STAG 2017 European Youth Championships
Germany’s Gerrit ENGEMANN Tobias HIPPLER Cedric MEISSNER and Fanbo MENG are the newly crowned champions of the Junior Boys Teams Event at the STAG 2017 European Youth Championships. In the final they beat Russia’s team composed of Artur ABUSEV Nikita ARTEMENKO Denis IVONIN Lev KATSMAN and Anton KOTOV.
Sweden’s Truls MOREGARDH Simon SODERLUND Melker NILSSON Jonathan THIMON and Romania’s Cristian PLETEA Rares SIPOS Dragos OPREA Florin SPELBUS clinched bronze.
Germany suffered by the hands of Russia’s players in the Group stage but they avenged 2:3 – defeat with full power by beating adversaries in straight matches duel.
Gerrit ENGEMANN won the opening game against Denis IVONIN by close margin but slowly IVONIN raised his game and after he faced and saved three games ball he won the second set. Once he settled into the rhythm IVONIN continued to create the chances but ENGEMANN had all the answers. However IVONIN’s efforts were not to be denied. He managed to come back from 2:1 in reverse and to level for decisive game. In the finish ENGEMANN showed more.
“In second game it was 9:4 in advance and I lost that game. I become nervous. I had to change my tactics and play completely different from the way I did in Group stage. I used more my backhand spin and a lot of service variations” said Gerrit ENGEMANN.
Tobias HIPPLER displayed good skills against defensive style of Artur ABUSEV. Russia’s player was powerless and he failed in all attempts to halt HIPPLER.
“With my coach I worked on tactics after we recorded the first match. I adapted my game to win. I changed the placement of the ball several times and I was good with the spins. ABUSEV could not control my game ” said Tobias HIPPLER. “In the main draw we had a lot of difficult matches; close calls. As we reached the closing stages the level of the teams improved.”
Lev KATSMAN started good against Cedric MEISSNER but he failed to continue in the same style.
“I knew that I had to win this and I was nervous. In the group stage KATSMAN beat me by same margin as I won today. I did not made many errors. I played freely and relaxed as my coach told me to. I was good in service I never played this good. I never felt like this before ” Cedric MEISSNER.
FANG BO added: “We had great team spirit. We pushed each other to extremes.”
Russia – Germany 0:3
Denis IVONIN – Gerrit ENGEMANN 2:3 (12:14 12:10 7:11 13:11 7:11)
Artur ABUSEV – Tobias HIPPLER 0:3 (4:11 7:11 5:11)
Lev KATSMAN- Cedric MEISSNER 1:3 (11:8 4:11 5:11 5:11)
