The ITF/Tennis Europe 16 & Under Touring Team has wrapped up another successful trip around Europe, delivering impressive results on court and enjoying invaluable experiences off it. Over the course of several weeks, eight of Europe’s top players travelled and competed together, taking part in a series of J60 and J100 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournaments. Along the way, they gained international match experience and built strong friendships.
Selected for their outstanding performances on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour, this year’s team included:
Sebastian Tejerina (Poland)
István Damján Mokán (Hungary)
Alexandr Tiutchenko (Ukraine)
Zuka Kacheishvili (Georgia)
Tea Kovacevic (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Maria Valentina Pop (Romania)
Lydia Panagiotidou (Greece)
Andrea Georgiou Papakyriacou (Cyprus)
Under the guidance of experienced coaches Aleksander Jürgens (EST) and Olha Khaniukova (UKR), the team benefited from consistent coaching, structured routines and the shared experience of travelling and competing as a group.
The team’s first stop was at the J60 event in Holte, Denmark, where Tea Kovacevic made a strong statement by claiming the singles title. In doubles, Kovacevic and Maria Valentina Pop reached the quarter-finals, setting the tone for what would become a very successful summer for the duo. At the higher-level J100 tournament in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, Lydia Panagiotidou advanced to the semi-finals in singles. Kovacevic and Pop continued their consistent run there with a semi-final finish in the doubles draw.
The J60 event in Timisoara, Romania, proved to be a highlight of the tour, with the girls’ team dominating the singles competition. Kovacevic captured her second singles title of the trip, defeating Panagiotidou in the final, while Pop reached the semi-finals, making it an all-Touring Team showing in the latter stages. Kovacevic added yet another trophy to her collection by winning the doubles event alongside Fangyu Chan of China, while Tejerina and Mokán reached the quarter-finals in the boys’ doubles draw.
At the closing event of the tour, the J100 Timisoara, Kovacevic reached her third singles final of the summer, falling just short of another title. She and Pop, however, ended the tour on a high note by winning the doubles event.
Sebastian Tejerina (POL) left the Touring Team a week early and missed the last tournament so he could participate in the Polish national championships, where he won the gold in singles.
Beyond the titles and trophies, the Touring Team gave players a sense of what life on the circuit is like, by adjusting to new environments, managing routines, and learning from each other. The support of the coaching team played a key role in helping players stay focused, grow as individuals and prepare for future challenges in their tennis journeys.
With several players improving their ITF rankings and gaining confidence through consistent competition, the 2025 Touring Team reinforced the value of this long-running joint initiative between Tennis Europe and the ITF. For the young athletes involved, the tour was more than a series of tournaments - it was a meaningful step forward in their development, both as players and as people.