A successful French contingent leaves Moscow with three singles medals. Mehdi Sadaoui has won gold against fellow unseeded Max Westphal 6-4 6-2, with his compatriot being awarded the silver medal. He is now the sixth French 16&U champion this century, following in the footsteps of well-known players such as Alizé Cornet (2005 champion) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2001). In the girls’ draw, Polina Kudermetova has become the first Russian girl to win this event since Daria Kasatkina in 2013. She outdid Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) 7-6(3) 7-5 in front of her home crowd, winning the gold for Russia, with France obtaining the silver, its third medal in singles.
The four finalists all receive invitations to compete at the season-ending Tennis Europe Junior Masters in Reggio Calabria in October. In a case of curious happenstance, all four reigning Junior Masters champions were in action in Moscow with last year's 14&U winners Fatma Idrizovic (SRB) and Konstantin Zhzhenov (RUS) falling to Erika Andreeva (RUS) and second seed Stefan Popovic (SRB) respectively. Meanwhile the 16&U winners from 2018, Antonia Ruzic (CRO) and Petr Nesterov (BUL), were also in action.
BOYS
Nesterov ended up going down in three dramatic tie-break slug fests to Westphal, while second seed Popovic fell in an equally arduous quarterfinal duel against (5) Jack Pinnington Jones (GBR). Sixth seed Ainus Sabaliauskas (LTU) and (7) Mili Poljicak (CRO) made surprise exits, but no exit was more shocking than that of #1 Viacheslav Bielinskyi (UKR). Eventual semi-finalist Marko Andrejic (AUT) was responsible for the demise of the top seed, a prolific title winner in 2018, taking out the Ukrainian 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4.
GIRLS
The Day 2 shocks were just as common for the girls as the boys. Second seed Diana Shnaider (RUS), (6) Fatma Idrizovic (SRB), (7) Linda Noskova (CZE) and (5) Laura Hietaranta (FIN) all found themselves on the sidelines, as they made earlier than expected losses. After a mid-week downpour and ensuing delay, there were plenty of familiar names in the quarterfinals once action was back under way. (11) Antonia Ruzic (CRO) fell to Kudermetova in the quarterfinal, while Maria Bondarenko (RUS) was beaten by Jacquemot. (4) Darja Vidmanova (CZE) and (14) Julia Middendorf (GER) rounded off the last eight.
DOUBLES
The boys’ doubles final produced a thriller as Adam Jurajda & Daniel Sinakov (CZE) recovered from a poor start to outlast Britain's Lui Maxted & Jack Pinnington Jones 1-6 7-6(4) 11-9. Kudermetova scored a golden double, playing alongside Diana Shnaider to defeat their Russian compatriots Erika Andreeva & Maria Bondarenko 6-4 6-3 in the final match.
MEDALS
BOYS’ SINGLES:
GOLD: Mehdi Sadaoui (FRA)
SILVER: Max Westphal (FRA)
BRONZE: Jack Pinnington Jones (GBR) and Marko Andrejic (AUT)
GIRLS’ SINGLES:
GOLD: Polina Kudermetova (RUS)
SILVER: Elsa Jacquemot (FRA)
BRONZE: Denislava Glushkova (BUL) and Erika Andreeva (RUS)
Draws and Results
Boys Singles | Boys Doubles | Girls Singles | Girls Doubles | Photos