by Ian Marshall, Editor
The one elusive title accrued in the junior girls’ team event; the combination formed by Marie Chapet, Charlotte Lutz and Sofia Ray experienced a 3-2 defeat in the final when facing the Czech Republic’s Anna Klempererova and Nela Hanakova, who joined forces with Poland’s Julia Tomecka; an outfit coached by Tomas Vrnak.
Charlotte Lutz beat both Julia Tomecka (11-6, 11-4, 12-10) and Anna Klemperevova (11-2, 11-7, 11-13, 11-3) but those were to prove the only successes for her team. In the vital fifth and decisive match of the fixture, Julia Tomecka overcame Marie Chapet (11-8, 11-5, 11-9).
“The final was the most difficult. We knew that Lutz would win two matches but the other French girls were beatable. It is a great success for such a quickly formed team to win this tournament. It was a big surprise for me.” Tomas Vrnak
Earlier at the semi-final stage the French trio had recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to England’s Charlotte Bardsley and Millie Rogove who partnered Norway’s Martine Toftaker; in the same round Anna Klempererova, Nela Hanakova and Julia Tomecka had secured a 3-0 margin of victory in opposition to the Czech Republic’s Klara Hrabicova, Jana Vasendova and Kristyna Penkavova.
Opposite situation
A close 3-2 defeat for France in the junior girls’ team final; in counterpart boys’ team event it was the reverse scenario.
Facing the Polish outfit formed by Szymon Kolasa, Michal Malachewski and Lukasz Sokolowski, a hard fought full distance win was secured. Hugo Deschamps gave France the perfect start by beating Michal Malachewski (11-5, 11-6, 11-9) but the man of the moment was Thibault Poret. In the second match of the engagement he overcame Szymon Kolasa (6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5); in the decisive fifth contest he prevailed against Michal Malachewski (11-5, 11-6, 11-9).
Tense moments, en route to the final, life for both teams had been less exacting. At the quarter-final stage the French outfit had recorded a 3-0 win against the combination of Ecuador’s Matias Lecaro and Neycer Robalino who partnered Poland’s Artur Lenieszka, before securing a 3-1 success when facing a further international combination in the guise of the Czech Republic’s Filip Cernota, England’s Sam Wilson and Frenchman Thibault Bailliet.
Comprehensive wins, for Poland it had proved even more comprehensive; a 3-0 win was recorded against the Czech Republic outfit comprising Filip Vybiral, Radim Moravek and Jakub Kaucy, before the same margin of victory was secured at the semi-final stage when confronting the host nation’s Filip Delincak, Dalibor Diko and Adam Klajber.
Full distance contests
Hard fought success for France in the junior boys’ team event, it was the same in the cadet boys’ team competition. A 3-2 margin of victory was the outcome for Célian Besnier and Milhane Jellouli when facing Croatia’s Borna Petek and Luka Zlatkov in the quarter-finals. After recording a 3-0 win against Norway’s Martin Froseth and Slovakia’s Roman France in the semi-final, the full five matches were needed in the final to overcome Germany’s Lleyton Ullman and Tayler Fox.
Mainstay of the success was Milhane Jellouli; he beat Tayler Fox in the second match of the fixture (11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9) and Lleyton Ullman in the decisive fifth contest (11-6, 11-5, 11-9).
Impressively in the opposite half of the draw Lleyton Ullman and Tayler Fox had recorded a 3-0 win against Ecuador’s Jeremy Cedeño and Diego Piguave, prior to achieving a 3-1 penultimate round success in opposition to the French pairing of Marius Benchat and Flavio Mourier.
Close encounters
Narrow margins, it was the same for Crystal Chan and Clea de Stoppelaire.
At the quarter and semi-final stages they were stretched the full five match distance, first by Germany’s Sarah Rau and Laura Kaim; then by Slovakia’s Ema Cincurova and Dominika Wiltschova. A place in the final reserved; a 3-1 victory against Mia Griesel and Jele Stortz, also from Germany, secured the title.
Play concludes on Sunday 3rd November when the individual events in the cadet age group will be conducted.
