European Youth Championships | 29 Jul 2021

Germany and Ukraine will play for gold in Under 15 Girls Team's Event

In the final of the Under 15 Girls Team's Event at the GAZPROM European Youth Championships in Varazdin, Ukraine will meet Germany in the match for gold. France and Poland were halted in the semi final tonight.

In the semi final Annett KAUFMANN preformed superbly to secure 1:0 lead for Germany in the match against Natalia BOGDANOWICZ. The tables turned after Wiktoria WROBEL entered the game. It was Poland's player who was in the fast lane against Mia GRIESEL. At 1:1, BOGDANOWICZ and WROBEL gave Poland the lead. Once again, KAUFMANN was at the top of her game to push Germany in the decisive match. BOGDANOWICZ failed to change the course of the duel.

“For a first time we faced the situation when the advantage was on the other side of the table. So far we were always in the lead, but now, it was pressure on us. We had to recover from 1:2 in reverse and I am proud we made it. I am proud of all team and our coach, we fought like crazy. Also Polish team was fantastic; they brought the best of us,” said KAUFMANN.

For the match against Ukraine, KAUFMANN only promised good fight.

“I dod not know what would be, but I am sure we will give our best. I know the girls from previous tournaments, but the Team's event is something different,” said KAUFMANN.

In other semi final, in furious start, Veronika MATIUNINA overcame Gaetane BLED to give Ukraine the lead in the match against France. Sofiia SHEREDEHA continued in similar vein against Leana HOCHART. In doubles, Ukraine's pairings MATIUNINA and SHEREDEHA took an early lead but Clea DE STOPPELEIRE and Agathe Anne AVEZOU fought hard to stay in the match. After long distance thriller Ukraine prevailed.

“It turned out that it was much easier match then the one against Romania in the quarterfinal. We won the singles easily, but the doubles was the crazy match. We were 3:9 down in the fifth game and we won it 11:9. It is incredible! We are very confident and we believe we can win tomorrow in the final. We hope we will play even better than today” said MATIUNINA.

For the first time in the history of the European Youth Championships Romania and Russia will not have the representatives in the Under 15 Girls semi - final. After Russia lost to Portugal in the Round of 16, day earlier, today it was Romania who excited earlier than their ratings predicted.

After five long matches in the quarterfinal, Ukraine won. Bianca MEI ROSU gave Romania better start with the win over Sofiia SHEREDEHA. Ioana BAIASU kept the team on the winning course after the victory over Ukraine's Veronika MATIUNINA. The turning point was the doubles match when the duel ended in five games in favor of Ukraine. MATIUNINA then leveled and SHEREDEHA secured the decisive point.

France represented by Loana HOCHART and Clea DE STOPPELEIRE in singles and with Anne AVEZOU and DE STOPPELEIRE in doubles overcame Portugal's Mariana SANTA COMBA and Matilde PINTO in straight matches.

Annett KAUFMANN performed maturely to lead Germany to the semi final after 3:1 win over Belarus. KAUFMANN beat Ulyana MIASHCHANSKAYA and Veranika VARABYOVA in both her singles and added third point to the score - list with the win in doubles partnering Mia GRIESEL.

Poland also needed four matches to overcame Belgium. Natalia BOGDANOWICZ and Wiktoria WROBEL posted two victories in singles before Belgium's Lilou MASSART and Eloise DUVIVIER won their doubles match. However WROBEL recovered quick from that defeat to