Nina GUO ZHENG of France lived up to her seedings as the tournament favourite, overcoming every challenge on her way to the Under 19 Girls Singles title at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar. The top seed defeated Zlata TEREKHOVA of AIN 4-1 (11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7) in the final, while France’s Alexia NODIN and AIN’s Aleksandra BOKOVA shared the bronze medals.
The final was close game, with GUO ZHENG edging the opening two games before TEREKHOVA reduced the deficit by claiming the third. The French player responded with strong performances in the fourth and fifth games to secure the title and complete a demanding tournament.
Reflecting on her victory, GUO ZHENG admitted the road to the title had been far from straightforward.
“To be honest, I still can’t quite believe I’ve won the title. Even though I was the top seed, every single match in this competition was incredibly difficult. I was very close to being eliminated in the Round of 16. I was leading 3-2 and 6-3, but my opponent came back and I lost that advantage. It was a very tough moment mentally, but I managed to stay focused, fight through it and keep believing in myself. Looking back at everything I’ve been through in this tournament, I can honestly say I’m very proud of myself.”
GUO ZHENG reached the final by defeating French teammate Alexia NODIN 4-1 (11-13, 16-14, 11-6, 11-3, 11-1). After dropping a close opening game, she survived a crucial second game before gradually taking control of the contest.
“I’m very happy to have reached the final. Playing against Alexia is always difficult because she’s a good friend, we’ve known each other for a long time and we’ve faced each other many times before. It is also the last day of a very long tournament, so physically and mentally it was a really demanding match. I had some difficulties at the beginning, but I eventually found the right solution and I’m delighted to have won.”
She explained that patience was the decisive factor against her defensive-style teammate.
“Against a defensive-style adversary, patience is the key. At the start I wasn’t patient enough, but as the match went on I became more disciplined, focused on keeping the ball on the table and waited for the right opportunity to attack. Once I found the right ball to finish the point, I was able to take control of the match.”
TEREKHOVA booked her place in the final with a convincing 4-0 victory (11-9, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5) over teammate Aleksandra BOKOVA, continuing an impressive run through the draw.
“I was playing against a teammate whom I’ve known for a long time, and we train together regularly. I’m really happy that I managed to come through such a difficult match because she’s a very challenging adversary with a unique style of play. Her game is unusual and very awkward to face, so I knew I had to be fully prepared.”
She also highlighted the strengths of her semi-final opponent.
“I fought for every point because Aleksandra BOKOVA is an extremely powerful player. She has very strong serves and generates a lot of spin, and even many of the top players struggle to cope with her game. She has already beaten some very strong players, which shows how talented and promising she is. Now I’ll focus on preparing for the final.”
Final
- Nina GUO ZHENG (France) – Zlata TEREKHOVA (AIN) 4-1 (11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7)
Semi-finals
- Nina GUO ZHENG (France) – Alexia NODIN (France) 4-1 (11-13, 16-14, 11-6, 11-3, 11-1)
- Zlata TEREKHOVA (AIN) – Aleksandra BOKOVA (AIN) 4-0 (11-9, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5)
