINA, and Olha PONKO slipped to second place, while Portugal climbed to the top of Group . Ukraine beat Croatia in their final group-stage match, while Matilde PINTO, Julia LEAL, and Mariana SANTA COMBA secured a win against Bulgaria for Portugal. In the Under 15 Girls’ Teams Event, the top two teams in each group are: Germany and Hungary (Group A), France and Spain (Group B), Austria and Italy (Group C), Romania and Poland (Group D). Germany defeated Moldova 3-0 in the final group match to secure first place in Group A. Hungary defeated Croatia 3-1, dropping only the doubles point. Last year’s bronze medalists, the Czech Republic, will have to continue their campaign via the play-offs. Hanka KODET and her teammates managed only one win in the group, against Belgium. France, seeded third in Group B, emerged as group winners, though their success came as no surprise. Eva LAM stood out with four singles victories and two doubles wins. “I started with a really good match against Eloisa BARREDA and won 3:0. In the second match, Lou-Anne BOCQUET led 2-1 but lost 2-3. I’m not really sure what happened there. In the doubles, I didn’t play so well, but my partner Albane ROCHUT was amazing. In my singles match against Renata SHYPSHA, we had great rallies. I started strong and won the first two games easily. In the third, she changed the rhyth, slowed things down, and it worked for her. But I adapted and won the last game 11:4. I’m really proud of my performance against Czechia, especially against Hanka KODET. I was down 0-2 but came back to win 3-2. That was a really tough match, but I changed my service and the playing rhythm during the match, and I think she struggled with that, it helped me win,” explained LAM. In Group C, Austria defeated Italy to claim the top position. However, Italy still progressed as the second-placed team, despite being seeded only fourth in the group.

On the second day of play at the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava, eight teams secured direct qualification for the Round of 16 in each event. For the remaining eight positions, teams are required to fight through the play-off matches. In the Under 19 Boys’ Event, the top two teams in their respective groups are: France and Poland (Group A), Hungary and Austria (Group B), Slovakia and Portugal (Group C), Czechia and Spain (Group D). Reigning Under 19 team champions from Malmö — albeit with a refreshed lineup this year — Romania, fell to Czechia in the final round of the group stage. That victory launched the host nation from third to the top of the standings in Group D. The only remaining member of last year’s winning Romanian team, Iulian CHIRITA, lost to Štěpán BRHEL in the opening duel, paving the way for Czechia to reach the Round of 16. BRHEL then secured another crucial point by defeating Dragoș BUJOR in a five-game battle. Martin ŠIP also went the distance, ultimately overcoming Robert Alexandru ISTRATE. “We did not expect this win, to be honest. We had to perform excellently and show something incredible to achieve it — and we did! I played the best I could, maybe even more than I expected,” said BRHEL. “In my match with CHIRITA, I was 2-0 up, then it was 2-2. I don’t think he changed his tactic — he just started playing better. In the fifth game, it came down to mentality and a bit of luck, which I had in the end. Against BUJOR, I was really nervous because I knew I had to win, but I’d have been even more nervous if we were down 1-2. During the match, I changed my serve, and I think that helped me the most.” Romania will face Italy in the play-off match. Italy had earlier lost to Portugal in Group D. The top-seeded team in Group C, Portugal, managed to recover from yesterday’s defeat against Slovakia to finish second in the group. Slovakia finished top despite losing to Sweden — their earlier wins against Portugal and Italy were enough to secure first place. Hungary justified their top billing, but not without difficulty. Austria, who had already beaten Belgium and Croatia in straight matches, pushed the top seeds in Group B to the limit. Nonetheless, both teams secured their place in the Round of 16. The key player for Hungary was Dávid SZÁNTÓSI, who overcame both Julian RZIHAUSCHEK and Petr HODINA. Lei BALÁZS lost to HODINA in the opening match but sealed the team victory by defeating RZIHAUSCHEK in the deciding match. “To be honest, I didn’t play really well, but my teammates did. SZÁNTÓSI played exceptionally — he won two points, beating both RZIHAUSCHEK and HODINA. We were down 1-2 when SZÁNTÓSI played HODINA. He was trailing 1-2 but came back to win 3-2. That gave us a huge boost and pushed me to give my best in the deciding match. In the final game, I think I was simply more focused than RZIHAUSCHEK — that helped a lot. We had a tough group, but the most difficult match for me was against CLOSSET from Belgium,” recalled BALÁZS. The last teams to finish group-stage play were Germany and Poland. In a fierce five-match battle, Germany triumphed over higher-ranked Poland. However, it wasn’t enough to secure second place – Poland advanced due to a better match ratio. In the Under 15 Boys’ Event, top seeds in Groups C and D – Hungary and England, failed to secure direct passage to the Round of 16 and will now compete in the play-offs for a spot in the main draw. Only Group A concluded according to the seeding, with Italy and Poland advancing as first and second, respectively. In Group B, Türkiye met expectations, but Sweden fell short, allowing Spain to finish second. In Group C, Germany upset the rankings to finish first, followed by France. Meanwhile, in Group D, Portugal climbed from the bottom of the group to finish first, with Romania taking second place.

In the Under 19 Girls’ Event at the European Youth Championships in Ostrava, Portugal upset the odds by defeating third-seeded Ukraine. In the much-anticipated clash between the no. 1 and no. 2 teams in Group D, spectators witnessed a thrilling encounter. See the pictures here. European Under 21 champion, last year’s EYC Under 19 singles silver medalist, and Top 10 Under 19 winner, Veronika MATIUNINA, secured two points for Ukraine with little trouble. However, Portugal’s Matilde PINTO, Julia LEAL, and Mariana SANTA COMBA displayed exceptional patience and capitalized on every opportunity. Particularly impressive was LEAL, who won a tense five-game decider in the final match. “We started the match with Matilde PINTO against Veronika VASYLENKO, which she won convincingly 3:0 and gave us a great start. The next match, I played against MATIUNINA — she played really well, as she also did against Matilde. In the third match, Mariana SANTA COMBA played brilliantly and won 3:2 against Olha PONKO – I think that was a really important match for us. In the decider, I faced VASYLENKO and won 3:2. I think the most crucial moment in the match was when I started playing softer and stopped trying to kill every ball. That shift in approach is what helped me win,” explained LEAL. Both Ukraine and Portugal had recorded straight-match victories the previous day, against Bulgaria and Croatia respectively. “I think we got a good group. Ukraine was the top seed, so beating them helped us a lot. We’ve already beaten Croatia, and now we have Bulgaria, so I think we have a pretty good chance against them.” In the morning session in Group A, there were no major surprises. France remains at the top, and the battle between Spain and Slovakia later in the afternoon will decide who secures the second position in the group — which guarantees direct qualification to the round of 16. In Group B, Germany recorded two straight-match victories, defeating both Czechia and Belgium. However, their toughest test comes later in the afternoon against Austria – a team that has already delivered two upsets. Despite being seeded only fourth in Group B, Austria beat both the host nation and Belgium. Last year’s semifinalists and current top seeds in Group D, Poland, are yet to record their first win. After losing to Hungary yesterday, they suffered another defeat today, this time against Romania. Hungary and Romania now sit at the top of the standings and are set to face each other later today.

In the Under 19 Girls’ Team Event, top seeds France faced no difficulties. In the opening round of the tournament, the reigning champions overcame Slovakia in straight matches. Nia GUO ZHENG, Leana HOCHART, and Jade HUYNH defeated Dominika WILTSCHKOVA, Vanda VANISOVA, and Nina DAROVCOVA without dropping a match. The excitement was reserved for Group B, where Austria prevailed in a dramatic encounter against host nation Czechia. The no. 2 seeds in the group failed to find an answer for the outstanding Nina SKERBINZ, who secured victories over both Vendula ŠICHANOVÁ and Veronika POLÁKOVÁ. “We played really well. It’s my first year playing U19, and the first match was not easy, new hall, new tournament, so I had to get used to it. My opening match against Vendula ŠICHANOVÁ was tough, but once I adjusted, I started playing my best,” said SKERBINZ.“My teammate Julia DUR was down 0–2 but came back to win 3–2 against Adéla SAZIMOVÁ, and that was a really important match for our team. In my last match against POLÁKOVÁ, I had a good start, going 2–0 up, but then lost two games. At 2–2, my focus wasn’t where it should be, but I told myself, ‘Come on, win this game.’ I refocused and eventually won 3–2. She didn’t start well — made many mistakes — but then played much better, and I got a bit confused. I didn’t change tactics; I just stayed strong mentally, and that helped me a lot,” she added. Nina SKERBINZ clinched gold in Under 15 Doubles last year in Malmö, partnering Elina FUCHS. In Group D, Ukraine secured a 3–0 win over Bulgaria, following the expected standings. However, the rest of the groups saw major upsets. Top seeds Poland lost 1–3 to Hungary. Judit NAGY, Rebeka NAGY, and Nora DOHOCZKI displayed exceptional form against Karolina HOLDOVA, Natalia BOGDANOWICZ, and Oliwia WATOR. Judit lost the opening match to HOLDOVA but sealed the overall victory by defeating BOGDANOWICZ. “My playing style in the first match wasn’t as good as it could be, I struggled a bit, but the second one went much better. I really wanted to win. Our team performance was excellent. My sister Rebeka beat their number one, BOGDANOWICZ, and Nora had a very tough 3–2 win against WATOR. I think that was the most important match. If Nora didn’t win, it would’ve been very hard to beat Poland. In my last match against BOGDANOWICZ, the opening game ended 20–18. That was the most crucial moment — winning that game gave me the confidence to win the whole match,” said NAGY. In the Under 15 Girls’ Team Event, top-seeded Germany opened with a win over Croatia. But for no. 2 seeds Czechia, the story was quite the opposite. Led by reigning European champion Hanka KODET, the Czech team suffered a 1–3 defeat against France. Eva LAM, Lou-Anne BOCQUET, and Lisa ZHAO proved too strong for KODET and Simona HOLUBOVÁ. Group C also brought surprises. Slovakia beat Austria, and Italy overcame Sweden. In Group D, top seeds Romania fell to Poland in another intense battle. Maja MADAR of Romania explained: “It was a very tough match for us but also really important. Winning the first match at the EYC is always good — it helps for the upcoming matches. I lost my first match against Wanessa KULCZYCKA, she’s a very strong player. If I had won, it would’ve been much easier for our team. The second match was a tough one for Patricia STOICA, she went full distance and won 3–2 with a great performance. In doubles, Patricia and I played really well and won 3–0, probably our best doubles match so far. Patricia then faced KULCZYCKA again and lost 1–3. It was very difficult for her, Wanessa is an extremely strong player. The most crucial point came in my last, deciding match against Lena PUZIO. It was 2–0, 10–8, and she played two great points to make it 10–10. I knew she had a strong forehand, even though I had been playing to her backhand. So I switched it up and played to her forehand. It worked and I managed to close the match.”

The 2017 European Under 21 champion and member of Germany’s gold-winning team at the 2021 European Championships, Chantal MANTZ, has taken on a new role at the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava. This time, she is not playing – she is coaching. And not for Germany, but for Belgium. It’s her first time coaching, her first time as a national coach, and her debut came against none other than her home country, Germany – a challenge that made the occasion even tougher. Germany lived up to expectations, with Mia GRIESEL, Lisa-Sophie WANG, and Eireen KALAITZIDOU defeating Lilou MASSART, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, and Lilly LAFFINEUR in straight matches. “From the beginning, it was clear that we weren’t likely to cause a surprise against Germany. We tried our best, but they were just too strong. We went into the match hoping we might pull off an upset, but in the end, it wasn’t to be,” said MANTZ. How did you end up coaching Belgium? “I’ve been living with Martin ALLEGRO for almost a year now — we’ve been together for nearly three years. I was training with the boys and had some contacts within the Belgian federation. At the time, the junior girls and women’s teams didn’t have a coach, so they approached me and asked if I would be interested. I thought, ‘Yeah, why not? I’ll give it a try and see how it goes.’” Are you coaching the women’s team as well? “Yes, because the teams are almost the same — many of the junior girls also play for the senior team. So I agreed to coach both. I had just one week of preparation with the girls before heading straight into the European Championships. We’ll see how things develop in the future, but I’m really happy to have this opportunity.” Who are your top players? “In the Under 19 team, our number one is Lilou MASSART. Then we have our number two, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, who is really talented. We also have some promising younger players like Lotte DEMEYER, Lotte NUYTTENS… In the senior team, we have Margo De GRAEFF and Julie VAN HAUWAERT among others. So yes, we have a solid group, and we’ll see what we can achieve.” What’s your goal for this championship? “Our main goal is to stay in the first division — that’s our priority. Germany was the strongest team in our group, and we’ve already played them. Tomorrow we’ll face Czechia and Austria – that won’t be easy either. After that, we’ll see how things go, but the focus is definitely on maintaining our position in the top division.” Are you still playing yourself? “Yes, I’m still playing, but not for the national team anymore. Just in the German league, semi-professionally, in the first division.” And how does it feel to be a coach now? “A bit strange, to be honest. I enjoy it – it’s interesting to see things from the other side. I’m more relaxed now. As a player, you’re always nervous and under pressure. As a coach, I can take a step back. But yes, it’s still a bit strange being the national coach for Belgium instead of Germany. People keep asking me about it, and I’m still getting used to the change — but I’m adapting,” said MANTZ.

Already on the opening day of the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava, fierce battles and surprising upsets marked the Team Events. In the Under 19 Junior Event, Czechia, backed by loud cheering and drums inside the Torax Arena, overturned the rankings by defeating the top-seeded team in Group D, Spain. Led by Štěpán BRHEL, who recorded two wins against Francesc CARRERA and Daniel BERZOSA, the host team triumphed in a thrilling five-match encounter. The Czech team trailed 1–2 after Martin ŠIP lost to BERZOSA and Jindřich MORÁVEK fell to Luca KHIDASHELI. However, BRHEL overcame BERZOSA, and ŠIP sealed the duel with a win over CARRERA. BRHEL played excellently against Spain. He overcame several difficult moments in his match against Francesc CARRERA and always managed to regain composure. In the third set, for example, he led 9:2 but eventually won it 13:11. He later admitted that the match was all about mental strength. “That’s exactly it. It wasn’t easy. We knew that Spain’s strength lies in their number one player, so if we wanted to win, we had to beat CARRERA. It was all about staying focused. Concentration – and probably something else, but I don’t know what right now. It was difficult, but that was the key to success,” he said after the match, his hoarse voice reflecting the intensity and team spirit. “Yeah, yeah, it reminds me of the team atmosphere at the championship in Gliwice. We’re a great bunch, and we really support each other.” For the top-seeded team France, the journey was smooth. Nathan LAM, Nathan PILARD, and Antoine Jean NOIRAULT defeated Germany’s Lleyton ULLMAN, Alexander UHING, and Matej HASPEL 3–1. “We’re really happy to win against Germany because it’s a really strong team, and we knew it would be a tough start to the European Championships – everyone here plays really well. My teammates performed great, all of them. In my final match against ULLMAN, I won 3-0, but at the beginning, I knew it would be difficult because he’s a very good player. In the last game, it was a little strange – I was leading 5:1, and suddenly it was 5:8, so I was quite surprised. He changed his tactic, and I had to adapt mine as well. That helped me win the set and the match,” said LAM, the reigning French junior champion. In Group B, Austria emerged victorious in their duel against Croatia. Despite being seeded only fourth, Julian RZIHAUSCHEK, Petr HODINA, and Tobias HOLD secured a straight-matches win. In the Under 15 category, top-seeded Italy had to go the full distance against Switzerland. Lowis VOGLER proved too strong for both Giulio CAMPAGNA and Francesco TREVISAN and narrowly lost in the doubles, partnering Elias-Mate SIMO. However, CAMPAGNA defeated SIMO in the deciding match. Türkiye and Sweden secured straight-match victories in their encounters against Spain and Austria, respectively. In contrast, the top-seeded team in Group C, Hungary, failed to justify their ranking and lost to France. The biggest drama unfolded in Group D, where top seeds England had to battle through five long matches before eventually overcoming Romania. The key player in their success was Kacper PIWOWAR, who won two matches – including the decisive one against Andrei TIBIRNA. “I think we did a really good job, especially the boys on the bench, Pablo and Jake – they really helped us. I started well in the first match and felt comfortable. Then my teammate Abraham SELLADO played really well and won 3:0. We struggled a bit in the doubles, but it was really close – there wasn’t much we could do. In Abraham’s next singles match, he was just unlucky; it was very close. In my final match, I wasn’t really nervous, but of course, I wanted to win, for the team and for myself. I think the most crucial point was when I won the third game. If I had lost that, it would have been much harder for me,” said PIWOWAR.

The 67th European Youth Championships officially began today in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The competition opened with the team events, and fans can follow all the action on ETTU TV and the official ETTU YouTube channel. Ostrava is hosting the EYC for the third time, and the Czech team has high hopes and plenty of reasons to look forward to the tournament with great anticipation. Among the home favourites is Hanka KODET, a two-time European champion in the Under 15 singles category. She now aims to complete a hat-trick of titles. Last year in Malmö, KODET also took medals in the team and mixed doubles events. She claimed bronze alongside Simona HOLUBOVÁ and Adéla BRHELOVÁ in the team event and with Jan ŠKALDA in mixed doubles. The Czech Under 15 boys’ team — Jan ŠKALDA, Ondřej MORÁVEK, Jakub KABELKA, and Filip RAČÁK — also secured bronze. “My first impressions here in Ostrava are very positive – the playing conditions are excellent, and I feel good on the court,” said KODET. “I’ll try to perform at my highest level and hopefully defend my title again. I’m very happy that such a major tournament is taking place here in the Czech Republic.” The Czech Under 19 boys’ team faces a challenging group. Although Romania was drawn from the fourth seeding pot, they are considered one of the strongest contenders. “Romania is very strong, their youth tournament participation is limited – which affects their ranking. In my opinion, they are the favourites in our group. Iulian CHIRITA is ranked 67th in the senior world rankings, and Dragos BUJOR and the others are also top players,” said head coach Karel KARÁSEK. Jakub MAKARA is making his EYC debut. “This is my first EYC, and I’m really happy to have been selected, and that the tournament is happening here in the Czech Republic. The venue is a bit slow, which suits my defensive style of play. I’m mainly looking forward to measuring myself against Europe’s best and gaining valuable experience.” The Czech Under 19 girls will face their toughest group opponent, second-seeded Germany, on Saturday. But first, they open their campaign today against Austria. According to coach Jaroslav MIKESKA, the group is demanding, but the Czech girls are capable of qualifying. “Both Austria and Belgium have strong number one players. Nina SKERBINZ has shown her class internationally, and Belgium’s Lilou MASSART could easily take two points. However, I believe we have a more balanced and overall stronger team. We’re aiming for second place – and we’re not without a chance against Germany either.” The Czech Under 15 girls’ team is the highest-seeded home squad, second only to Germany. Returning with last year’s bronze-medal-winning lineup plus newcomer Laura MARŠÍČKOVÁ, they again have podium ambitions. Their first match is against France on Table 1 at 13:20. “France is our toughest opponent in the group. Though drawn from the third pot, they’re realistically the second-strongest team. They don’t have a standout star this year, but it’s still France. We’ll also face Spain and Belgium on Saturday. With all due respect to our adversaries, I firmly believe we’ll qualify directly for the round of 16,” said coach Tomáš VRŇÁK. While confident, VRŇÁK also noted potential pitfalls. “Doubles could be tricky. In cadet matches, the doubles come after the first two singles — and even two strong players can lose to weaker pairs. Still, I’m confident we’ll advance from the group and fight for medals in the playoffs. That’s our main goal – anything less would be a disappointment.” Czech Under 15 boys’ coach Jakub MERTA is also making his EYC debut — at home and with a team defending last year’s bronze medal. Despite the pressure, he is optimistic. “This is the kind of group we were hoping for. It’s certainly manageable in terms of direct qualification. Among the top-seeded teams, we got England — probably the most favourable opponent. Romania, drawn from the third pot, is stronger, but we know their players and should be slight favourites. Portugal is a bit of an unknown since they rarely compete in international events.”