On the second day of play at the 2023 HEIDELBERG MATERIALS Europe Youth Top 10 in Bucharest the excitement is building as we approach the duels between the top players in the events. Top seeds Elena ZAHARIA of Romania Leana HOCHART of France and Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal are still unbeaten but challengers still have their chances. The only exception is the Under 19 event where the top-seeded Eduard IONESCU of Romania had to concede the lead to his teammate Iulian CHIRITA.
In the Under 19 Girls Event the situation at the top of the standings remains unchanged. At home soil Elena ZAHARIA reigns supreme. She recorded six wins and was severely challenged only in the duel against Anna BRZYSKA of Poland winning 4-3. Mia GRIESEL of Germany is second with one defeat against French player Clea DE STOPPELEIRE followed by Anna BRZYSKA of Poland at the third position with three defeats. On the last day of play ZAHARIA is yet to meet Zuzanna WIELGOS of Poland Agathe AVEZOU of France and GRIESEL.
In The Under 19 Boys Event CHIRITA defeated the top seed IONESCU but in the last round of the day he also faced defeat at the hands of the second-seeded Hugo DE CHAMPS of France. Hugo is currently third in the standings since he lost to Simon BELIK of Czechia and IONESCU. On the last day of play Eduard will meet BELIK David SZANTOSI of Hungary and Poland’s Mateusz ZALEWSKI.
No surprises at the very top of the standings in the Under 15 Boys event. European champion and top seed Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal has shown no weaknesses so far with all six wins. However the event was not without upsets. The eighth-seeded Italian Danilo FASO suffered only one defeat losing only to ABIODUN. He shares the second position with Damian FLORO of Slovakia seeded at the fifth position. Unlike FASO FLORO is yet to play against ABIODUN. Patryk ZYWORONEK of Poland is fourth.
The top-seeded player in the Under 15 Girls Event Leana HOCHART of France progresses according to her merits. Last year’s runner-up is unbeaten in six rounds this year in Bucharest. European champion Hanka KODETOVA of Czechia is one place below after yesterday’s defeat against Julia LEAL of Portugal. The two leading players are yet to meet on the final day of the tournament tomorrow. The second-seeded Josephina NEUMANN of Germany follows them closely at the third position currently. She has lost to Andreea JIFCU of Romania and KODETOVA so far. Koharu ITAGAKI of Germany concluded the day at the fourth position.
