The Czech Republic’s girls and Germany’s boys are the new European 16 & Under team champions after the two teams scored contrasting wins over Russian opposition on the final day of their respective competitions.
In Budapest, Hungary, where the girls’ final rounds were being played for a second consecutive year, the Czechs were the first team to complete a victory. Monika Kilnarova gave the top seeds an early lead, scoring a 7-5 6-2 win over 2013 European 14 & Under Champion and Junior Masters winner Evgeniya Levashova.
The second match was a mouth-watering prospect, with junior world #1 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic facing the recent European 16 & Under silver medallist Elena Rybakina. The Russian had won 18 of her last 19 matches on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour and started confidently, taking the first set 6-4 and going toe-to-toe with her rival in the second, which eventually went to a tie break. With the Russian poised to level the tie, Vondrousova seized the initiative, conceding just two points in the deciding game to level the match before securing an early break in the third and eventually clinching the tie – and the Championship – with a 6-3 final set.
The dead doubles rubber wasn’t played, leaving the Czech team free to celebrate their first title in this event since 2002, and seventh overall (three as part of Czechoslovakia).
Spain came from behind to beat the Netherlands 2/1 and claim the bronze medals.
The boys’ finals in Le Touquet (FRA) were hotly disputed, with Germany facing Russia in the title match for the second time in three years. Last year’s 14 & Under Junior Masters champion Nicola Kuhn gave Germany an early lead with a crushing 6-0 7-5 win over Russia’s Mikhail Sokolovskiy in the opening singles match.
The second singles was a battle between two of the standout players of the recent European Junior Championships in Moscow, as silver medallist Artem Dubrivnyy took on bronze medallist Marvin Moeller. This time it was the Russian player that would lose just five games as a dominant Dubrivnyy worked his way to a 6-3 6-2 win that levelled the tie.
After a rest, the four players returned to court for a deciding doubles match. Russia gained the early upper hand, taking the first set 6-3 before relinquishing the second by the same score. The players were by now very familiar with each other; they also met in the semi-finals of the doubles event in Moscow, with the Russian’s coming out on top in straight sets. On this occasion though the German team combined better and better as the match went on, eventually coming out on top with a 6-2 final set win.
The victory was Germany’s first since 2001 in this age group and continues an excellent recent run in Tennis Europe team events, highlighting the progression of this generation of German players. Having claimed both of the 14 & Under team competitions in 2014, the 16 & Under team now holds both the Winter and Summer Cups titles.
Poland earlier completed a 3/0 rout over Sweden to claim the boys bronze medal position. Both the boys’ and girls’ 16 & Under Summer Cups also count as the European qualifying event for the Junior Davis and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas competition, the finals of which will be held in Madrid at the end of September.
As hosts, Spain automatically qualify to take part in the competitions. They will be joined by Germany, Russia, Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic at the Junior Davis Cup, and by Czech Republic, Russia, Netherlands, Italy and Great Britain at the Junior Fed Cup.
Draws and Results
Boys Finals - Le Touquet (FRA) | Draw | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Photos
Girls Finals - Budapest (HUN) | Draw | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Facebook | Photos