The Under 15 Boys Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar has reached an exciting quarterfinal stage. With tension high, the matchups include top-seeded Spain facing third-seeded Germany, eighth-seeded France against fifth-seeded Czechia, ninth-seeded Romania clashing with fourth-seeded Poland, and Sweden going head-to-head with Türkiye for one final semifinal spot.
Spain’s Commanding Path
Spain showcased their dominance by overcoming 15th-seeded Italy with a 3-1 scoreline. The critical first point came from Ladimir Mayorov, who outplayed Tommaso Simi in four games. Mayorov expertly controlled the initial two games and held his composure to secure the fourth game 12-10. Italy clawed back when Pietro Campagna delivered an impressive straight-games win against Alexander Malov, leveling the match momentarily.
However, Spain regained control in the doubles when Marcos Gomez and Mayorov defeated Campagna and Simi in consecutive games, each concluded with an 11-7 score. Mayorov continued his outstanding performance by dispatching Campagna in straight games to ensure Spain’s advancement to the quarterfinals.
France and Czechia Make Quick Work
Eighth-seeded France also secured a swift passage to the quarterfinals, defeating 23rd-seeded Israel with a 3-0 victory. The opening singles match between Nolan Johnston and Nir Engler was the most fiercely contested, with Johnston coming back from an initial loss to secure the match in four games. Following that, Noah Tessier effortlessly triumphed over Maor Nichanevich, and the duo of Tessier and Quentin Sandona dominated the doubles, restricting their opponents to just 15 points.
Fifth-seeded Czechia followed suit with a convincing 3-0 victory over 11th-seeded Ukraine. Ondrej Moravek edged out Mark Voronoi in three closely fought games before Oliver Olejnik continued the momentum by winning against David Drobov. Moravek and Olejnik completed the clean sweep with another straight-games victory in doubles against Ivan Bur and Voronoi.
Shocking Upsets and Narrow Escapes
Ninth-seeded Romania delivered a remarkable upset by defeating seventh-seeded Austria with a 3-1 victory. Austria initially took the lead through Louis Feger, who triumphed over Tudor Saftoiu in straight games. However, David Toro evened the score by prevailing against Sung Bing Chen. The crucial moment came during the doubles when Toro and Saftoiu overcame a two-game deficit to win decisively, propelling Romania into the quarterfinals after Toro’s straight-games victory over Feger.
Fourth-seeded Poland faced a challenging match against 21st-seeded Bulgaria, ultimately winning 3-2. After Bulgaria’s Miroslav Schmidt secured the first point, Hubert Kwiecinski responded with a win. Following back-and-forth exchanges, Kwiecinski forced a decisive match, allowing Jakub Turecki to seal Poland’s comeback.
Sweden and Türkiye Complete the Line-Up
Sweden narrowly secured their quarterfinal spot by defeating Azerbaijan 3-2. Although Onur Guluzade from Azerbaijan put his team ahead, Emil Ellermann leveled the score. In doubles, Ellermann and Erik Kogerfelt helped Sweden take a lead before Guluzade’s performance forced a decisive match. Ultimately, Isaksson clinched victory for Sweden, showcasing their teamwork.
Türkiye fought hard against England to finalize the quarterfinal lineup. Görkem Ocal began with a strong win, but England rapidly responded with a five-game thriller by Pablo Ramirez Rioja. Following a thrilling doubles contest, Ocal once again demonstrated his skill, leading Türkiye to recover and win, securing their place in the quarterfinals.
As the quarterfinals loom, excitement builds around these young athletes determined to make their mark in European youth table tennis.