Ivan HENCL and Hana ARAPOVIĆ are the new Croatian national champions following an eventful weekend at the National Championships in Vrsar.
It was a standout tournament for Hencl, who left a strong mark on the competition by reaching three finals and winning two gold medals – in singles and men’s doubles – while also claiming silver in mixed doubles.
In the singles event, Hencl defeated Luka ZLATKOV in a seven-set quarter-final before overcoming Leon BENKO 4–2 in the semi-finals. The two had recently met in the U21 final, where HENCL let slip a 10–7 lead in the deciding set.
In the final, HENCL beat Borna PETEK 4–2. PETEK had earlier eliminated top seed Ivor BAN. As the tournament progressed, HENCL’S level continued to rise, culminating in an almost perfect campaign for the 19-year-old from Zagreb.
“The feeling is phenomenal. After the U21 Championships, I didn’t expect this kind of outcome, especially after losing that final from 10–7 up in the seventh set. I was really disappointed. I didn’t have high expectations for the senior singles, but it turned out brilliantly. Credit to PETEK for a great match, it was a real battle. This is certainly one of the best matches of my career. In mixed doubles, Ivor and Hana were excellent – we had no chance. That’s why they are among the top 25 pairs in the world,” said HENCL.
In the women’s event, ARAPOVIĆ returned to winning ways. After claiming three consecutive titles, her streak was interrupted last year by Andrea PAVLOVIĆ, but she reclaimed the crown this year.
In the final, she defeated her national teammate Ivana MALOBABIĆ 4–0. Signs that this could be ARAPOVIĆ’s tournament came as early as the quarter-finals, where she staged a remarkable comeback against Ivana TUBIKANEC. Trailing 3–0 in sets and 6–1 in the fifth, she saved a match point and turned the match around. The emotion on her face after the winning point said it all. She then defeated Dora ĆOSIĆ 4–2 in the semi-finals in another demanding encounter.
“It was really tough in the quarter-finals. I managed to come back, changing tactics, and things started to improve. After that, almost every set against Dora was decided by the smallest margins. Two very demanding matches, both physically and mentally. The match against Ivana was specific – we know each other very well. It may look easy from the 4–0 scoreline, but it really wasn’t” said ARAPOVIĆ.
There was also a change at the top in men’s doubles, where Ivan Hencl and Josip JERKOVIĆ claimed the title by defeating defending champions Ivor BAN and Luka LOZUŠIĆ 3–0 in the final.
In women’s doubles, Dora ĆOSIĆ and Lana BENKO were crowned champions in their first appearance together. They defeated Ivana TUBIKANEC and Andrea PAVLOVIĆ 3–1 in a closely contested final, with all four sets decided by the narrowest of margins.
The only category without a change at the top was mixed doubles. Ivor BAN and Hana ARAPOVIĆ successfully defended their title, beating Ivan HENCL and Dora ĆOSIĆ 3–0 in the final.
Croatia
Men’s Singles
- Champion: Ivan HENCL
- Runner-up: Borna PETEK
- 3rd Place: Ivor BAN
- 3rd Place: Leon BENKO
Women’s Singles
- Champion: Hana ARAPOVIĆ
- Runner-up: Ivana MALOBABIĆ
- 3rd Place: Mara MARKOVANOVIĆ
- 3rd Place: Dora ĆOSIĆ
Men’s Doubles
- Champions: Ivan HENCL / Josip JERKOVIĆ
- Runners-up: Ivor BAN / Luka LOZUŠIĆ
- 3rd Place: Josip MUSTAPIĆ / Ronald REĐEP
- 3rd Place: Andrej MRKIĆ / Deni VALE
Women’s Doubles
- Champions: Lana BENKO / Dora ĆOSIĆ
- Runners-up: Ivana TUBIKANEC / Andrea PAVLOVIĆ
- 3rd Place: Bruna BOROVEC / Jelena VUKELIĆ
- 3rd Place: Ivana GRGIĆ / Mara MARKOVANOVIĆ
Mixed Doubles
- Champions: Ivor BAN / Hana ARAPOVIĆ
- Runners-up: Ivan HENCL / Dora ĆOSIĆ
- 3rd Place: Andrej MRKIĆ / Bruna BOROVEC
- 3rd Place: Leon BENKO / Lana BENKO
