Europe Youth Top-10 | 1 Oct 2023

Iulian CHIRITA Successfully Defends His Title at the 2023 HEIDELBERG MATERIALS Europe Youth Top 10

Iulian CHIRITA of Romania emerged as the champion in the Under 19 Boys' event at the 2023 HEIDELBERG MATERIALS Europe Youth Top 10 in Bucharest, successfully defending his title won in France last year.

"I did it again, and I am so happy that I won the title two times in a row. It was very difficult to play, especially because the competition from my teammates was fierce. I felt like I lost my strength before the last duel against Mateusz ZALEWSKI; I had to dig deep to find the power to beat him in order to retain my title," said CHIRITA.

Quarterfinalist at the European Youth Championships, he climbed to the top of the medal podium in Romania with only one defeat in nine matches.

CHIRITA suffered his sole loss to the second seed, Hugo DESCHAMPS of France. The top-seeded player, European Under 19 champion in singles, and quarterfinalist at the European Games in Krakow, Eduard IONESCU of Romania, lost to CHIRITA and finished in second place.

The medal podium is dominated by Romanian players, as Darius MOVILEANU finished in third place. Darius faced defeat at the hands of his three teammates, CHIRITA, IONESCU, and Dragos BUJOR, as well as Simon BELIK of Czechia.

1. Iulian CHIRITA Romania 8/1

2. Eduard IONESCU Romania 8/1

3. Darius MOVILEANU Romnia 5/4

4. Hugo DESCHAMPS France 5/4

5. David SZANTOSI Hungary 4/5

6. Dragos BUJOR Romania 4/5

7. Teodor ISTRATE Romnia 4/5

8. Simon BELIK Czechia 4/5

9. Mateusz ZALEWSKI Poland 2/7

10. Tom CLOSET Belgium 8/1