[1] Asia Harris (Eng) 3-0 [3/4] Amelie Haworth(Eng) 11-9, 11-6, 11-4
[1] Jonah Bryant (Eng) 3-0 [2] Rowan Damming (Ned) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4
Harris and Bryant deliver an English double
England’s Asia Harris and Jonah Bryant have been crowned the European U19 champions after final victories over Amelie Haworth and Rowan Damming in Zurich.
In the women’s final, it was an all-English affair between top seed Harris and 3/4 seed Haworth. While Harris had won all six of her previous official meetings against Haworth, their last contest was a close one, with Harris clawing her way back from 2-0 down in the semi-finals of the English Junior U19 Champs in February. Today though it was a simpler affair for the 18-year-old from Pontefract.
In the men’s final English Junior U19 champion Bryant was in top form as he beat reigning World Junior champion Damming of the Netherlands in straight games, winning the championship without dropping a game in any of his six matches.
England Development Head Coach Tim Vail said: “The England team as a whole performed very well. All ten players made us proud, each making their seeding or exceeding it. Asia played her game excellently today; she kept the pace high and volleyed well. It was a hard atmosphere as we decided to let them work it out for themselves with no coaching from anyone.
“Jonah has really kicked on and you could see that with his performance today. He was very assured and in control, and it looked like Rowan ran out of ideas in the end. He’s been working hard with Rob Owen and his control of the ball is getting better. If we get it right, we should be in with a winning chance next week at the team event.”
For Bryant, Harris and Haworth, attention turns immediately to the European Mixed Team U19 Championships, which will take place from April 6-9 in Zurich, with the trio being joined by Abdallah Eissa and Yusuf Sheikh.
Day THREE : Semi-Finals
[1] Jonah Bryant (Eng) 3-0 [3/4] Melvil Scianimanico (Fra) 11-5, 11-1, 11-7 (33m)
[2] Rowan Damming (Ned) 3-0 [3/4] David Bernet (Sui) 11-8, 11-9, 11-0
[3/4] Amelie Haworth (Eng) 3-2 [2] Lauren Baltayan (Fra) 11-13, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4 (49m)
[1] Asia Harris (Eng) 3-0 [3/4] Franka Vidovic (Ned) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5
Day TWO : Top four seeds through to the semis in Zurich
Boys Quarters
[1] Jonah Bryant (Eng) 3-0 [9/12] Guido Lindner (Ned) 11-3, 11-4, 11-9
[3/4] Melvil Scianimanico (Fra) 3-0 [9/12] Abdallah Eissa (Eng) 11-7, 11-8, 11-3
[3/4] David Bernet (Sui) 3-1 [9/12] Samuel Gerrits (Ned) 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
[2] Rowan Damming (Ned) 3-0 [7/8] Yusuf Sheikh (Eng) 11-8, 15-13, 11-1
Girls Quarters
[1] Asia Harris (Eng) 3-0 [7/8] Ana Munos (Fra) 11-4, 11-9, 11-8
[3/4] Franka Vidovic (Cro) 3-2 [5/6] Ona Blasco (Esp) 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11
[3/4] Amelie Haworth (Eng) 3-1 [5/6] Maya Weishar (Ger) 11-4, 10-12, 11-3, 11-7
[2] Lauren Baltayan (Fra) 3-1 [7/8] Isabel McCullough (Eng) 11-3, 11-13, 11-7, 11-7
Boys R3
[1] Jonah Bryant (Eng) 3-0 Axel Diet (Fra) 11-0, 11-2, 11-1
[9/12] Guido Lindner (Ned) 3-1 [7/8] Antonin Romieu (Fra) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
[9/12] Abdallah Eissa (Eng) 3-1 [5/6] Dylan Moran (Irl) 3-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7
[3/4] Melvil Scianimanico (Fra) 3-2 Rory Richmond (Sco) 11-13, 11-2, 10-12, 11-4, 11-4
[3/4] David Bernet (Sui) 3-0 [13/16] Jack O’Flynn (Irl) 11-9, 11-4, 11-4
[9/12] Samuel Gerrits (Ned) 3-2 [5/6] Dymytro Schherbakov (Ukr) 1-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7
[7/8] Yusuf Sheikh (Eng) 3-1 [9/12] Philip Georgiev (Bul) 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6
[2] Rowan Damming (Ned) 3-0 [13/16] Titouan Isambard (Fra) 12-10, 13-11, 12-10
Girls R3
[1] Asia Harris (Eng) 3-1 [13/16] Karolina Sramkova (Cze) 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8
[7/8] Ana Munos (Fra) 3-1 [9/12] Naomi Nohar (Ned) 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8
[5/6] Ona Blasco (Esp) 3-0 [9/12] Ghiorghisor Denisa (Rom) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5
[3/4] Franka Vidovic (Cro) 3-0 Layla Johnson (Eng) 11-4, 11-8, 11-7
[3/4] Amelie Haworth (Eng) 3-0 Maja Maziuk (Sui) 11-5, 11-6, 11-2
[5/6] Maya Weishar (Ger) 3-0 [9/12] Lilou Brevard (Fra) 11-6, 11-9, 11-4
[7/8] Isabel McCullough (Eng) 3-0 [9/12] Milena Velychko (Ukr) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5
[2] Lauren Baltayan (Fra) 3-0 [13/16] Meha Shah (Eng) 11-4, 11-7, 11-4
The European U19 Championships take place in Zurich, Switzerland, with the individual event on 1st to 4th April. English players have dominated the event in recent years, with Jonah Bryant and Asia Harris top seeded in the Boys and Girls draws. Second seeds are Dutch World Junior Champion Rowan Damming, and France’s Lauren Baltayan.
