European Youth Championships | 21 Jul 2024

CHIRITA and ISTRATE avenged their last year's defeat in doubles

Top seeds at the Under 19 Boys Doubles Event at the European Youth Championships in Malmö, Iulian CHIRITA and Andrei ISTRATE of Romania, justified their status and clinched the title. After a superb performance, they overcame Flavien COTON and Nathan LAM of France in the final. The host nation secured bronze with Isak ALFREDSSON and William BERGENBLOCK playing in the semis. They shared the podium with William ARPAS of Slovakia and Balazs LEI of Hungary.

In the final, Romania's pair CHIRITA and ISTRATE were in the fast lane against COTON and LAM.

CHIRITA remarked, “We are very happy to take revenge from last year, when we lost the final. This year we came in top form and won easily 3-0.”

ISTRATE added, “I think we fought really hard, and it was important that we won the second game. I was a little bit stressed at the end, but I didn't let that affect our play.”

Big drama unfolded in the penultimate stage: CHIRITA and Istrate faced a spirited Swedish combination of Isak ALFREDSSON and William BERGENBLOCK, who forced Romania's pair to go the full distance. Host nation representatives, seeded No. 14, had a better start, but the top seeds never let them go too far, pushing the match to the decisive game. Sweden had a match ball, but the favorites prevailed.

ISTRATE said, “We were expecting a hard match, but not like this. We saved one crazy match point. We played against BERGENBLOCK and ALFREDSSON last year in the quarterfinals, but today they had their own crowd, and I want to congratulate them for this tournament. Now we have to focus on the final. Last year we lost, so today we want to win.”

CHIRITA added, “Like my teammate said, it was a really hard match, and they played really well today, so I also want to congratulate the Swedish pair.”

In the other semi-final, Flavien COTON and Nathan LAM of France prevailed against No. 6 seeds William ARPAS of Slovakia and Balazs LEI of Hungary. In the decisive game, the French duo had a 9-1 lead. ARPAS and LEI leveled at 9-9, but COTON and LAM won the next two points.

COTON said, “It feels amazing right now. We saved two match balls at 0-2, and then we played better and better. In the last set, we were up 9-1, and they came back to 9-9, but we won 11-9, so it was a perfect end, unbelievable.”

Under 19 Boys Doubles

Final

Iulian CHIRITA, Andrei ISTRATE Romania – Flavien COTON, Flavien LAM France 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-5)

Semi final

Iulian CHIRITA, Andrei ISTRATE Romania – Isak ALFREDSSON, William BERGENBLOCK Sweden 3-2 (9-11, 11- 4, 8-11, 11- 5, 12- 10)

William ARPAS Slovakia, Balazs LEI Hungary – Flavien COTON, Flavien LAM France 2-3 (11-9, 11-9, 14-16, 4-11, 9-11)