The 2025 edition of the ITF/Tennis Europe 14 & Under Touring Team has wrapped up a highly successful summer journey, finishing strong with standout results in Spain after four weeks of top-level competition across Europe.
Guided by coaches Goran Shevchenko (MKD) and Irina Kuzmina-Rimša (LAT), this year’s squad included:
Boys
- Francisco Sardinha (POR)
- Andrija Martinović (BIH)
- Marko Aleksovski (MKD)
- Rafael Pagonis (GRE)
Girls
- Samiye İdil Özkeresteci (TUR)
- Violetta Skryp (UKR)
- Vasilisa Zarecinaia (MLD)
- Eda Lara Sacirovic (BIH)
The tour began in Düren, Germany, where Samiye İdil Özkeresteci and Violetta Skryp both reached the semifinals in singles, while Francisco Sardinha made a deep run to the doubles semifinals alongside a partner from outside the team. The momentum carried into Wilrijk, Belgium, where the players continued to test themselves against Europe’s best in a Category 1 field, gaining further experience on the international stage. The highlight came in the girls’ doubles, where Samiye İdil Özkeresteci and Violetta Skryp captured the title with a 6-2 6-4 victory in the final.
The second half of the tour brought major breakthroughs in Spain. At the Antonio Hernández Cup in Barcelona, Marko Aleksovski claimed the boys’ singles title, while Violetta Skryp reached the girls’ singles final. A week later in Alicante at the David Ferrer U14 event, Francisco Sardinha advanced to the boys’ singles final, and Skryp once again shone, this time going one step further to secure the girls’ singles title with a hard-fought 4-6 7-6 6-4 victory. The girls also excelled in doubles, with Eda Lara Sacirovic and Vasilisa Zarecinaia finishing as finalists.
Reflecting on the summer, coach Irina Kuzmina-Rimša commented, “The players have grown tremendously over these four weeks, not just in their tennis but in learning what it takes to live and compete on tour. They supported each other, worked hard every day, and showed that they can stand alongside Europe’s best.”
The 14&U Touring Team remains an essential project of the ITF/Tennis Europe Development Programme, offering talented players from developing tennis nations the chance to experience elite international competition. This year’s results underline the importance of the pathway, showing once again that with opportunity and support, future stars can emerge on the European stage.