In the later stages, Kay Stumper, the top seed, accounted for Russia’s Damir Akhmetsafin, the no.6 seed (5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6) followed by success against Croatia’s Ivor Ban, the no.3 seed (11-7, 14-12, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6). A place in the final reserved, Stumper overcame Poland’s Samuel Kulczycki, the no.4 seed (11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9) to arrest the title.

Good form from Kay Stumper, it had been the same en route to the final from Samuel Kulczycki. At the quarter-final stage, he beat Hungary’s Csaba Andras, the no.7 seed (7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5), before ousting France’s Alexis Lebrun, the no.21 seed (9-11, 15-13, 11-9, 5-11, 11-3, 11-4).

The win against Alexis Lebrun may appear as anticipated; however, earlier in the proceedings, in the final of the junior boys’ team event, Alexis Lebrun had beaten Samuel Kulczycki (11-5, 7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6).

Consolation

Disappointment for Samuel Kulczycki but there was consolation – earlier in the day, partnering Macej Kubik, the pair had claimed the junior boys’ doubles title.

The no.3 seeds, after accounting for the top seeded German duo of Kay Stumper and Daniel Rinderer (11-7, 4-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5), they overcame Romania’s Darius Movileanu and Eduard Ionescu, the no.4 seeds (12-14, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6) to seal the title.

In the opposite half of the draw, the penultimate round saw Darius Movileanu and Eduard Ionescu oust the combination of Croatia’s Ivor Ban and Hungary’s Csaba Andras, the no.2 seeds (5-11, 15-13, 11-7, 11-5).

Russian dominance

Gold and bronze for Kay Stumper on the concluding day of junior competition, for Elizabeta Abraamian, it was gold followed by more gold.

Partnering colleague Natalia Malinina, the no.5 seeds duo secured the junior girls’ doubles title at the expense of Germany’s Anastasia Bondareva and Sophia Klee, the no.6 seeds (12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9).

At the semi-final stage, Elizabet Abraamian and Natalia Malinina had beaten the Polish non-seeded pairing, Anna Brzyska and Zuzanna Wieglos (11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10). In a similar vein Anastasia Bondareva and Sophia Klee had overcome the partnership formed by Croatia’s Hana Arapovic and Czech Republic’s Linda Zaderova, the no.7 seeds (11-6, 11-6, 4-11, 11-8).

Success together, the Russian duo also contested the junior girls’ singles final apart with Elizabet Abraamian, the no.5 seed, emerging successful in some style. She beat Natalia Malinina, the no.8 seed, in straight games (11-6, 11-5, 11-5, 11-1).

Earlier at the quarter-final stage, Elizabeta Abraamian had overcome Serbia’s Radmilla Tominjak, the no.15 seed (7-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2, 11-2), followed by success against Camille Lutz from France, the no.10 seed (11-13, 11-3, 11-5, 11-6, 13-11).

Similarly, Natalia Malinina had impressed. She accounted for Poland’s Anna Brzyska, not seeded, a player who had excelled expectations (11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 11-3), before ending the hopes of Charlotte Lutz, the no.19 seed and like Camille Lutz from France (10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, 10-12, 11-7).

First time for over a decade

It was the first time since Svetlana Ganina in 1994 in Paris that a Russian player had won the junior girls’ singles titles; for Germany, the most recent junior boys’ singles winner was Patrick Franziska in 2010 in Istanbul.

A short break, the cadet events commence on Tuesday 27th July, concluding on Monday 2nd August.

Gazprom 2021 European Youth Championships results