The O1 Properties Christmas Cup - the first Category 1 Tennis Europe Junior Tour event of the season – has drawn to a close at the Alexander Ostrovsky Academy in Khimki (RUS).
The third edition of the tournament once again saw a strong draw, including athletes from countries including France, Poland, Sweden, Italy, Serbia, Spain, Belarus, Ukraine, United States, as well as a specially-invited team from the United Kingdom.
Throughout the tournament spectators witnessed some exciting battles. In just a few days of the competition Academy visited over 1,500 people, among them top officials of the Russian Tennis Federation - Shamil Tarpischev, Vladimir Lazarev, Elena Likhovtseva and Alexander Krasnorutskiy, as well as many tennis fans.
The Academy also prepared a first-class entertainment program. On the 6th of January participants had an interactive graffiti master class in stencil art, in the middle of the week a PlayStation Battle soccer tournament took place in the players’ zone, the winner of which was Russian Grigory Gubarev.
On January 7th an exhibition match was held, in which performed a team of accomplished veterans (Elena Likhovtseva & Alexander Krasnorutskiy) and team of young and very talented players: two-time absolute winner of the tournament Anastasia Potapova (former Tennis Europe Junior Tour #1, now ranked #18 in the ITF juniors), and Polish player David Taczala. The former winner of the ATP Finals and former world #3 Nikolay Davydenko performed the role of commentator.
The match was full of jokes and fun, but played by the official rules. The young team led 4/1 before the veterans gradually entered the game, claiming five games in a row to eventually win 6-4.
The same evening, a big team of players, guests and organizers of the tournament made a trip to Red Square. Christmas in Red Square is never quiet, even though it was quite cold! After passing the entrance to the square, everybody stopped for a group photo, exactly opposite the main tower of the country - Spasskaya tower. Warmed with hot tea and blankets, on the way to the parked cars participants made a few photos and selfies.
In the end the girls’ event went without too many surprises, as top seeded Ukrainian player Daria Snigur played a confident final to overcome Russian girl Oksana Selehmeteva 6-2 6-4.
The boys singles, on the contrary, lost the top two seeds at the quarterfinal stage, when Alexei Shestakov (UKR) and David Taczala bowed out. The final would eventually be an all-Russian battle, which saw Alibek Kachmazov beat Artjom Matus 6-3 6-3.
Doubles titles went to Tazcala and partner Viktor Jovic (SRB), winners over Matus & Petr Kapuskin (RUS), and Russians Daria Astakhova & Maria Shusharina, who beat Polina Gubina (UKR) & Yulia Nikitina in a champions’ tie-break.
The award ceremony, hosted by Academy owner Alexander Ostrovsky, saw Russian Tennis Federeation President Shamil Tarpishev and Vice-President Alexei Selivanenko congratulate the winners and participants of the tournament before inviting everyone outside to celebrate the closing ceremony of O1 Properties Christmas Cup U14 2016 with a beautiful fireworks show.
Two other 14 & Under events were held last week. At the Category 3 Bozicni Turnir in Beograd (SRB), Goran Zivotic flew the home flag, beating Gjorgji Jankulovski (MKD) to win the boys singles, and finishing as runner-up in the doubles alongside Serbian compatriot Stefan Popovic. On that occasion, Jankulovski came out on top, teaming with Simeon Terziev (BUL) to take the title.
There was more success for Bulgaria and Macedonia in the girls’ events: Jana Ognjanovska & Ana Ristevska (MKD) took the doubles title, while second seed Dariya Radulova beat eighth seeded Russian Victoria Borodulina for the singles.
Peter Alam of Great Britain was the star of the Category 3 Toyota Cup in Lithuania, beating home hope Matas Vasiliauskas to claim the singles title and teaming up with Ammar Elamin (IRL) to win the doubles. French top seed Salma Djoubri won the girls’ title over Latvia’s Patricija Spaka, though Spaka had earlier managed to claim the doubles title alongside compatriot Stefanija Polischuk.
Some familiar names emerged triumphant at the week’s sole 16 & Under event, the Category 2 Tennsline Cup in Milovice (CZE). Romania’s Cezar Cretu claimed his second successive 16 & Under title with a 6-3 6-4 win over local player Dalibor Svrcina, who celebrated his first week in the 14 & Under with his biggest final so far. The girls’ final saw top seed Daniela Vismane of Latvia concede just a solitary game to Krstyna Lavickova (CZE) in her first appearance on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour since the European Championships last summer.
Both doubles titles went to Czech teams, with Jakub Beran & Jiri Lehecka claiming the boys’ and Tereza Vajsejtlova & Viktorie Wojcikova claiming the girls’ crowns.
This week the Tour continues, with 14 & Under events in Moscow (Cat.1), Narva and Milovice (Cat.2), and a 12 & Under tournament in Baku. You can keep up with the latest results here.