Oberpullendorf in the Burgenland Region of Austria is this week hosting the MEHRLEBEN - U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe for the first time.
128 players from 35 Tennis Europe member nations will be in action from 16-22 September, battling for one of the most pretigious crowns in junior tennis. A 300 series event on the ITF World Tennis Tour (Juniors), valuable ranking points are also on offer. 13 singles and 14 doubles world #1s feature among the previous winners of the Championships. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Barbora Krejcikova are amongst those to have won the 18 & Under title in the past ten years.
π Scroll down for all the news from Oberpullendorf, as it happened...
Draws, Results & Information
π Boys Singles | Girls Singles | Boys Doubles | Girls Doubles
π π· Photo Gallery
Live Scores + Streaming
πΊ Multi-Court streaming - choose your match
Latest News - Day 7
22.09.2024 - 16:25 - A WORD WITH THE CHAMPIONS
Head over to our Instagram account to see what Luca Preda and Teodora Kostovic had to say about becoming European champions...
22.09.2024 - 15:45 - DUTCH DOUBLES JOY, PREDA CLAIMS SECOND GOLD
What a thrilling girls’ doubles final between the Dutch and Romanian pairs! Brit Du Pree and Joy De Zeeuw of the Netherlands started strong, taking control of the match early on and comfortably securing the first set 6-2. However, the second set was an entirely different story, as Romanians Elena Bertea and Diana Simionescu found their rhythm and fought back fiercely. The set became a tense, back-and-forth battle. At 6-5, the Romanians managed to break their opponents' serve at a critical moment, clinching the set 7-5 and forcing the match into a tiebreak.
With Du Pree and De Zeeuw racing ahead to a 9-5 lead, it looked like they would quickly win the match. But Bertea and Simionescu saved four consecutive match points to keep their hopes alive. The tension on the court was palpable as the Romanians refused to give in. Despite their comeback, Du Pree and De Zeeuw ultimately wrapped up the final 6-2 5-7 11-9.
Although Bertea and Simionescu couldn’t clinch the gold in their doubles final, the Romanian boys ensured another title for their country. In the boys' doubles final, Luca Preda and Stefan Haita faced a tough challenge from Spain’s Izan Alamazan Valiente and Andres Santamarta Roig. The Spanish duo led for most of the first set and even served for it, but Preda and Haita had a remarkable comeback and won the set. With their confidence boosted, the Romanians took full control in the second set, winning 7-6 6-1 and securing a second gold of the day for Romania.
22.09.2024 - 13:50 - TOP SEEDS TRIUMPH
The word heard most often during both the boys’ and girls’ finals was "Hajde" or "Haide" — a rallying cry of determination and encouragement that echoed across the courts.
In the girls’ final, Teodora Kostovic lived up to her status as the top seed and favorite for the title, delivering a masterful performance against Czech contender Alena Kovackova. Kostovic showcased her dominance with precision and control, committing only a handful of unforced errors. In just 54 minutes, she secured the gold, sweeping the match 6-1 6-0. After the final, she told us "I lost last year in Italy and that hurt me a lot. I’m very proud of myself and I played 100% from the first round. I was really motivated for this match. I’m feeling great because I’m gonna eat my first ice cream after two years! For the people who don’t know Serbian, that’s what I was screaming after I won the match!"
On the boys’ side, Romania's Luca Preda mirrored Kostovic’s success with a similarly commanding display. As the top seed, Preda dominated his final against Italy's Jacopo Vasami, securing Romania’s first gold medal of the day. With powerful groundstrokes and strategic play, Preda triumphed 6-3 6-1, leaving no doubt about his superiority on the court. He said, "It feels great. I’m not gonna lie! I am very happy, it was a tough tournament. Today I feel like I served really well. My baseline game was very solid and my return as well."
With the momentum from his singles triumph, Preda will be looking to carry that confidence into the doubles final as he and Haita set their sights on clinching even more glory for Romania.
22.09.2024 - 09:20 - FINALS!
Six days down, one to go, and the gold is just one match away! Today, we'll crown the winners of the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championships, powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe. Soon, we’ll find out who will join the prestigious Rolls of Honour alongside legends like Mats Wilander, Carlos Moya, and Barbora Krejcikova.
The day kicks off, as always, with the singles matches, scheduled to start at 10AM. On the girls’ side, the finalists have faced each other once before, at the end of 2023, when Kostovic triumphed in a hard-fought three-set battle. For the boys, however, this will mark their first-ever encounter on court.
Day 6
21.09.2024 - 19:50 - DOMINIC THIEM: "NEVER GIVE UP, AND ENJOY THIS JOURNEY..."
Local tennis hero, and household name in Austria, Dominic Thiem was one more famous face to pay a visit to another Tennis Europe event.
Making the most of his time away from the courts, the former US open champion spent an hour meeting plenty of young fans who were on site to be ball kids at today’s semi finals. He posed for many selfies and signed a truckload of balls.
The winner of 17 ATP tour titles then went on to tour the club’s indoor facilities and meet with tournament organizers, sponsors and club managers. He also stopped by for a quick exchange and photo opportunity with the people from Bee:Wild, a nature project dear to his heart.
He was a sought-after man and he had more to do! A court-side interview with Austrian TV was followed by a tour of the grounds, however that did not stop him from watching some of the top juniors in action.
Some lucky players got a photo opportunity with Thiem, who even found time to have a chat with some of them and offer some encouraging words of wisdom: “It doesn’t matter how successful you become in the end: the tennis life you start at such an early age can be the best “life school” you can have. Never give up and enjoy this journey because it’s an unbelievable help for what comes after.”
21.09.2024 - 17:20 - DOUBLES FINALS SET
The doubles semifinals are complete in Oberpullendorf, setting up an intriguing pair of matches tomorrow.
The first match to finish on Saturday gave us a notable upset, and ended Alena Kovackova’s hopes of repeating her feat from 2022, when she won both singles and doubles golds at the 14 & Under Championships.
Britt Du Pree is no slouch at doubles though, that same year she claimed a silver medal at the 16 & Under Championships in Prerov. Playing with Joy De Zeeuw, the Dutch pair were one step ahead throughout the match, chasing down lobs and smashes to frequently make their opponents play one more shot than they expected.
The sixth seeds despatched the #1s Kovackova & Eliska Tichackova 6-4 6-3 and tomorrow will hope to become the sixth Dutch pair to claim the 18 & Under doubles title. Teams from the Netherlands won the event four times between 1977 and 1991, but just once since then, in 2008 when Rachel Hogenkamp and Lesley Kerkhove took the gold.
In the final they’ll face Romania’s Elena Bertea & Diana-Ioana Simionescu who played authoritatively to upset second seeded Italians Noemi Basiletti & Vittoria Paganetti 7-5 6-4. They’ll be aiming to keep the gold medals in Romanian hands for a second consecutive year, following the victory of Mara Gae & Cara Maria Mester in 2023.
The boys’ doubles final will be a showdown between the two top seeded teams. To get there, each pair survived contrasting semi-finals. Second seeded Romanians Stefan Haita & Luca Preda (pictured, © Burak Gölge) accelerated away from Czech opponents Jan Klimas & Denis Petak at the end of the first set and never looked back, eventually easing to a 7-5 6-2 win.
Spanish top seeds Izan Almazan Valiente & Andres Santamarta Roig had a much tougher time overcoming the challenge of Pierluigi Basile and Jacopo Vasami. The Italians had the upper hand early on, leading throughout the first set and convincingly winning the tie break 7-3. The loss of the first set seemed to spur the Spaniards on to play more aggressively, and they raced to level the match for the loss of just one game in set 2.
They held their momentum in a tense champions’ tie break, dominating to build a 9-3 lead before Basile double faulted to hand them a place in tomorrow’s final.
The gold medal matches come with plenty of intrigue: Romania will be aiming to claim both golds - with Preda also playing the singles final - while Santamarta Roig and Du Pree will both be eager to go one step further than the silver medals they won at the 16 & Under event in 2023 and 2022 respectively.
21.09.2024 - 15:55 - DOUBLES TROUBLE? OR WISE WORDS...?
Now on court playing their doubles semi-final, we asked Izan Almazan Valiente and Andres Santamarta Roig what advice they'd give each other ahead of the crucial match. Here's what the Spanish pair had to say...
21.09.2024 - 13:45 - ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE GOLD
Among all the semifinalists, Alena Kovackova was the quickest to secure her spot in the final. In just 1 hour and 4 minutes, she breezed past Poland’s Monika Stankiewicz, winning 6-1 6-1. Kovackova will later return to the court alongside her compatriot, Eliza Tichackova, for the doubles.
Teodora Kostovic, on the other hand, faced a much tougher challenge against third seed Vittoria Paganetti. Kostovic fought hard to win 6-4 7-6 narrowly avoiding a third set in a match that was closely contested from start to finish.
Luca Preda’s match against Ukrainian Glib Sekachov was the longest of the day, even though the score might not suggest it. After winning the first set 7-5, Preda found himself in trouble at 2-3 in the second, nearly losing his serve and allowing Sekachov to take control. However, the Romanian regained his momentum and wrapped up the match 7-5 6-3.
As for Jacopo Vasami, he pulled off the upset of the day, taking down second seed Henry Bernet in a thrilling three-set battle. After a tight first set, Vasami dropped the second but came back in the third, clinching the win 7-5 4-6 6-2 to advance to the final.
Both Preda and Vasami will head back to the courts later for their doubles semifinals, eager to add another victory to their impressive day and potentially set up a chance for double titles.
21.09.2024 - 10:30 - SEMIS O'CLOCK
It’s time for the semifinals at the MEHRLEBEN - U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe and the day begins with the singles battles scheduled to start at 11.
On Court 1, second seed Henry Bernet (SUI) will take on Italy's Jacopo Vasami. The pair last met at the 16&U European Junior Championships in Parma last year, where Bernet claimed a 7-5, 6-2 victory. This time, Vasami will be looking to avenge that loss, while Bernet aims to assert his dominance once again.
Meanwhile, it's been a long time since first seed Luca Preda (ROU) and Glib Sekachov (UKR) last faced each other. Their only previous encounter was in 2018, during a 12&U quarterfinal that Preda won. Now, six years later, they meet again with a place in the final at stake.
On the girls’ side, top seed Teodora Kostovic (SRB) will go up against third seed Vittoria Paganetti (ITA), whom she defeated once on the ITF tour in 2023. Alena Kovackova (CZE), still competing in both singles and doubles, is hoping to repeat her 2022 success in Most, where she won both titles. Today, she faces Poland’s Monika Stankiewicz, her former partner with whom she captured an ITF doubles title last year.
It's important to note that all first have advanced to the latter stages of all four events, showcasing their consistent strength throughout the tournament. After the singles matches, attention will shift to the doubles semifinals, where each team will battle fiercely for a chance to secure at least a silver medal for their country. Spain’s Andres Santamarta Roig, who earned a doubles silver last year, will be aiming to go one step further this time and claim gold.
Italy has already guaranteed itself four medals in this tournament, while Czechia and Romania have secured three each.
Day 5
20.09.2024 - 19:20 - DOUBLES ROUND-UP; SEMIFINALS SET
The doubles semis are set after a busy day of action that saw some teams have to play two matches as a result of the rain delays earlier in the week.
Top seeds Izan Almazan Valiente & Andres Santamarta Roig of Spain were one of those to double up, coming from a set down to beat Emanuel Ivanisevic & Antonio Voljavec (CRO) this morning and then putting in a more dominant performance in their quarterfinal match to beat Maksym Kalabishka & Glib Sekachov (UKR) 6-2 6-4.
On Saturday the Spaniards will play the Italian team of Pierluigi Basile and Jacopo Vasami, who had no trouble in ending the hopes of fourth seeded Swedes Ludvig Hede & William Rejchtmann Vinciguerra for the loss of just four games.
The day’s closest match saw Czechs Jan Klimas & Denis Petak withstand a spirited fightback from Manvydas Balciunas & Pieter De Lange (NED), eventually winning 6-2 6-7(3) 10-6.
The reigning 16 & Under doubles champion won’t be winning this year though; Henry Bernet of Switzerland and partner Timeo Gaillard lost to second seeds Stefan Haita & Luca Preda (ROU) in a match tie break; both teams were playing their second match of the day.
Britt Du Pree was a silver medallist at the 16 & Under doubles event two years ago and stands one match away from equalling the feat. Teaming with Joy De Zeeuw (NED), the sixth seeded pair edged past Melinda Biro & Kitti Molnar (HUN) 6-1 6-7(4) 10-4.
They’ll next play the winners of the day’s final match to finish. Top seeds Alena Kovackova & Eliska Tichackova (pictured © Burak Gölge) seemed to be cruising at a set and a break up against Mia Pohankova & Kiara Zabkova. Three of the four had also played singles earlier in the day and for a while it seemed that the fresh legs of Zabkova gave the Slovaks the edge as they fought back to win a second set tie break. Kovackova already has one European Junior Doubles gold medal though, and clearly wants another: The Czechs stubbornly refused to give in and scraped through an 18-point match tie break to take victory.
At the bottom half of the draw, Romania’s Elena Bertea & Diana-Ioana Simionescu stopped Britons Hephzibah Oluwadare & Erin Pearce in two sets to set up a match with second seeded Italians Noemi Basiletti & Vittoria Paganetti, who scored a 6-4 6-4 win over fifth seeds Linea Bajraliu & Nellie Taraba Wallberg (SWE). .
Full results can be found in the updated draws above, as well as tomorrow's full order of play.
20.09.2024 - 15:55 - 4 OF TOP 5 SEEDS THROUGH TO GIRLS' SEMIS
A tough line-up featuring four of the top five seeds has advanced to tomorrow’s semi-finals of the girls’ singles event.
Fifth seed Monika Stankiewicz of Poland was the first player though, ending the host nation’s hopes for a medal in just 80 minutes as she swept to a 6-2 6-4 win over Ekaterina Perelygina. She’ll next face former European 14&U Champion Alena Kovackova (CZE, pictured © Burak Gölge), who conceded just one more game to Italy’s Noemi Basiletti.
In the top half of the draw, top seeded Serb Teodora Kostovic continued to cruise, posting her third consecutive straight sets win, this time over two-time silver medallist Mia Pohankova (SVK). Standing in her way of a place in the final is third seed Vittoria Paganetti. The Italian survived the biggest battle of the girls’ matches, bouncing back from a 1-6 first set to outfox Eliska Tichackova (CZE). The two players were inseparable by the end of the final set, with Paganetti eventually holding her nerve – and producing some fine passing shots – to claim the tie-break 7-3.
Girls' Singles Quarterfinals:
(1) Teodora Kostovic (SRB) d. (10) Mia Pohankova (SVK) 6-3 6-3
(3) Vittoria Paganetti (ITA) d. (6) Eliska Tichackova (CZE) 1-6 6-2 7-6(3)
(5) Monika Stankiewicz (POL) d. (14) Ekaterina Perelygina (AUT) 6-2 6-4
(4) Alena Kovackova (CZE) d. (9) Noemi Basiletti (ITA) 6-4 6-3
20.09.2024 - 13:30 - BOYS' SEMIFINALISTS BOOK THEIR PLACES
The boys’ semi-final line up is confirmed, with two of the top three seeds surviving this morning’s quarterfinal encounters. Sweden’s William Rejchtmann Vinciguerra was the exception, the third seed losing in straight sets to Italy’s Jacopo Vasami (pictured, © Burak Gölge).
The other top seeds both struggled but advanced. #1 Luca Preda of Romania beat Adam Jilly of Hungary in three sets over two hours, while second seed Henry Bernet will be heading for the ice bath – he recovered from a set down to eventually outlast Portugal’s Joao Silva in just under three hours of play.
Ukraine's Glib Sekachov is the lowest ranked player left in the draw. He ended the home hopes of Nico Hipfl with a 6-4 6-4 win.
Boys Singles Quarterfinal Results
(1) Luca Preda (ROU) d. Adam Jilly (HUN) 6-2 3-6 6-4
(15) Glib Sekachov (UKR) d. Nico Hipfl (AUT) 6-4 6-4
(11) Jacopo Vasami (ITA) d. (3) William Rejchtmann Vinciguerra (SWE) 6-2 6-4
(2) Henry Bernet (SUI) d. Joao Dinis Silva (POR) 5-7 6-2 6-3
20.09.2024 - 09:30 - QUARTERFINALS PREVIEW
It’s quarterfinals day at the MEHRLEBEN - U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe, and the final eight boys and girls will know that victory today can guarantee them a sought-after medal.
Our pick for girls’ match of the day sees top seed Teodora Kostovic (SRB, pictured) take on the tenth-seeded two-time European Junior Championship silver medallist Mia Pohankova (SVK) on Court 5.
Two Czechia vs. Italy battles are also likely to showcase some high quality tennis; former 14 & Under Champion Alena Kovackova (CZE) faces #9 Noemi Basiletti (ITA), while Alena’s doubles partner, sixth seed Eliska Tichackova takes on third seed Vittoria Paganetti.
Opening play on Court 1 (streaming above) is a battle between the lone remaining home girl, #14 Ekaterina Perelygina and fifth seeded Pole Monika Stankiewicz.
They’re followed by a boys’ quarterfinal, as local favourite – the unseeded Nico Hipfl – takes on 15th seed Glib Sekachov (UKR). The pair has met once already this year, with the Ukrainian coming out on top…can home advantage swing it for Hipfl this time?
Top seed Luca Preda (ROU) opens play on Court 5 against unseeded Adam Jilly (HUN), while second seed Henry Bernet (SUI) also has an unseeded opponent on Court 3, Joao Silva of Portugal.
Our boys’ match of the day is first up on Court 2, where third seed William Rejchtmann Vinciguerra (SWE) takes on 11th seeded Italian Jacopo Vasami. Each has beaten the other once before – who will take the lead in their head to head and deny their rival a European Junior Championship medal? It’s all to play for…
Play begins at 10am. Follow the streaming from key courts at the link above.
Day 4
19.09.2024 - 20:30 - TALKING WITH TEODORA KOSTOVIC
Not many players have competed in more European Junior Championships than #1 seed Teodora Kostovic, who advanced to the singles quarterfinals today. This is what she had to say on Instagram..
19.09.2024 - 17:05 - WIN A DUNLOP CX400 RACQUET & BAG!
Reminder - don’t miss your chance to join the Dunlop giveaway and win a CX400 racquet & bag! Head over to our Instagram page to enter..
19.09.2024 - 14:00 - TO THE QUARTERFINALS!
Today's singles matches have concluded, revealing the final eight players advancing toward the title. Top seed Luca Preda cruised through his match against Emirhan Bulut (TUR) with a quick 6-1 6-0 victory. Preda will next face Adam Jilly of Hungary, who came back from a set down to defeat Croat Antonio Voljavec.
Unseeded local player Nico Hipfl caused one of the biggest upsets of the day, defeating sixth seed Oskari Paldanius (FIN) 7-5 6-3. Hipfl will next face Glib Sekachov of Ukraine, who also secured an impressive win, beating fourth seed Andres Santamarta Roig (ESP) 6-2 6-4.
Eleventh seed Jacopo Vasami (ITA) triumphed over eighth seed Jan Klimas (CZE) 7-5 6-3, setting up a quarterfinal against William Rejchtman Vinciguerra (SWE). The two have met twice before, once in 2021 and again in May this year. Although their head-to-head record is tied, Vasami won their most recent encounter.
As for the girls, top seed Teodora Kostovic (SRB) advanced with a convincing 6-2 6-1 win against Victoria Pohle (GER). Kostovic’s next opponent will be Mia Pohankova (SVK), who defeated Joy De Zeeuw (NED) 6-3 7-6.
Second seed Jeline Vandromme’s Tennis Europe winning streak came to an end, as local player Ekaterina Perelygina (pictured), seeded 14, secured a remarkable and perhaps unexpected victory, 7-6 6-4.
Eliska Tichackova (CZE) had the only three-set match on the girls' draw, starting strong with a 6-1 first set against Bulgaria’s Yoana Konstantinova, who responded by taking the second set 6-3. Tichackova, however, dominated the final set to claim victory and will face Italy’s Vittoria Paganetti next.
Noemi Basiletti (ITA), seeded ninth, delivered an impressive performance, defeating seventh seed Julia Sustek 6-1 6-2. Basiletti’s next challenge will come against fourth seed Alena Kovackova (CZE).
19.09.2024 - 10:15 - STARS ATTEND COACHES SYMPOSIUM
Last night saw a star-studded Coaches Symposium held at the MEHRLEBEN U18 EUROPEAN JUNIOR TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe, with some of the biggest names in Austrian coaching in attendance to debate and answer questions from those in attendance.
Presented by Stefan Hirn, guests and speakers included Wolfgang Thiem, father and coach to former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, former Austrian Top 20 player Stefan Koubek and former world #5 Jiri Novak (CZE) – now the head coach of the Tennis Europe’s Academy in Prostejov – who discussed the topic of ‘Youth Tennis: optimal development of a player aged 10-18’.
Many of the national coaches in attendance eagerly took the opportunity to join the event and to take part in the exchanges and discussions. Our thanks go to Mr. Thiem and and all the speakers for this unique opportunity for sharing of knowledge of best practices.,
19.09.2024 - 09:30 - THURSDAY PREVIEW
Thursday’s all-important Round of 16 matches give players the chance to fight for a place in the quarterfinals and be one stap away from winning a medal.
Many of the top seeds are in action today, in all-seeded contests we have top seed Teodora Kostovic (SRB) facing (16) Victoria Pohle (GER). Monika Stankiewicz (POL) faces Beatrise Zeltina (LAT), (3) Vittoria Paganetti takes on (13) Nellie Taraba Wallberg (SWE), and Mia Pohankova (SVK) aims for a third medal in as many years when she takes on Joy de Zeeuw (NED).
Notable boys matches include (16) Nikola Jovic (SRB) and William Rechtmann Vinciguerra (SWE), (8) Jan Klimas (CZE) vs. (11) Jacopo Vasami (ITA) and home hope Nico Hipfl’s showdown with sixth seed Oskari Paldanius (FIN).
A sunny day is forecast, with perfect temperatures for tennis at 21º. Streaming is available from several courts including Court1 (above), and play is beginning right now! Enjoy the action from Day 4.
Day 3
18.09.2024 - 19:50 - HOME PLAYERS TAKE OUT SEEDS
Finally a full day of uninterrupted play has been possible in Oberpullendorf, with plenty of results to report.
There are a few seeded upsets to mention, including two for home players: Alexander Wagner ousted fifth seed Izan Almazan Valiente (ESP) 6-4 3-6 6-2, while Nico Hipfl beat #12 Mika Petkovic (GER) 7-5 6-4. Croatia’s Antonio Voljavec took out Andreas Timini the Cypriot seventh seed, in three sets, while Joao Silva (POR) beat tenth seed Alan Wazny (POL) 6-2 7-5
In the girls’ draw, third seed Alena Kovackova (CZE) survived a scare against Kiara Zabkova (SVK) 6-2 4-6 6-3, while all the other seeds advanced relatively easily.
Girls doubles action was finally able to get underway, and organisers will be happy as all matches were completed in straight sets.
Full draws and results, plus Thursday’s order of play can be found at the links above.
18.09.2024 - 16:15 - VANDROMME MAKES STATEMENT OF INTENT
Jeline Vandromme has extended her winning streak at Tennis Europe flagship events to 11 matches. Spectacularly winning the 16 & Under Championships last year on her debut (pictured), she went on to conquer the Junior Masters in Monte Carlo last October, and the Belgian reappeared today with an emphatic 6-0 6-0 victory over Slovenia’s Julija Bogatin.
Seeded second at the MEHRLEBEN U18 European Junior Championship powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe, can she join an exclusive group of players including Martina Hingis, Conchita Martinez and Iga Swiatek to win European titles in two different age categories? Watch this space...
18.09.2024 - 12:30 - RESULTS...
Let’s take a look at some of the key matches so far this morning, as the results come flooding in. The boys were mainly first on court, with no upsets so far. Stay tuned as there’s a lot more to come…
Boys Singles:
(2) Henry Bernet (SUI) d. Aleksander Juuhl Sivertsen (NOR) 6-1 7-5
Linus Lagerbohm (FIN) d Emanuel Ivanisevic (CRO) 3-6 6-3 6-2
Pierluigi Basile (ITA) d. Sebastian Eie (NOR) 3-6 6-4 6-4
(4) Andres Santamaria Roig (ESP) d. Matiej Reiter (LUX) 6-2 6-2
(6) Oskari Paldanius (FIN) d. Filip Drab (SVK) 6-1 6-3
Girls Singles:
(1) Teodora Kostovic (SRB) d. Laura Rahnel (EST) 6-1 6-1
Eliska Tichackova (CZE) d. Yelyzaveta Chainykova (UKR) 6-2 6-3
18.09.2024 - 09:30 - READY...? PLAY!
Wednesday’s play is due to begin right now, with some fascinating matches in prospect. Up first (and available on streaming above) is the intriguing clash between last year’s 16 & Under runner-up Linus Lagerbohm (FIN) and Emanuel Ivanisevic (CRO).
They’re followed on court one by a series of home players, including Alexander Wagner, who has a tough match up with fifth seeded Spaniard Izan Almazan Valiente, and Niko Hipfl, who takes on Mika Petrovic, the twelfth seed.
Elsewhere notable names such as (1) Teodora Kostovic (SRB), Mia Pohankova (SVK – chasing a third EJC medal in three years), Julia Stusek and boys’ top seed Luca Preda all headline the morning schedule. Stay tuned for all the latest developments from what looks to be – finally – a rain free day in Burgenland Region.
18.09.2024 - 09:00 - PLAYERS' PARTY
Last night saw the traditional players' party held at the Thermenhotel Kurz. Dinner was followed by a bowling tournament, TEG Challenge and Lastertag unleashed, where the players could expend any excess competitive energy, followed by Formula 1 Seat powered by Red Bull and musical entertainment. A lot of laughs and fun were had, as you can see over on Instagram:
Day 2
17.09.2024 - 20:00 - TUESDAY'S SINGLES ACTION COMPLETE
Top seed Luca Preda (ROU) dominated the first set of his match but encountered more resistance in the second. His opponent, Szymon Malecki (POL), took control and built a 3-0 lead. However, Preda managed to halt Malecki's momentum and regained control, ultimately securing a 6-1 7-5 victory.
William Rejchtman Vinciguerra (GER) triumphed over Pieter de Lange (NED) in their match. The two had faced each other twice before on the ITF tour, with both matches going to three sets and the victories evenly split. This time, Vinciguerra claimed a straight-set win 6-2 6-3.
Unseeded Kolos Kincses (HUN), the 2023 16&U Junior Masters champion, rallied from a set down to defeat Noe Plique (LUX). He will next face 16th seed Nikola Jovic of Serbia.
Due to the late start of matches, as the courts were still damp from last night’s rain, some matches in the boys' draw have been rescheduled for tomorrow.
In the girls’ draw, most of the top seeds cruised through their matches, winning comfortably without dropping many games. However, a few encounters turned into three-set battles.
Local favorite Ekaterina Perelygina had to come back from a set down to overcome Greece’s Alexandra Panagiotidou. Meanwhile, Linea Bajjraliu (SWE) saw her control slip in the second set as Petra Konjikusic (SRB) forced a decisive third. However, Bajjraliu held firm and secured a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory.
Tenth seed Mia Pohankova (SVK), the 2022 silver medalist at the 14&U European Junior Championships, secured a quick 6-2, 6-1 win over Ana Mitevska (MKD). Meanwhile, fifth seed Julia Stusek (GER) earned a solid 6-3, 6-3 victory against Anastasiia Firman (UKR).
Looking ahead to tomorrow, we’ll see top seed Teodora Kostovic (SRB) in action, along with former EJC gold medalists Jeline Vandromme (BEL) and Alena Kovackova (CZE), setting up a day of highly anticipated matches.
The full schedule for tomorrow is now available via the link above.
17.09.2024 - 15:20 - FIRST RESULTS OF THE DAY
So far, all top seeds who have played maintained their dominance and moved on to the next round with solid performances. Here are some of the key results:
Girls Singles
(8) Joy De Zeeuw (NED) d. Melinda Biro (HUN) 6-3 6-3
(9) Noemi Basiletti (ITA) d. Galena Krastenova (BUL) 6-1 6-1
(10) Mia Pohankova (SVK) d. Ana Mitevska (MKD) 6-2 6-1
(12) Yoana Konstantinova (BUL) d. Amelia Paszun (POL) 6-2 7-5
(13) Nellie Taraba Wallberg (SWE) d. Nuppu Palm (FIN) 6-0 6-1
(16) Victoria Pohle (GER) d. Lucie Pawlak (FRA) 6-2 6-2
Boys Singles
(8) Jan Klimas (CZE) d. Georg Strasch (EST) 6-4 6-4
(11) Jacopo Vasami (ITA) d. Arturs Zagars (LAT) 6-2 6-3
(16) Nikola Jovic (SRB) d. Stefanos Pournaropoulos (GRE) 6-4 6-2
17.09.2024 - 13:15 - FROM YOUTH CHAMPS TO GRAND SLAM GLORY
As the action intensifies in Austria, let's take a moment to reflect on former 18 & Under champions who went on to claim Grand Slam titles, collectively securing an impressive 25 Grand Slam singles victories. This prestigious list includes 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora KrejΔíková, along with other tennis legends.
17.09.2024 - 09:10 - ROUND OF 64 BEGINS
After a rainy and gloomy day, the sun seems to be finally coming out in Oberpullendorf, bringing a sense of renewed energy. With 60 matches on the schedule today, excitement is building, and everyone is eager to see the competition unfold on the outdoor courts. The players are warming up, preparing to begin their matches at 9:30. Check the full order of play at the link above.
Day 1
16.09.2024 - 17:45 - FIRST ROUND COMPLETE!
Just three first round matches were due to be played across the boys’ singles and doubles draws, and organisers managed to ensure that all were completed despite the adverse weather conditions. The matches were played on the indoor courts of the Sporthotel Kurz, enabling all players to begin in the round of 64 on Tuesday.
Sander Juuhl Sivertsen (NOR) beat Aleksandar Trifunovski (MKD) 6-2 6-2 in the first match. His reward will be a showdown with second seed Henry Bernet (SUI) tomorrow. In the top half of the draw, Szymon Malecki of Poland beat Aleksandre Shvangiradze (GEO) 6-2 6-4 and also advances to face a tough opponent: top seed Luca Preda, the Romanian world #7 awaits.
The lone doubles match saw Britain’s Maximilian Carrier & Louis Hull beat Pol Campama Tomas & Daniel Carrillo Benitez (AND) 6-2 6-0, to set up a second round against – you guessed it - the top seeds.
Check out tomorrow's full order of play at the link above. Play is scheduled to commence at 09:30, and the weather forecast is looking good.
16.09.2024 - 16:15 - INDOOR COURTS TO THE RESCUE
Play is finally under way - on the indoor courts of the Sporthotel Kurz. Sadly there's no streaming indoors, but you can follow live scores here.
16.09.2024 - 13:20 - OPENING CEREMONY HIGHLIGHTS
Over to Instagram for a look at yesterday's opening ceremony...
16.09.2024 - 12:30 - SOME MATCHES CANCELLED
It's not good news from Oberpullendorf: at least half of today's matches have been cancelled. Matches in the bottom half of the girls' singles draw, and the boys' doubles second round matches will not take place. A further update will follow at 14:00
16.09.2024 - 10:30 - START OF PLAY DELAYED
It seems as if the bad weather that hampered the 14 & Under tournament in Most last week has moved along to Burgenland, where the forecast for the coming days is somewhat patchy.
Play was due to begin at 10:30 this morning, but the ground staff are currently working on preparing the courts after some heavy rain. We'll have a next update around 12:00, when we hope play can begin.
Meanwhile, check out the first images in the tournament's photo gallery, featuring shots from yesterday's Tennis Europe Junior School class (below) and the opening ceremony.
The Junior School was hosted by Tennis Europe's Head of Junior Tennis Stephanie Kamberi, who was joined by special guest Lukas Jastraunig, former top 500 ATP singles player, and currently Tennis Austria's girls' 18 & Under team coach. Among the topics discussed were 'Diversity and Inclusion' and 'Coaching'.
Preview
15.09.2024 - 18:00 - TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
The countdown is over and the first edition of the MEHRLEBEN - U18 European Junior Championships powered by Finanzfuchsgruppe in Oberpullendorf is about to begin. The impressive player line-up is full of recent Tennis Europe Junior Tour stars, plus many players that are already making their mark at ITF and professional level.
The girls’ draw is particularly loaded with high performers. Amongst the top seeds are the current European 16 & Under Champion and Junior Masters champion, Jeline Vandromme (BEL), and the 2022 14 & Under singles and doubles champion Alena Kovackova (CZE), who already boasts a WTA ranking of #808. Mia Pohankova (SVK) was silver medallist to Kovackova in 2022 and to Vandromme in 2023 and will be desperate for a gold medal to add to her two silvers.
The top seed is Teodora Kostovic (SRB), who has won three J300 titles already this season and reached the quarterfinals of the US Open just last month. Julia Stusek (GER) is a former TE Junior Tour #1 and is no stranger to winning prestigious titles, having won Les Petits As in Tarbes in 2022. Home hopes will be high for Austria’s Tamara Kostic, who has the highest WTA ranking of any of the players in the field, having recently broken into the Top 500.
The boys’ top seed is Luca Preda, the US Open Juniors quarterfinalist. The Romanian is enjoying a fine run of form recently, including a J500 title in Cairo. Amongst his main challengers will be Henry Bernet, the Swiss second seed and reigning 16&U doubles champion. William Rejchtmann Vinciguerra (SWE), another high performer on the TE Junior Tour is in Bernet’s half of the draw, along with Linus Lagerbohm (FIN), who surprised with a silver medal showing at the 16 & Under event in Parma last year. Lagerbohm’s first opponent has a familiar name: Emanuel Ivanisevic is indeed the son of Croatian legend Goran, and is playing his first European Championship.
A pair of Spaniards – Izan Almazan Valiente and Antres Santamarta Roig are seeded fourth and fifth and will have high hopes of following in the footsteps of former Spanish champions in this age group, including legends Carlos Moya and Albert Costa. Santamaria Roig was a doubles silver medallist last year at the 16&U event in Parma.
Reigning Junior Masters champion Kolos Kincses will also he aiming to make his mark. The Hungarian is unseeded and is placed in a tricky part of the draw, with the dangerous Nikola Jovic (SRB) a likely third round opponent.
See above to check out the draws in full. Play begins on Monday at 10:30am. Many of the top seeds will make their tournament debuts on Tuesday.