Butterfly Under 21 European Championships
There were a lot of upsets in the opening rounds of the Women’s Singles Event but after first day of the competition at the BUTTERFLY Under 21 European Championships hosts can look forward second stage. Raquel MARTINS of Portugal received wild card to be present; seeded only at the position no. four in her qualifying group she beat the odds and finished second. MARTINS qualified for the second group stage in Gondomar tomorrow.
MARTINS overcame Sarah MEYER of Luxembourg and Aleksandra VOVK of Slovenia. Hungary’s Leonie HARTBRICH was the only player to stop her but not before Raquel was 2:0 up. HARTBRICH recovered to win that match and concluded the day with all three wins at the position no. 1.
“It is so good to play in your home town. This is the venue where I play every week and I feel comfortable playing here. I did not have enough points to be qualified for the Championships but I was confident and I gave my best. I am proud to have a chance to represent my country ” said MARTINS who clinched the medal last weekend at Portugal’s Nationals in team’s event.
In Group one Oceane GUISNEL of France justified her position and finished at the top but not with the clear record. She suffered by the hand of Katarzyna WEGRZYN of Poland. Polish player seeded at position no. two however failed to justify her status she finished third after defeat against Maria YOVKOVA. Bulgaria’s player is second and she qualified for next round with Oceane.
Maria MALANINA of Russia is yet to lose the game in the Championships. After three matches but Germany’s Franziska. SCHREINER beat the odds. From position no. 4 she cleared her way to the second stage. In the process she overcame Poland’s Anna WEGRZAYN – 4:3.
Julia SLAZAK of Poland progressed to the next stage from position no. 2 in Group 3 but Anastasia BONDAREVA of Germany was in spotlight. She booked second position with two 4:3 wins against Fillipa BERGAND of Sweden and Rebekka CARLSEN on Norway and one 3:4 defeat. SLAZAK who lost against Filippa was the only player to overcame BONDAREVA.
Christina KALLBERG of Sweden recorded all three wins.
“I had rough time against Marta VUKELIC of Croatia in the opening round. Surprisingly match against top seeded MISCHEK was much easier than it was expected. I played tactically very good and beat her in straight games. Everything was easier after morning win ” said KALLBERG.
Karoline MISCHEK of Austria finished second. Marketa SEVCIKOVA of Czech Republic and Erika FRONT of Norway will join her tomorrow in second stage. Also safely through are Adina DIACONU Andreea DRAGOMAN and Tania PLAIAN of Romania Sophia KLEE of Germany Margo DEGRAEF of Belgium Ozge YILMAZ of Turkey Andrea PAVLOVIC of Croatia Airi AVAMERI of Estonia Nadezhda BOGDANOVA of Belarus Ema LABOSOVA of Slovakia Tin Tin HO of England and Jamila LAURENTI of Italy.
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