Russia (girls) and Czech Republic (boys) are the new champions of the Tennis Europe Nations Challenge by HEAD. This was the Czechs’ third appearance in a boys’ final, and first win, while the Russian girls extend their tally to six titles from twelve editions of the 12 & Under team competition. The Russian boys also fared well, finishing as runners-up to the Czechs, while Slovakia were the girls’ finalists.
The final rounds were held in France, with the boys’ teams travelling to Dijon, while the girls played in Ajaccio. A total of 61 national teams had taken part in the qualifying competition a fortnight ago. The top two teams from each of the four qualifying groups progressed to the finals, where the eight teams were split into two groups of four in a round-robin format from Thursday to Saturday before today’s final and placement matches.
GIRLS’ FINAL
After qualifying top of their respective round-robin groups, final debutantes Slovakia took on Russia, who were playing in their eighth final. In a dominant performance, the Russian onslaught was unrelenting. Alina Korneeva beat Lucia Hradecka 6-1 6-2 in the opening rubber, after which Mirra Andreeva shut out Renata Jamrichova. Korneeva & Victoria Milovanova made it a clean sweep for the Russians, making light work of Hradecka & Vanessa Novakova in the doubles for a 3-0 win.
Results: Nominations | Group A | Group B | Schedule | Photos
BOYS’ FINAL
Russia is the only nation ever to have won both the boy’s and girls’ event in the same year (2012), but the boys’ team from the Czech Republic was in no mood to allow a repeat of that feat. The team was in control from the outset, as Jam Kumstat fought off a gallant Ilya Maltsev for a 6-4 7-6(5) win. Maxim Mrva was too strong for Timofei Derepasko, posting a 6-4 6-2 win to secure the trophy. The doubles was won by the same scoreline as Mrva returned to court with Sebastian Chodura to undo Derepasko & Egor Pleshivtsev.
Results: Nominations | Group A | Group B | Schedule | Photos
FINAL STANDINGS
GIRLS
Gold: Russia
Silver: Slovakia
Bronze: Great Britain
4th: Bulgaria
5th: Czech Republic
6th: Italy
7th: Ukraine
8th: France
BOYS
Gold: Czech Republic
Silver: Russia
Bronze: Romania
4th: Spain
5th: Italy
6th: Finland
7th: France
8th: Bulgaria