Oberpullendorf in Austria’s Burgenland region is hosting the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe for the second time this week. From 15–21 September, 132 players representing 35 Tennis Europe member nations will compete for the 18 & Under title.
The tournament is part of the ITF World Tennis Tour (Juniors) as a J300 event, offering important ranking points in addition to the championship trophy. The event has a distinguished history, with 13 singles and 14 doubles players who went on to become world No.1 among its past winners. Previous champions include Carlos Moyá, Martina Hingis, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Barbora Krejčíková.
👇 Scroll down for all the news from Oberpullendorf...all photos © Burak Gölge.
Draws, Results & Information
🔗 Boys Singles | Girls Singles | Boys Doubles | Girls Doubles
🔗 Photos | Nations Ranking
Live Streaming
📺 Live Coverage has now concluded. You can re-watch the action from throughout the week here.
Day 7
21.09.2025 - 13:20 - TARABA WALLBERG MAKES HISTORY FOR SWEDEN
Nellie Taraba Wallberg has made history for Sweden, beating Spain’s Charo Esquiva Bañuls in the girls’ singles final of the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships, powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe.
In a battle between the tournament’s top two seeds, Taraba Wallberg seemed one step ahead throughout most of the match. Having wrapped up the first set 6-4, the second settled into a similar pattern, with Esquiva Bañuls always playing catch-up.
There was a notable change in intensity at the end of the set though. At 6-4, 5-4 and 30-0 Taraba stood just two points from the Championship but Esquiva broke confidently, attacking the net on two consecutive points and wresting the initiative after chasing down drop shots on the next two. She held in the next game to hold the lead in a set for the first time, and her opponent held to force a tie break.
Taraba Wallberg quickly established an unassailable lead, when a Spanish double fault and a return winner from the Swede gave her a 4-1 lead. A crisp volley set up five match points and wrapping up the breaker 7-2 Taraba Wallberg gave a squeal of delight.
It’s been a great tournament for Sweden, with Linea Bajraliu claiming a bronze medal in singles, and the pair also teaming up for doubles bronze. Most impressive of all, this is the first time a Swedish girl has won a European 18 & Under girls’ title. Sweden has been one of the more prolific winners of the boys’ tournament, with eight singles champions (most recently Mikael Ymer in 2015) and four doubles titles.
And she couldn't have asked for a better end to her junior career, revealing afterwards, "This is actually my last junior tournament. I’m so happy and proud of myself. It’s been a great tournament!"
21.09.2025 - 12:50 - MCDONALD CLAIMS BOYS SINGLES TITLE
Niels McDonald has struck gold for Germany, claiming the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe title with a confident win over top seed Yannick Alexandrescou.
McDonald began the final with authority, clearly with his eyes on the prize. From the start, he refused to allow Alexandrescou to find his rhythm or settle into the match, wrapping up the first set 6-2 with little resistance from his opponent.
The second set, however, told a very different story. Alexandrescou has survived a number of tough battles this week and came out determined to shift the momentum, raising his level with the fresh start. The Romanian managed to unbalance McDonald and quickly built a 4-1 lead. But just when it looked as though the match might be heading to a third set, the third seed steadied the ship, fighting his way back to 4-4.
The tension continued as Alexandrescou regained the lead at 5-4, but McDonald remained composed under pressure. He kept his focus, levelled the set and then closed it out at the decisive moment, winning the championship 6-2 7-5. Exultant after the match, he commented, "I’m super happy with my whole performance throughout the week. A big thank you the the tournament, the organisation, the ballkids and all the volunteers who make this amazing tournament possible. It was really cool to play here.”
With his victory, Niels McDonald not only secured the title but also earned his place on the prestigious Roll of Honour, joining a list of illustrious champions who would go on to make their mark on the world stage.
Either player was bound to make history with a win. McDonald becomes just the third German player (and first since Christoph Zipf in 1979) to win a European 18 & Under singles title. Alexandrescou was looking to become the first player since Mats Wilander in 1981 to win the European 16 and 18 & Under titles in successive years. A silver medal is his compensation, and consecutive finals remains a feat achieved by few others in the event’s 50-year history.
21.09.2025 - 09:15 - IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
One week, countless rallies, and now just two matches left. Today, the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships, powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe will crown its champions and we'll discover which players will join the prestigious Roll of Honor alongside legends like Mats Wilander, Carlos Moyà and Barbora Krejcikova.
Play begins at 10:00 AM, with both finals taking place simultaneously. In the boys’ final, Yannick Alexandrescou looks to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champion, his compatriot Luca Preda, while also aiming to even his head-to-head with Niels McDonald. On the girls’ side, Nellie Taraba Wallberg will try to do the same against top seed Charo Esquiva Bañuls, after losing their previous encounter earlier this year.
Day 6
20.09.2025 - 17:30 - BENNEMANN & ZHENIKHOVA TAKE GIRLS' DOUBLES GOLD
Germany’s Eva Bennemann & Sonja Zhenikhova have claimed the girls’ doubles title after a tight straight sets win over Amelia Paszun & Inka Wawrzkiewicz of Poland.
The top seeds led throughout, claiming the first set 6-4 and serving while up a break at 5-4 in the second. At this point came their only wobble, as their unseeded opponents broke back to force a tiebreak. The respite was short-lived, as the favourites quashed any hopes of a Polish resurgence with a commanding 7-2 win in the tiebreak to seal a 6-4 7-6(2) victory.
A forehand down-the-line return from Germany secured a second 18&U girls’ doubles title overall for team Deutschland, with the nation’s previous win coming in 2021. The win was especially sweet for Zhenikhova, who added to her European 16 & Under Championship doubles silver medal from two years ago.
Bennemann said she was “very excited to play because it was for the gold medal. We started pretty well and we were in the lead, until it got close but we were able to win it. In the end Sonja and I pushed and helped each other through and we’re very happy to win the gold medal and that we can call ourselves the European Champions.”
Zhenikova added, “It’s just great that we have a gold medal! It’s amazing and not something everyone can say so it’s really good. There were a lot of ups and downs this week, and most of the matches were close and we had to fight for them. There were some difficulties with the rain, but the tournament was well organised and it was nice staying here. It was a good week!"
20.09.2025 - 15:30 - CIURNELLI & GRIBALDO CLAIM DOUBLES TITLE
Matteo Gribaldo & Raffaele Ciurnelli of Italy have won the boys’ doubles title after an authoritative 7-5 6-1 win over Spaniards Xavi Palomar & Sergio Planella.
The Italians got the early break in the first set but with Gribaldo serving the Spaniards got the break back to level at 4-4. Great net play by Palomar allowed Planella to hold his serve to go up 5-4 to put the pressure on the Italians. The towering Raffaele Ciurnelli was up to the task, and again pulled out some big serves. The eleventh game proved to be decisive, as Palomar was broken by the Italians before Gribaldo held to close out the first set 7-5.
With two breaks of serves early on, the 8th seeded Italians started to run away with the second set, going up 4-1 in a matter of minutes. Ciurnelli’s big serve was unstoppable, and he held to love to go up 5-1. The Spaniards were outplayed by the Italians’ tough combination of impenetrable defence and attacking net play, as they finished the match by winning eight of the last nine games.
Ciurnelli and Gribaldo are the first Italian pair to win a doubles title at this event since Elisabetta Cocciaretto & Francesca Rossi won the girls’ title in 2018 and are the first Italian boys to win since 1991.
After the match Ciurnelli stated “I just won my first title in doubles J300…. Beautiful emotions! With my partner, it’s our first title together. Now we are so happy and this event is so good!”
Gribaldo added, “it was a great week for me, despite my result in singles. In doubles we played so well since the first match… and we kept going very well match after match. We are so happy to win this important title!”
20.09.2025 - 15:15 - GIRLS LEADING SEEDS INTO THE FINAL
Top seed Charo Esquiva Bañuls reinforced her status as tournament favorite with a solid win over Sweden’s Linea Bajraliu. She took the first set 6-2, then rallied from 3-4 down in the second to claim three games in a row and secure her place in the final.
Second seed Nellie Taraba Wallberg (SWE) needed just 58 minutes to sweep past Germany’s Sonja Zhenikhova, giving her opponent little opportunity to get into the match.
The finalists have never faced each other on the Junior Tour, but they did contest a tight J300 semifinal in March, where the Spaniard won 5-7 6-4 7-5. With that recent history, and their status as the leading seeds, tomorrow’s clash promises to be one of the highlights of the tournament.
20.09.2025 - 12:30 - ALEXANDRESCOU VS MCDONALD, THE FINAL AWAITS
Yannick Alexandrescou wasted no time in storming into the final. The top seed swept past Ziga Sesko (SLO) in under 70 minutes, levelling their head-to-head with a 6-1 6-1 win.
In the other semifinal, Stefan Haita tried to set up an all-Romanian final, but third seed Niels McDonald (GER) kept firm control throughout. Focused and consistent, he claimed a 6-4 6-4 win to book his place in the championship match.
The two finalists now stand at 1-1 in previous meetings on the Junior Tour. Their last encounter was back in 2021 at a 14 & Under event, where McDonald won in three sets on his way to the title. Much has changed since then, setting the stage for a highly anticipated final in Oberpullendorf.
20.09.2025 - 09:45 - SATURDAY PREVIEW
Semi-finals day in Oberpullendorf sees the four remaining players battling for medals, and chasing to write their names in the history books, each for their own reason.
Both the boys’ and girls’ semis feature three of the top four seeds. We kick off at 10am with the boys’ matches, where the focus will be on the reigning European 16 & Under Champion Yannick Alexandrescou of Romania. Having already secured a second consecutive medal, he’ll be hoping to join an elite band of players to reach two consecutive European Championship finals with he takes on 4th seed Ziga Sesko. Sesko is on his own quest, to become the first Slovenian ever to reach the final in this category.
In the bottom half of the draw, Germany’s Neils McDonald takes on last year’s doubles champion Stefan Haita (ROU): can Romania wrap up places in the singles and doubles finals here for a second consecutive year?
The girls’ semis see Nellie Taraba Wallberg and Linea Bajraliu attempt to set up a first ever all-Swedish final. They must overcome Sonja Zhenikhova (GER) and Charo Esquiva Banuls (ESP) respectively. It’s no easy task: Zhenikhova has been in great form throughout the week – and is also in the doubles final - while Esquiva Banuls has made her way confidently to the semis without the loss of a set.
There's plenty of other treats to come at the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe, with the doubles finals to follow plus a visit from 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem. Check the streaming links above to follow the action from 10am.
Day 5
19.09.2025 - 19:45 - CHASING DOUBLES GOLD
The doubles action delivered plenty of excitement, again.
In the boys’ draw, the Czech duo Radek Chodora & Jan Psota edged Romanians Yannick Alexandrescou & Stefan Haita in a thriller 5-7 7-5 10-8. They will face Spaniards Xavi Palomar & Sergio Planella Hernandez in tomorrow morning’s semifinal, with the final scheduled for the afternoon.
Italy’s Raffaele Ciurnelli & Matteo Gribaldo first defeated the British pair Dylan Davies & William Moxon, before sealing their place in the final with a semifinal win over the French duo Pierre Antoine Faut & Mickael Kaouk, 5-7 7-6 10-4.
Girls’ doubles brought just as much drama. Latvians Adelina Lachinova & Marija Lauva upset the fifth-seeded Czech team of Amy Sucha & Amelia Justine Hejtmanek, rallying from 1-6 down to win 1-6 7-5 10-5. Their run ended in another close encounter, as Poland’s Amelia Paszun & Inka Wawrzkiewicz prevailed 6-7 6-3 11-9.
In the other half of the draw, top seeds Eva Bennemann & Sonja Zhenikhova continued their dominance, defeating both Romanian and Swedish pairs on their way to the final.
Play begins tomorrow at 10:00, starting with the remaining doubles semifinal and the boys’ singles semifinals.
19.09.2025 - 17:10 - BOYS FINAL 4 CONFIRMED
After spending six and a half hours on court yesterday, top seed Yannick Alexandrescou returned determined to book his semifinal spot, and this time in a much quicker manner. He did just that, defeating Norway’s Johan Oscar Lien 7-6 6-0. Next up for Alexandrescou is fourth seed Ziga Sesko (SLO), who eased past Germany’s Oliver Majdandzic 6-2 6-3. The two have met only once before, at the 16&U European Summer Cups in 2024, where the Slovenian came through comfortably 6-1 6-2.
Romania will have two semifinalists, as Stefan Haita (pictured) scored a 6-1 6-4 victory over Greece’s Odysseas Geladaris. Against him, Niels McDonald (GER) will fight for the coveted place in the final, after defeating Sweden’s William Rejchtman Vinciguerra.
19.09.2025 - 13:20 - 3 OF TOP 4 GIRLS' SEEDS INTO SINGLES SEMIS
The girls’ semi-finals are set at the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe.
Interestingly, Thursday’s first three matches followed the same pattern, with the winner of the first set falling 1-3 behind in the second. Top seed Charo Esquiva Banuls (ESP) did the best job of managing this situation, clawing back Czech Amelie Hejtmanek’s temporary advantage to force a tie break and progress in straight sets, 6-3 7-6(5).
In the bottom half of the draw, #4 Sonja Zhenikhova of Germany (pictured) also weathered a fightback. After trading 6-1 sets with Amy Sucha (CZE) she won six of the last eight games to progress to Saturdays semis. Her opponent there will be second seed Nellie Taraba Wallberg (SWE), who fought back from a set down to beat Ruby Cooling (GBR) 2-6 6-1 6-3.
Linea Bajraliu completed the semi-final with a confident 6-3 6-3 win over this week’s upset artist Ophelie Boullay (FRA), assuring at least two bronze medals for Sweden, and a chance at a first-.ever all Swedish final. She will take on tournament favourite Esquiva Banuls tomorrow as she attempts to make history for her country.
The boys’ quarterfinals are currently taking place – tune in to the live stream to follow the action.
19.09.2025 - 09:15 - NEW RIVALRIES ON THE QUARTERFINAL STAGE
After a day of spectacular action, the quarterfinals promise to be just as exciting. What makes this stage intriguing is that, despite the final 16 (8 boys and 8 girls) having played countless Junior Tour matches, some over 100, most of them have not faced each other before. Only one quarterfinal features a prior meeting: Sonja Zhenikhova (GER) vs Amy Sucha (CZE), who last played in 2022 at a J3 event.
In the boys’ draw, 6 of the top 10 seeds remain in contention, while on the girls’ side only 4 of the top 10 are still standing.
☝️ Use the links above to check today’s schedule and follow the action live, starting at 09:30.
Day 4
18.09.2025 - 19:40 - SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ON THRILLING THURSDAY
If anyone ever questioned the fitness, resilience or passion of junior tennis players, they only need to review Thursday’s results from Oberpullendorf to see some stunning examples of all three. Day 4 turned out be one of marathon matches and impressive stamina, especially in the boys’ event where the players potentially had to win play two rounds of doubles in addition to their singles matches.
As previously mentioned, Yannick Alexandrescou scraped through his morning singles match in 3.5 hours, but then he also won the day’s longest doubles match. Teaming up last year’s gold medallist Stefan Haita, the Romanians were pushed to the brink by Dimitar Kisimov & Martin Pavlov of Bulgaria, eventually winning 6-3 4-6 12-10 in just under two hours. In the last match of the day, the pair went on to beat Christian Gronfeldt Sorensen & August Poulsen (DEN) 6-3 6-4, with Alexandrescou having spent a total of almost 6.5 hours on court.
Incredibly, the top seed’s singles match was not the longest win of the day: that accolade went to Odysseas Geladris of Greece, who fought back from the loss of the first set to eventually overcome Sergio Planella Hernandez of Spain 3-6 7-6 7-6 in a match that lasted just nine minutes shy of 4 hours.
Despite his disappointment, Planella Hernandez went on to shine in doubles, teaming up with Xavi Palomar to beat teams from Andorra and Türkiye with some ease. Geladaris joined Andreas Messis for a three set win over Timon Litwic & Jan Sadzik (POL), but understandably had little left in the tank for the day’s third match, losing 6-0 6-2 to Ziga Sesko & Talan Lopatic (SLO).
Britain's Dylan Davies & William Moxon roared back from a 1-6 first set loss to beat Mateo Fluri & Thomas Gunzinger (SUI) 11-9 in a final tie break to the delight of their team-mates (pictured) while Radek Chodora & Jan Psota (CZE) needed 26 points to win the day's longest decider, over Nikola Matovic & Aleksa Oparnica (SRB).
In the girls’ singles, most matches went according to ranking, with the exception of the three matches mentioned in our earlier update. One more slight upset was completed later on, as Britain’s Ruby Cooling, seeded 12th, outlasted #7 Yoana Konstantinova (BUL) 2-6 6-3 6-2 over two and half hours.
The girls’ doubles also saw some nail-bitingly close encounters, with several teams saving match points before going to win. Among them were Spain’s #7 seeds Charo Esquiva Banuls & Gabriela Paun and Romania’s #5s Anamaria Oana & Diana Simionescu, both teams winning 12-10 in the third.
If Thursday’s action wasn’t intense enough, Friday’s quarterfinals will be another test of strength for the players, with European Championship medals guaranteed for those that advance. Join us tomorrow for more coverage…
18.09.2025 - 16:15 - TEAM SPIRIT
With Odysseas Geladaris (GRE) winning today’s longest match (3 hours and 51 minutes), the Greek team continues to show strong support for one another and pride in playing for their country. Here they are:
18.09.2025 - 13:30 - STRONG PERFORMANCE FROM THE SWEDES
Three of Sweden’s four players advanced to the next round. William Rejchtman Vinciguerra defeated Slovenia’s Luka Talan Lopatic 6-4 6-4, while Nellie Taraba Wallberg secured a convincing 6-2 6-2 win over France’s Daphne Mpetshi Perricard. #11 Linea Bajraliu added another Swedish victory, taking out #6 Rositsa Dencheva (BUL) 6-3 6-4.
The day’s longest match so far featured top seed Yannick Alexandrescou (ROU) against France’s Mickael Kaouk. Their battle stretched to 3 hours and 35 minutes and was filled with momentum shifts. Alexandrescou led both 5-4 and 6-5 in the deciding set, but Kaouk refused to give in, forcing a tiebreak, which Alexandrescou eventually claimed to secure his place in the next round.
Three other matches came close in intensity. Alexandrescou’s compatriot Stefan Haita also endured a three-hour battle, coming from a set down to defeat Switzerland’s Thomas Gunzinger 3-6 7-5 6-2. Meanwhile, third seeded Niels McDonald (GER) had to fight hard against Lenny Petit (MON) edging through 6-4 1-6 7-5 after letting the second set slip away. And last but not least, Johan Oscar Lien (NOR) won a 6-7 6-3 6-2 battle against Patrik Munkhamamr (SWE).
More results:
Boys Singles:
#4 Ziga Sesko (SLO) d. Raffaele Ciurnelli (ITA) 6-4 6-3
Oliver Majdandzic (GER) d. Christian Gronfeldt-Sorensen (DEN) 6-3 7-5
Girls Singles:
#4 Sonja Zhenikhova (GER) d. Ada Kumru (TUR) 6-2 6-1
Ophelie Boullay (FRA) d. #16 Mariia Drobysheva (UKR) 6-3 6-3
18.09.2025 - 09:15 - PARTY PICS AND DAY 4 PICKS
As Day 4 action begins we've updated the tournament gallery with many action pics from yesterday, plus images from the players' party (pictured), where much fun was had!
Thursday promises to be action-packed, with players seeking to secure a spot in the quarterfinals, just one step away from a guaranteed medal. The boys will be especially busy, opening the agenda with their singles match before up to two doubles matches in the afternoon, which will bring the schedule back on track after Tuesday's rain. Some great matches are in store too. Look out for Stefan Haita (ROU) - already a gold medallist at this event in doubles last year -taking on Thomas Gunzinger (SUI). The giant-killers are back in action with more tough assignments: Christian Gronfeldt-Soresen (DEN) today faces Oliver Majdandzic (GER), while Wednesday's star player Ophelie Bouffay faces another seed in the shape of Maria Drobysheva (UKR).
Stay tuned for all the latest.
Day 3
17.09.2025 - 21:00 - UPSETS AND CELEBRATIONS
"Surprises" can be the headline of Day 3, with upsets shaping both the singles and doubles action.
The day’s biggest shock came from Spain’s Sergio Planella Hernandez, who knocked out second seed Oskari Paldanius with an impressive 6-2 6-1 win. Thomas Gunzinger (SUI) overcame #10 Matteo Gribaldo (ITA), while Italy’s Raffaele Ciurnelli took out #16 Botond Nagy (HUN). Meanwhile, third seed Niels McDonald (GER) was pushed hard by Lenny Petit (MON), battling back from a set down to reach the next round.
Looking at the girls’ draw, the seeds were tested as well. Fifth seed Anastasija Cvetkovic (SRB) was edged out by Czech player Amy Sucha in a three-set battle, while Adelina Lachinova (LAT) earned a 6-4 6-4 victory over #8 Allegra Korpanec Davies (GBR). It was a tough day for the Brit, who later teamed up with Ruby Cooling in doubles but fell to Norway’s Elisabeth Braathen and Nora Syrtveit.
The doubles matches added to the day’s upsets, with second seeds Rositsa Dencheva and Yoana Konstantinova (BUL) falling to the Latvian duo Adelina Lachinova and Marija Lauva.
The action is clearly intensifying as the tournament progresses, so make sure to follow this page and our updates on social media.
17.09.2025 - 14:45 - GIAMBELLI SPEAKS...
Over on Instagram, last year's 16 & Under gold medallist in singles and doubles, Carla Giambelli (ITA) spoke to us about her experience at the 18 & Under event so far...
17.09.2025 - 13:45 - BOULLAY STUNS THIRD SEED BENNEMANN
After mostly spending Tuesday on the sidelines, the players have burst into action on Day 3, with some impressive results during the morning. Arguably the most impressive of all was Ophelie Boullay’s three-set win over third seed Eva Bennemann (GER).
Bennemann looked on course for a comfortable win after claiming the first set 6-4 but her French opponent stormed back, wresting the initiative and levelling the match 2-6. Set three was a colossal battle with a tense tie break, during which both players saved match points.
Bennemann had two chances to take the match as she established a 6-4 lead, but Boullay held her nerve, winning three consecutive points. A foray to the net at 7-7 in the tie-break (pictured) rewarded Boullay with a second match point, which she converted with more attacking play. In doing so, she booked a third round spot and won the longest match of the tournament so far, clocking in at three hours, twenty minutes.
Boys’ second seed Oskari Paldanius (FIN) opened his campaign with a clear demonstration of why he’s one of the tournament favourites, dropping just three games to Haydar Cem Gokpinar (TUR). Some of the other key results from this morning are below:
Boys’ Singles:
(3) Niels McDonald (GER) d. Sebastian Eie (NOR) 6-2 6-1
(4) Ziga Sesko (SLO) d. Danila Folkheims (LAT) 6-1 6-1
Lenny Petit (MON) d. Frano Sucic (CRO) 6-1 6-7 6-0
Girls’ Singles:
(1) Charo Esquiva Banuls (ESP) d. Sarina Schnyder (SUI) 6-1 7-5
(2) Nellie Taraba Wallberg (SWE) d. Iida Heinonen (FIN) 7-6 6-0
(13) Daphnee Mpteshi Perricard (FRA) d. Ilary Pistola (ITA) 6-0 6-0
Adelina Lachinova (LAT) d. (8) Allegra Korpanec Davies (GBR) 6-4 6-4
17.09.2025 - 09:00 - THE ACTION CONTINUES
It’s Day 3 of the European Junior Championships here in Oberpullendorf and all eyes are on the skies. After yesterday’s rain delays, everyone is hoping the clouds will hold off so the schedule can run smoothly. A total of 12 matches are set to begin at 9:30, with action spread across the courts and a mix of seeded players looking to confirm their status.
With the competition now fully underway, every match is starting to carry more weight, as players look to secure their place in the next round and keep their championship dreams alive.
Stay tuned for live updates throughout the day.
Day 2
16.09.2025 - 20:10 - GRONVELDT-SOREN UPSETS HOME HOPE BEHRMANN
A frustrating second day has drawn to a close with just seven matches completed after persistent rain disrupted the action at the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe in Oberpullendorf.
Boys’ top seed Yannick Alexandrescou opened his campaign to keep the title in Romanian hands with a 6-0 7-5 win over Radek Chodora (CZE). Mateo Fluri (SUI) also enjoyed a 6-0 set as he booked his third round spot over Guillen Davasse Vidal (AND).
Christian Gronfeldt-Soren (DEN, pictured) posted the biggest upset so far, surviving a first set tie break to move past fifth seeded home hope Thilo Behrmann (AUT). Andreas Messis (GRE) had the opposite experience: he dropped a marathon 22-point first set breaker, but that seemed to spur him into action as he dropped just three further games as he beat Erion Neziri (MKD) in the day’s longest match.
In the girls’ singles, both Bulgarian players made it to the second round. Fourth seed Rositsa Dencheva beat Nora Syrvett (NOR) 6-2 6-1, while #7 seed Yoana Konstantinova had to work a little harder to beat Nina Andronicou (CYP) 7-5 6-4. The day’s other winner was Amy Sucha (CZE) who had to battle for 2 hours 20 minutes to outlast Angelina Voloshchuk (POR) 6-2 5-7 6-4.
There’s a packed schedule for tomorrow as organisers try to get back on track, but with pleasant weather forecast for the rest of the week, the event should be back on schedule soon. Check out tomorrow’s order of play at the link above: live coverage begins at 09:30.
16.09.2025 - 16:10 - ACTION STATIONS
Almost seven hours late and thanks to some hard work from the grounds staff, the players are on court and finally ready to begin. Let's see how many matches we can complete today!
16.09.2025 - 12:00 - VISIT INSTAGRAM FOR EXTRA FEATURES
With play still delayed until at least 14:00 CET as fine drizzle continues to fall on the courts, why not head on over to Instagram for more content from Oberpullendorf...
16.09.2025 - 09:15 - RAINY OBERPULLENDORF
Quick update: Rain has arrived in Oberpullendorf earlier than expected, delaying the start of play. Matches will get underway once the weather improves and the courts are ready for safe play. We’ll keep you posted as soon as a new start time is confirmed.
16.09.2025 - 08:45 - RISE AND SHINE
Players are out on court for their morning hits, preparing for a full day of tennis in Oberpullendorf. The weather isn’t quite as bright as yesterday, with grey clouds overhead and rain expected later on. While we wait for play to begin, take a look at the Photo Gallery updated last night, you might spot your favourite players.
Day 1
15.09.2025 - 19:30 - ONE DOWN, MORE TO GO
Day 1 wrapped up with a mix of upsets and hard-fought wins. Greece’s Odysseas Geladaris delivered one of the surprises, knocking out No. 15 seed Pierre Antoine Faut (FRA) 7-6 3-6 6-3.
On the girls’ side, #9 seed Diana Simionescu (ROU) turned around a slow start against Marie Johanna Lapimaa (EST), coming through 1-6 6-4 6-2 to set up a match with one of home’s favorites Leonie Rabl. #13 Daphnee Mpetshi Perricard (FRA) also needed three sets, overcoming Inka Wawrzkiewicz (POL) 5-7 6-1 6-2.
Tomorrow, the top seeds will make their debut, and the afternoon schedule will also feature the opening round of doubles matches.
The full schedule is available via the link above.
15.09.2025 - 15:00 - MAJDANDZIC CLAIMS FIRST UPSET
Players have been making swift progress this morning, with just four of the 29 matches completed so far going to three sets. Standout results on the girls’ side saw Lucia Hradecka (SVK) score a 6-0 6-0 win over Maria Campama Tomas (AND), and Sarina Schnyder (SUI) concede just three games to Vasiliki Goraniti (GRE). Last year’s 16 & Under gold medallist in singles and doubles Carla Giambelli (ITA) was unable to extend her European Championship win streak past 11 matches, falling 6-2 6-1 to third seed Eva Bennemann (GER).
On the boys’ side, the top two seeds now know their first opponents. Radek Chodora (CZE) beat Zac Naughton (IRL) 6-3 6-1 and is rewarded with a clash against top seed Yannick Alexandrescou (ROU). Meanwhile, Haydar Gokpinar (TUR) beat Aleksa Oparnica (SRB) and will face #2 Oskari Paldanius (FIN) on Tuesday. Oliver Majdandzic (GER, pictured) provided the first upset of the week with a 6-4 6-4 win over 12th seeded Xavi Palomar (ESP).
15.09.2025 - 10:00 - PLAY BEGINS
Day 1 play is now under way under sunny skies in Austria. Some interesting matches are in store from kick-off. Last year’s European 16&U Champion Carla Giambelli (ITA) takes on 3rd seed Eva Bennemann (GER), while Sona Depesova (SVK), runner-up to Giambelli in Parma, also faces a tough opener against Sonja Zhenikova (GER).
On the boy’s side Leonardo Ljubicic (MON), whose father Ivan played this event in 1996, faces 16th seed Botond Nagy (HUN) in the opening match on Court 2. Several of the top seeds have byes, but some second round matches will already take place: the top seed in action is due to be #8 Stefan Haita (ROU), who will face Kristijan Janev (MKD) on centre court. Follow all the action over multiple courts at the links above.
Preview
14.09.2025 - 19:45 - PREVIEW & JUNIOR SCHOOL
The event opened with the Tennis Europe Junior School, where players were introduced to the “Tennis Ecosystem” and watched a special video marking 50 Years of Tennis Europe. A lively quiz followed, with prizes on offer that participants were eager to claim. The boys from Monaco demonstrated a series of dynamic warm-up exercises, while players from Ireland, Greece and Croatia took part in live interviews in front of the crowd.
Right after the Junior School, the teams were officially welcomed and presented during the Opening Ceremony, marking the formal start of the Championships. Check the gallery here.
14.09.2025 - 16:30 - TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
The wait is over - the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe return to Oberpullendorf. The event brings together a strong line-up of rising stars, featuring notable names from the Tennis Europe Junior Tour alongside players already establishing themselves on the ITF and professional tours.
The boys’ draw is led by top seed Yannick Alexandrescou (ROU), last year’s 16&U European Champion and Junior Masters winner, who also reached the Roland Garros Junior quarterfinals and has delivered impressive results at J300 and J500 events. One of his key rivals will be #2 Oskari Paldanius (FIN), an Australian Open Junior semifinalist and this year’s doubles champion at both Wimbledon and the US Open Juniors, alongside fourth seed Alan Wazny (POL). Another name to watch is Niels McDonald of Germany, a familiar face on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour with an incredible 236 matches played, who captured his first junior Grand Slam title in Paris earlier this year.
In the girls’ draw, top seed Charo Esquiva Banuls (ESP), a US Open Juniors quarterfinalist, will be looking to secure the title against a talented field. One of her rivals will be Carla Giambelli (ITA), last year’s 16&U European Champion. Also in contention are Eva Benneman and Sonja Zhenikova (GER), the Roland Garros doubles champions earlier this year, along with Bulgaria’s Rositsa Dencheva and several other rising stars.