The 2021 GAZPROM European Youth Championships will commence with the Under 19 events on 19 July. The champions in the individual events will be crowned on 24 July. The Under 15 Event will take place from 27 July to 2 August.
In the Under 19 competition at the top of the Groups in the Team’s Events are Belgium Russia Germany and Poland. In Group A last year’s semifinalists Belgium will play against Italy Hungary and Spain. Reigning champions Russia are in Group B with Czech Republic Portugal and Turkey. Bronze medal winners from Ostrava 2019 Germany are in Group C with Slovakia France and Serbia. Poland who played in the quarterfinal last year are with Croatia Denmark and Sweden.
There are 38 teams in the competition divided into 11 groups across two levels
In the Under 19 Girls Teams Event silver medalists from Ostrava Russia are at the top of the Group A with Czech Republic Sweden and Netherlands. Romania’s team is at the top of Group B with Belarus Ukraine and Slovenia. In Group C France with be challenged by Turkey Serbia and Norway. Last time’s winners Germany are in Group D with Italy Hungary and Poland.
There are 35 teams in 10 groups across two levels.
In the Singles Event there are 159 players in the Under 19 Boys Singles Event and 144 in the Under 19 Girls Singles Event. From the main draw of 128 players 32 players will progress directly whilst the others will have to go through the qualification stage.
The break of two years is a very long period for any athlete especially young ones. Some of the winners from Ostrava already justified their status as a seniors. The European champions in Junior Boys Doubles Event Lev KATSMAN and Maksim GREBNEV reached the highest step of the medal rostrum at the recently finished European Individual Championships in Warsaw. European champions from Ostrava 2019 are also Sweden’s Truls MOREGARD and Poland’s Anna WERGZYN. In Junior Girls Doubles champions were Kristina Kazantseva and Mariia Tailakova of Russia and in Mixed Doubles Samuel KULCZYCKI and Katarzyna WEGRZYN.
