European Youth Championships | 16 Jul 2013

Romania at the throne again

Romania won seventh title in Junior Girls Teams Event at the 56th European Youth Championships. In the final they overcame Germany, the same national team they beat in Istanbul 2010 as well. Princesses defended their crown from Austria and sealed fantasti

Romania won seventh title in Junior Girls Teams Event at the 56th European Youth Championships. In the final they overcame Germany, the same national team they beat in Istanbul 2010 as well. Princesses defended their crown from Austria and sealed fantastic run in tech Republic.

Irina CIOBANU took first game of the match in very effective way, but even in next one when Europe’s no. three player Nina MITTELHAM rose her game Romania’s player was still in control. Nina build her game slowly and she continued to add the pressure and forced CIOBANU into errors. That brought her easy win in third game, but CIOBANU is not the player who will back off easily. She attacked Nina in the fourth game to secure opening match win for Romania.

Reigning junior single’s and team’s champion Bernadette SZOCS nullified all efforts done by Chantal MANTZ and she conducts a win easily and convincingly. It gave Romania 2:0 lead and good overture for the duel between Theresa KRAFT and Bernadett BALINT. Romania’s representative won opening game by narrow margin. She could not save next one. After 11:3 for German player in fourth game errors flowed, Bernadett’s frustration was evident. KRAFT recovered completely to win the match.

It gave chance for spectators to enjoy the duel between top ranked European junior girls. Nor Nina MITTELHAM nor Bernadette SZOCS lost their match this year in Team’s event. But at the end everything went according to rankings and SZOCS prevailed.

“I am so happy that I finally played the way I know. It is good that it happened in the right moment,” smiled Irina CIOBANU. Bernadette SZOCS was delighted. “I knew I have to stop Nina to impose her game. She is very aggressive and play like a boy. I had to stop her,” explained SZOCS.

Nina MITTELHAM accepted the faith and stated that silver medal is not bad after all. “I made a lot of mistakes in the first match and that opened the door for CIOBANU’s win. Against Bernadette I had chances in fourth game it was 10:9, but I mad two mistakes…”

Croatia overcame Serbia in the match for the third position. Both teams played with the strongest line up. Mateja JEGER beat both Serbia’s top players Aneta MAKSUTI and Anja ZOFIJA FENJVESI . The only point for Serbia scores Viktoria TRUZINSKI.

Turkey and Portugal played the match to survive in the top division, and Turkey prevailed. Portugal moved to second Division, whilst Hungary managed to come back. Hungary beat Lithuania in the decisive match for position no. 17

Junior Girls Teams Final: Germany – Romania 1:3
Nina MITTELHAM – Irina CIOBANU 1:3 (6:11, 10:12, 11:5, 5:11)
Chantal MANTZ – Bernadette SZOCS 0:3 (7:11, 5:11, 9:11)
Theresa KRAFT – Bernadett BALINT 3:2 (9:11, 12:10, 6:11, 11:3, 11:3)
Nina MITTELHAM – Bernadette SZOCS 1:3 (8:11, 7:11, 11:3, 10:12)