Only a year after joining forces, Nathan LAM and Antoine NOIRAULT of France celebrated their first major title together by winning the Under 19 Boys Doubles crown at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar. The French pair overcame Austria’s Julian RZIHAUSCHEK and Bulgaria’s Yoan VELICHKOV 3-1 (15-13, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6) in the final. Sweden’s Noa DAHLSTROM and Adam WALLIN, and France’s Nathan DOUSSINET and Nathan PILARD, completed the podium.
The final began with a dramatic opening game, eventually won by the French pair 15-13. That breakthrough allowed LAM and NOIRAULT to dictate much of the contest, although RZIHAUSCHEK and VELICHKOV fought back by taking the third game before France sealed victory in four.
NOIRAULT reflected on a memorable triumph.
“It was an incredible final. To win the title together is an amazing feeling. A year ago we had never even played together, and now we’re European champions. I’d like to congratulate Nathan and also ourselves because we’ve worked hard for this. We’ve shared so many moments together throughout the season, so to experience this success as a team is really special.
When they came back to make it 2-1, we just tried to forget that game and focus on the next one. We knew it is never easy to close out a European final, so we stayed calm, kept fighting and trusted each other. We have a great team spirit, and in the end it was enough. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved.”
The eventual champions had been seriously tested in the semi-finals by Sweden’s Noa DAHLSTROM and Adam WALLIN before prevailing 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-3). After surrendering the lead, the French pair responded emphatically, dominating the final two games to book their place in the title match.
LAM admitted the opening stages had not gone according to plan.
“We’re very, very happy to have won this match. The beginning wasn’t easy because I felt a bit of pressure, but Antoine gave me a lot of confidence and motivation during the match. We complemented each other really well, and we’re delighted to have reached the final.”
NOIRAULT explained how tactical adjustments changed the momentum.
“It was a very difficult match because our opponents played really well. At the start we weren’t at our best in the short game or when opening the rallies, but as the match went on we made the right tactical adjustments and started making better decisions. That made the difference. It’s another opportunity to play in a doubles final with Nathan and fight for the title, so we’re really happy to be there.”
The second semi-final saw sixth seeds RZIHAUSCHEK and VELICHKOV overcome France’s Nathan DOUSSINET and Nathan PILARD 3-1 (11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-9), earning their first appearance together in a European Youth Championships final.
VELICHKOV revealed that thorough preparation had laid the foundations for victory.
“We were expecting a tough match because our adversaries had just come through a 3-2 quarter-final, so we knew they would be full of confidence. But we had a very clear tactical plan and knew exactly what we wanted to do. It was important for us to make a good start and build confidence early in the match, and everything worked really well.”
He also admitted the closing stages required composure.
“The last game became a bit tense. We were leading 8-4, but they came back to 9-9. In the end we decided to take a few risks, and they paid off, so we’re really happy to be in the final.”
Speaking about their long-standing partnership, RZIHAUSCHEK added:
“We’ve been playing together for many years. The first time we partnered each other was in our last Under 15 season, four years ago, when we reached the semi-finals. Last year we also finished with a bronze medal, so this time we wanted to go one step further. We’re very happy that we managed to do that.”
Final
- Nathan LAM, Antoine NOIRAULT (France) – Julian RZIHAUSCHEK (Austria), Yoan VELICHKOV (Bulgaria) 3-1 (15-13, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6)
Semi finals
- Nathan LAM, Antoine NOIRAULT (France) – Noa DAHLSTROM, Adam WALLIN (Sweden) 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-3)
- Julian RZIHAUSCHEK (Austria), Yoan VELICHKOV (Bulgaria) – Nathan DOUSSINET, Nathan PILARD (France) 3-1 (11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-9)
