Germany and Russia are the new Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD 14 & Under champions after an exciting weekend of play at the final rounds of the sport’s biggest junior indoor team event in Correggio (ITA, boys) and Vestec (CZE, girls).
Thirty years on from their last victory in this age group, Germany secured the boys title with victories in both singles matches against the top seeds and defending champions, Russia. The opening match was hotly contested; Nikolay Vylegzhanin claimed the first set for Russia after a tense fourteen-point tie break. The second set looked as if it would go the same way but Rudolf Molleker managed to score a crucial break in the twelfth game to level the match 7-5. On a roll, the German won six of the next seven games to give his team a 1/0 lead in the nest-of-three tie.
German #1 Nicola Kuhn has been one of the in-form players on the Tennis Europe junior Tour so far this season, winning the Category 1 event in Bolton and going to reach the final at Les Petits As the following week. A student at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Spain, Kuhn is getting used to playing big matches and held his nerve at key moments to upset the current European #1 Alen Avidzba 7-5 6-4 and seal a memorable win for his country.
Germany won all six of their Winter Cups matches (against Belgium, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Czech Republic and Russia) by a 3-0 score line, the only one of this year’s champions to do so.
Russia’s girls’ team was in dominant form during their final, wrapping up all three matches against Serbia without the loss of a set.
Anastasia Potapova started slowly but accelerated away from Olga Danilovic in the opening tie, putting her team ahead with a 7-5 6-1 win. Olesya Pervushina had an easier time of it, conceding just four games against Jovana Vukovic to put hopes of a maiden Winter Cups title out of reach of the unseeded Serbs.
Pervushina later returned to the court alongside Tatiana Makarova to face Danilovic and partner Teodora Ristic, but the victory had done nothing to quell the Russians’ competitive spirit, with the pair completing the 3/0 win with a 7-5 6-2 victory.
As a result of the win, Pervushina will be challenging for the European #1 spot next week, with her team mates joining her in the Top 5. Russia’s win is their 11th overall in this age category, and first since 2011.
In the bronze medal matches, Spain's girls beat Ukraine 2-1, while Czech Republic's boys beat Great Britain by the same score.
A total of 60 national teams took part in the 2014 edition of the 14 & under event. For full results from the qualifying competition, click here.
Results & Photos
BOYS 14 & UNDER
Correggio (ITA) - Teams & Captains | Draw | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Photos
GIRLS 14 & UNDER
Vestec (CZE) - Teams & Captains | Draw | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Photos