There was a double win for French players at the European 16 & Under Championships in Moscow, as Jade Suvrijn and Enzo Couacaud took the singles titles, the first time in over 20 years that a single nation could claim both singles champions.
Seeded #15, Suvrijn survived a tough three-set battle with Natalia Vajdova (SVK) in her first match before reeling off several impressive straight set wins, including third seed Barbara Haas (AUT). Her final opponent was unseeded Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo, who had ended the hopes of #1 seed Petra Rohanova (CZE) in decisive fashion in Saturday’s semi final.
Their final match was over in just an hour of play, with Suvrijn dominating from the outset to quickly take a 6-1 lead. While the second set was more competitive, her lead was never threatened, and Suvrijn held on to wrap up a 6-1 6-4 win that makes her the first French girl to win the 16 & Under title since Alizé Cornet in 2005.
With 2010 winner Mathias Bourgue competing at this year’s 18 & Under event, Enzo Couacaud had the incentive of fighting to keep the boys title in French hands. He had reason to be wary of his final opponent Elias Ymer of Sweden, who had earlier beaten the other French player in the draw (Alexandre Favrot) in a long quarterfinal match.
Ranked just #107, Ymer - whose younger brother Mikael was competing at the 14 & Under championships in Pilzen – caused a succession of upsets on route to the final, claiming the scalps of sixth seed Matej Marusczak (SVK) and promising Austrian Dominik Weidinger.
The final saw Couacaud in dominant form, conceding just five games to become the sixth French boy to claim the 16 & Under European title, following in the footsteps of Yannick Noah, Arnaud Boetsch and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, amongst others. A member of the victorious Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD team in February, Couacaud now boasts a 9-0 win/loss record on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour this season.
The girls’ doubles final was battle of the top two seeded teams, with Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit & Tatjana Vorobjova coming from behind to squeak past Czech pair Barbora Krejcikova & Petra Rohanova 3-6 6-3 10-8, and claim just a second title for Estonia in the history of the European Junior Championships.
Matteo Donati & Stefano Napolitano’s experience as a pair paid off in the boys’ doubles. The pair, who have competed together sporadically since teaming up in 12 & Under events and won three Category 1 14 & Under titles in 2009, breezed through the draw, dropping just one set and scoring a resounding 6-3 6-0 win over Spain’s Albert Alcaraz Ivorra & Carlos Benito Hergueta in the final.
150 players took part in the 16 & Under Championships, which were held in Moscow for a fifth successive year. The winners and finalists will be invited to compete at the Tennis Europe Junior Masters in October.
Results and Photos
Boys Singles | Girls Singles | Boys Doubles | Girls Doubles | Photos