by Simon Daish
Top spot on the Cadet Girls’ Singles medals podium has gone to Elizabet Abraamian, after the number three seed from Russia successfully navigated a six games encounter with Germany’s Wenna Tu.
Wenna Tu’s wonderful campaign in the competition continued to blossom on the concluding day of play in Guimarães when the 15th seeded player prevailed against fellow compatriot Anastasia Bondareva in the last four (8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 4-11) to book her spot in the final.
However, capturing the title proved one step too far for Wenna Tu as Elizabet Abraamian delivered a fine performance to claim the gold medal (11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3 11-13, 11-6).
“It a was close match, just like every other time that we have played against each other”, Elizabet Abraamian.
The top two seeded competitors met in the Cadet Boys’ Singles final, as Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko took on Sweden’s Truls Moregard in the concluding stage of the tournament.
Truls Moregard was attempting to improve on his efforts in last year’s competition where he secured a silver medal finish, and looked in good shape to achieve that feat after claiming the opening two games in the 2017 title match.
Yet, it was not to be for the Swede who instead was reduced to back-to-back silver medals in the category following a superb reaction from Vladimir Sidorenko with the Russian star successfully defending his title (7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5, 15-13).
“Truls had the advantage. I was always trailing him, he was the one who set the lead. It was so hard for me to defend the title. It was even harder than winning it the first time was!”, Vladimir Sidorenko.
Defeat for the Swedish contestant in the Cadet Boys’ Singles title match but over in the Cadet Boys’ Doubles final there was plenty to cheer about for Truls Moregard as he combined with Martin Friis to celebrate a fantastic victory over the top seeded partnership in an epic encounter.
Maksim Grebnev and Vladimir Sidorenko did show signs of promise in the tie, and the Russian duo managed to force a deciding game. However, the determination of Truls Moregard and Martin Friis shone through (13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6) as last year’s runners up reached the top step of the podium at the 2017 event.
Russian competitors also had to settle for a silver medal finish in the Cadet Girls’ Doubles tournament, with Arina Slautina and Natalia Malinina losing out to Germany’s Sophia Klee and Anastasia Bondareva in the final.
The third seeds actually made the brighter start to the tie as Arina Slautina and Natalia Malinina registered an opening game win but a terrific response saw Sophia Klee and Anastasia Bondareva recover, picking up four consecutive ends to lift the trophy (9-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-8).
Stag 2017 European Youth Championships: Results – Sunday 23rd July
