In all Doubles events at the European Under 21 Championships in Bratislava, the medal winners are already known, and in tomorrow’s matches, tonight’s winners will decide the colour of the medals.
Defending champions in the Women’s Doubles event, Romania’s Elena ZAHARIA and Bianca MEI ROSU, successfully advanced to the semifinals where they will face Poland’s Zuzanna WIELGOS and Anna BRZYSKA.
Top seeds Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia and Ioana SINGEORZAN of Romania secured their place on the podium and tomorrow they will play against Anna HURSEY of Wales and Mia GRIESEL of Germany for a place in the final.
Last year’s finalists, Sara TOKIĆ of Slovenia—this time partnering with Alexandra CHIRIACOVA of Moldova—were stopped in the quarterfinals by ARAPOVIC and SINGEORZAN.
In the Men’s Doubles event, each of the four quarterfinals went the full distance. In fierce battles for the title of new champions—since Poland’s Maciej KUBIK and Milosz REDZIMSKI are not in Bratislava this year—last year’s runners-up, Eduard IONESCU and Darius MOVILEANU of Romania, overcame Daniel BERZOSA and Miguel PANTOJA of Spain.
Bronze medallists from 2024, Iulian CHIRITA and Andrei ISTRATE of Romania, overcame Connor GREEN of England and Mael VAN DESSEL of Luxembourg.
Croatia’s Leon BENKO and Ivan HENCL defeated Norway’s Khai Noah LAM and Lithuania’s Ignas SISANOVAS. Andre BERTELSMEIER of Germany and Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal recovered from a 0–2 deficit to overcome Balazs LEI of Hungary and Samuel ARPAS of Slovakia.
In the Mixed Doubles quarterfinals, Wim VERDONSCHOT and Josephina NEUMANN of Germany defeated Miguel PANTOJA and Elvira Fiona RAD of Spain 3-1, while Daniel BERZOSA of Spain and Veronika MATIUNINA of Ukraine overcame Tom SCHWEIGER and Koharu ITAGAKI of Germany by the same margin.
The other two quarterfinals went the full distance. Last year’s runners-up, Darius MOVILEANU and Elena ZAHARIA of Romania, overcame Andre BERTELSMEIER and Mia GRIESEL of Germany. No. 2 seeds Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal and Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia defeated Andrei ISTRATE and Bianca MEI ROSU of Romania. Hana clinched gold in Mixed Doubles last year, partnering Ivor BAN.
