Giulia Maria Popa (ROU) and Salvador Monteiro (POR) have won this year’s Kungens Kanna and Drottningens Pris 14&U Super Category event in Stockholm. The top seed claimed her biggest title of the year, while the unseeded Portuguese player pulled off a slew of upsets to wrap up his fourth title of 2022.
Blasting through the early rounds, the #5 ranked and top Romanian on the #TEJT ranking stamped her authority on the tournament before being tested in a three-set quarterfinal by sixth seeded Serb Luna Vujovic. Powering on, Popa made it through to her tenth final of the season, a feat emulated by only a select few players in 2022. In a match filled with swings of momentum, she overcame Anna Pushkareva 6-2 2-6 6-2 to win her first Super Category title.
Popa has been getting stronger as the year progresses. She began 2022 with 5 title wins at the 14&U level and added three more 16&U trophies to her collection before playing in Stockholm. Splitting her play between both the two age levels meant she missed out on a spot in Monte-Carlo in each category by the slimmest of margins, finishing the Race to Monte Carlo at #19 and #10 respectively. There is no doubt that should she carry this form into next season, she will be a force to be reckoned with in 2023 and a genuine contender to appear at the Masters.
She told Tennis Europe, "It was an incredible experience. The club is very nice with superb playing conditions. The final was really the hardest match of the tournament, it required a lot of physical and mental wear and tear. I worked hard to win this tournament and I’m incredibly happy to have won it. Thanks to my team!"
The #53 ranked Monteiro certainly hit the ground running, kicking off his campaign with an upset over the 14th seed, local Victor Ryden. He would then march on to collect a series of upsets over higher ranked players, accounting for several tournament favourites, including Ziga Sesko (SLO, 4), Mark Ceban (GBR, 7) and Valentin González-Galiño (ESP, 2).
In the final, Monteiro encountered another unexpected opponent: #214-ranked qualifier Moise Kouame. The French boy has risen from the 12&U circuit and also served up his fair share of upsets, the biggest of which being his come-from-behind stunner against top seed Yannick Theodor Alexandrescou (ROU) in the semis. The final was one ask too many for Kouame, and Monteiro scored his biggest ever win with a 6-2 6-4 victory, which will see him rocket up the rankings.
Past champions include some familiar names, with the last three events in Stockholm being marked by Fruhvirtova domination on the Podium (Linda Fruhvirtova, 2018; Brenda Fruhvirtova 2019 and 2020). The 2020 boys' champion was recent US Open Juniors champ Martin Landaluce. Now Popa and Monteiro become the first players from their countries to lift the coveted trophy.
The tournament had a great online impact, with live scores and live streaming all week, plus a busy Instagram feed. Players were also treated to several off-court events including a games area, interactive zone and a special session of the Tennis Europe Junior School on Monday, before which Tennis Europe’s Junior Committee also met on site.
Elsewhere on the Junior Tour this week...
- Jana Kovackova (CZE), younger sister of Junior Masters 16&U champ Alena, has won the 12&U Category 1 Open Benjamins Gradignan in France. She won at least one set in each match 6-0 and dropped a total of 11 games in 6 matches.
- Xavi Palomar (ESP) and Carla Giambelli (ITA) were the winners of this week’s 16&U Category 2 event in Mallorca, the Vilas Academy Trophy
- Top Seed Arturs Zagars has won the 16&U Aizkraukle Open Category 3 event on home soil in Latvia. The #21 ranked player adds a second singles title to his 2022 tally to complement his amazing collection of 5 doubles winners’ trophies this season.
- More international participation highlights the importance of the #TEJT. Indian Pallavi Patel was the girls’ 14&U Champion in the Gantoise Category 3 event, where she competed under the watchful eye of her coach, former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli.