Three out of four top seeds in Under 19 Girls Event at the GAZPROM European Youth Championships reached the semi final stage to be played this evening in Arena Varazdin. Russia France and Romania progressed as anticipated and Turkey no. 5 seeds joined them.
No. 4 seeds Germany lost by top seeded Russia in straight games. Elizabet ABRAAMIAN lining up alongside Natalia MALININA and Liubov TENSTER beat Sophia KLEE Anastasia BONDAREVA and Naomi PRANJOVIC.
“Last time in Ostrava Germany beat us in the final of the Junior Girls Event. This time we were better and we had our avenge. We were ready for this duel. Russia is weakened by having only three players but we fought for all the members of the team and that gave us extra strength” said Elizabet ABRAAMIAN.
French trio formed by Isa COK Camille LUTZ and Charlotte LUTZ also recorded impressive straight matches win over Italy’s Nicole ARLINA Jamila LAURENTI and Arianna BARANI.
“We were ready but even for us 3:0 result came as surprise. Isa COK did a great job in the opening match against ARLIA but generally their games is something we like to play against; we like a good forehand smash to finish the point ” said Camile LUTZ.
Romania needed four matches against Hungary to progress to semis. Helga DARI won her opening encounter against Ioana SINGEORZAN but Elena ZAHARIA showed no mercy nor to Anna FEJOS nor to DARI. Luciana MITROFAN overcame Anna VOLENTICS.
“Luciana’s match against VOLENTICS was very important. At 1:1 we needed that one to give us advantage. Hungarian girls felt the same and it was very close duel ” explained ZAHARIA.” Now we will meet the team that beat us in the quarterfinal of the cadet’s Championships in 2016. Same girls are playing now as Under 19 team but I hope the result will go our side this year.”
Speaking of wishes Turkey is hoping that the situation stays as it was four years ago in younger categories. They overcame Poland in the quarters today.
“We were little bit under pressure since Poland had an excellent run here and beat very good teams before us. I had a good opening match against Anna BRZYSKA but then Ozge YILMAZ were 2:1 down against Ilona SZWIERTNIA and that could be a great set back but Ozge recovered to win it with 4:11 in last two games. BRZYSKA has very difficult style and in the fourth match Ozge was under pressure again but she finished the match bravely ” said Ece HARAC.
