In the last round of the third day of play in the Under 19 Boys Event at the European Youth Championships in Ostrava, Slovakia became the first team to book their place in the quarterfinals. Seeded no. 6, Samuel PALUSEK, Samuel ARPAS, and Damian FLORO halted the spirited progress of the 28th seeds Switzerland, represented by Noe KEUSCH, Abishek VEPA, and Levi ULRICH, in straight matches.
“We started really well at this tournament. We won the group stage – the hardest match was against Portugal, where we were 0-2 down, but we made a comeback and won 3-2. I am really proud of that win. In the Round of 16, we faced Switzerland and won every match 3-0; we didn’t lose a single game. We knew it would be a tough match, because one of their players had beaten me last time. So we couldn’t underestimate them, even though they weren’t among the top seeds.
All of us played really well, and we didn’t have any problems during the matches. We hope to play the same way tomorrow. In my match, I knew I had to stay focused, and I tried to win every ball,” said ARPAS.
An extraordinary wave of emotions swept through the stands as the Czech junior boys fought for a place in the quarterfinals of the European Championships in Ostrava. They were trailing 0-2 against Slovenia, but an incredible comeback saw them turn the match around and deservedly advance among the top eight. The cadet girls will also be fighting for medals after defeating Austria 3-1.
Things looked bleak for the Czech junior team for a long time. Štěpán BRHEL and Martin ŠÍP both lost their opening singles, and Slovenia seemed close to advancing. But then came a remarkable turnaround. Jindřich MORÁVEK, with ice-cold composure, defeated Bor BRODNJAK and sparked a shift in momentum.
“I knew that if I could win, we’d still have a chance to qualify. That’s why I tried not to be nervous and just play my game. It was a tough match, but I’m higher on the rankings and it worked out,” he said after the match, still receiving congratulations from teammates on the Czech national team.
BRHEL, who had been the team’s key player throughout the group stage, managed to bounce back from his opening loss and beat Miha PODOBNIK in the fourth match. It may not have been the most beautiful table tennis, but the emotions from both players, amplified by the roaring crowd, created a gripping scene.
“The first match was mentally tough. I got unnecessarily frustrated and didn’t play my game. But after Jindra MORÁVEK’S win, I felt recharged. After the second set, I calmed down and knew I wouldn’t let the match slip. At 0-2, Matyáš KOLEČKÁŘ told me it’s still 0-0 and that I should win 3-0. So I did. Without MATYÁŠ, who knows how it would have ended,” he said with a smile, confirming the great atmosphere within the Czech team.
The comeback was completed by Martin ŠÍP, who defeated Brin Vovko PETROVSKY without dropping a set. Cheered on by dozens of fans, he ran around the court with his arm raised, firing up the crowd.
Italy pushed top-seeded France to the limit in a high-quality encounter. Giacomo ALLEGRANZA claimed impressive victories over both Nathan PILARD and Nathan LAM, keeping Italian hopes alive. However, the French team showed composure and resilience – Flavio MOURIER defeated Matteo FANTONI, and in the decisive fifth match, PILARD overcame Giacomo IZZO to seal a narrow 3-2 win.
The Spanish boys followed in the footsteps of their female counterparts and also secured a spot in tomorrow’s quarterfinals. No. 4 seeds Daniel BERZOSA, Luca KHIDASHELI, and Francesc CARRERA prevailed against 21st-seeded Norway, whose team included Khai Noah LAM, Martin FROSETH, and Michael FARNES.
Poland needed only three matches to overcome Sweden, despite the close proximity in seeding suggesting a tighter contest. The Polish trio, Rafal FORMELA, Marcel BLASZCZYK, and Alan KULCZYCKI, seeded 8th, defeated Sweden’s Noa DAHLSTROM, Adam WALLIN, and Elias SJOGREN, who were seeded 10th.
BLASZCZYK said: “In this match we were really focused. I think this was our best performance so far. Everyone in my team was ready, and we felt really good.
When we saw the draw for the first time, we knew it would be a really hard match, because we had lost to them last year in the group stage in Malmö.
I played against Adam WALLIN and won 3-0. I played really well, didn’t change anything, and just followed the tactics we had discussed with my coach.
KULCZYCKI also played really well, at first he was a bit nervous and didn’t know how to play against SJOGREN. He lost the first game, but then he became more confident and won 3-1.
In the next round, we will fight for every ball just like we did today.”
