Defending champions France (boys) as well as Ukraine (girls) have won this year’s 14&U Winter Cups by Dunlop titles. In Niedezer (GER), The French defeated Czechia in the final and in Rakovnik (CZE) the Czechs went down on home soil to Ukraine.

 

• This is the 9th win for team France, who have also been seven-time runners up
• France is the first nation to defend their title since their compatriots won two in a row in 2010-2011
• It was a welcome return to the final for the Czech boys, whose last appearance in a final was as runners-up in 2016
• For the girls, it was Ukraine’s first finals appearance sing winning back-to-back titles in 2016-17
• It was Ukraine’s third final and third win overall in this competition
• Czechia have now played in the last 6 finals in a row
   

BOYS’ FINAL

France defeated Czechia 2-0

France’s Road to the Final

Zone A Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Luxembourg 3-0; R2 def Belgium 2-1; Qualifying Final: def Germany 3-0
Final Rounds:
QF def Turkiye 3-0; SF def Netherlands 3-0; F def Czechia 2-0

Czechia’s Road to the Final

Zone D Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Estonia 2-1; R2 def Great Britain 3-0; Qualifying Final def Turkiye 2-1
Final Rounds:
QF def Poland 3-0; SF def Germany 2-1

Evan Giurescu, undefeated in both qualifying and final rounds, put France up 1-0 with a 6-4 6-4 win over Ondrej Kacin. The French team boasts the Les Petits As Champ Mario Vukovic in their team. The current Race leader also went undefeated in singles for the entire event took that good form into the final where he was too strong for Tobias Zapsky, taking the match and fittingly sealing the title for Team France with 6-3 6-2 win.

GIRLS’ FINAL

Ukraine def Czechia 2-1

Ukraine’s Road to the Final

Zone B Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Estonia 3-0; R2 def Lithuania 3-0; Qualifying Final def Turkiye 2-1
Final Rounds:
QF def Israel 3-0; SF def Slovakia 3-0; F def Czechia 2-1

Czechia’s Road to the Final

Zone A Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Portugal 3-0; R2 def Spain 2-1; Qualifying Final def Israel 3-0
Final Rounds:
QF def Serbia 3-0; SF def Great Britain 3-0; 

Sixth-ranked Violetta Skryp won a hard-fough match 7-6(5) 4-6 6-2 over Eva Halfarova to put the Ukrainians ahead. Number nine on the Junior Tour rankings Sofie Mottlova then sent the final into a live doubles rubber with a 7-6(2) 6-2 win against third-ranked Sofiia Bielinska. The two Ukrainians returned to the court to face Mottlova and Anna Jancarikova. In a tight, tense match that went to the wire and into the late hours, Ukraine prevailed 5-7 6-4 10-8

FINAL STANDINGS

BOYS

1. France
2. Czechia
3. Netherlands
4. Germany
5. Sweden
6. Turkiye
7. Italy
8. Poland

GIRLS

1. Czechia
2. Ukraine
3. Great Britain 
4. Slovakia
5. Switzerland
6. Turkiye
7. Israel
8. Serbia

Hosts Great Britain (boys) and Czechia (girls) have captured this year’s 12&U Winter Cups by Dunlop titles, Europe’s biggest indoor team tennis event. The Brits won the final against Poland, while the Czechs overcame Latvia

This year welcomed the 11th edition of the event, which saw a three-year hiatus from 2021-2023 as well as a welcome return to Sunderland (GBR) last year. In fact, the city is the first to host both the boys’ and girls’ Final Rounds, doing so for the second year running.

HIGHLIGHTS

• It was Team Great Britain’s third appearance in a boys’ final and second victory, with their previous win coming in 2013 with a team consisting of Jack Draper, Jacob Fearnley and George Loffhagen.
• At least one of the winners’ trophies remained in Britain, following the girls’ win on home soil last year. This year it was the turn of the boys to do the locals proud.
• Czechia, playing in their sixth final, notched a 4th win at this event, thus equalling Russia’s record of 6 finals for 4 wins 
• Both Poland and Latvia were first-time finalists

 

BOYS’ FINAL

Great Britain defeated Poland 3-0

Great Britain’s Road to the Final
Zone B Qualifying Rounds:
R1 Bye; R2 lost to Czechia 1-2
Final Rounds:
QF def Romania 3-0; SF def Denmark 3-0; F def Poland 3-0

Poland’s Road to the Final
Zone B Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Austria 3-0; R2 def Croatia 2-1; Qualifying Final def Czechia 2-1
Final Rounds:
QF def Türkiye 3-0; SF def France 2-1

The hosts imposed themselves early on with Tomas Gabor scoring a swift 6-1 6-3 win over Leon Miarka. Then, Kai Max Hodkinson secured the title for the home team also for the loss of just four games, with a 6-4 6-0 victory against Kajetan Kosonski. In the doubles Gabor & Cameron Rae proved too strong for Miarka & Jakub Sylwestrzak dominating the Poles 6-2 6-0. Having lost in qualifying and advancing to the final rounds by virtue of being the host nation, the Brits had a point to prove. And did they ever, coming through the final rounds undefeated in all matches.

GIRLS’ FINAL

Czechia def Latvia 2-1

Czechia’s Road to the Final
Zone B Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Moldova 3-0; R2 def Germany 2-1; Qualifying Final def Ukraine 3-0
Final Rounds:
QF def Greece 3-0; SF def Croatia 2-1; F def Latvia 2-1

Latvia’s Road to the Final

Zone C Qualifying Rounds:
R1 def Belgium 2-1; R2 def Poland 2-1; Qualifying Final def Greece 2-1
Final Rounds:
QF def Great Britain 2-1; SF def Finland 2-1

Tereza Vychodilova put the Czechs up 1-0 taking the first rubber 6-4 6-1 against Nikola Kapulina. However, the Latvians were not done for yet, with their number one Tina Jansone getting things back on an even keel with an equally impressive 6-4 6-0 win over Nicole Kurylova. The number ones returned to the court for a live doubles to decide the final. In the end, Kurylova & Sara Spackova defeated Jansone & Heidija Saulite 7-6(3) 6-2 to claim the title for Czechia.

FINAL STANDINGS

BOYS

1. Great Britain
2. Poland
3. France
4. Denmark
5. Romania
6. Türkiye
7. Italy
8. Serbia

GIRLS

1. Czechia
2. Latvia
3. Croatia
4. Finland
5. Greece
6. Austria
7. Great Britain/France TBC*
8. Great Britain/France TBC*

This year’s event looks set to be stronger than ever, with the entire Top 10 boys and girls on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour rankings set to compete on the indoor courts against top juniors from the USA, Asia, Australia, Africa and Latin America, many of whom will be competing in Europe for the first time. 

The week of 20-26 January sees the first Junior Tour ‘Super Category’ tournament of the year, the 43rd ‘Les Petits As – Le Mondial Wilson’, in Tarbes, France.

Long established as arguably the world’s premier 14 & Under event, the tournament features a plethora of famous players among the former participants, including the likes of Rafa Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina.

You can follow live streaming and live scores from this unmissable event on the Junior Tour app (Apple | Android), or at the Les Petits As website. Keep an eye on our Instagram for extra content throughout the week.

Click here for the daily schedule and results.

Now in its 30th year on the Junior Tour, the Bolton International has developed a high prestige, having played host over the years to some of the biggest names in tennis such as Andy Murray, Emma Raducanu, and Coco Gauff. As such, the tournament has a truly global draw with countries like Australia, USA, Canada, Japan, France, and Italy all sending squads of players.

On Friday, Sakino Miyazawa (JPN) and Mario Vukovic (FRA) were crowned champions of this landmark edition.

On the girls’ draw, it was an-all Japanese final. On one side of the court stood Sakino Miyazawa, the Tour's Overseas Player of the Year in 2024, who advanced to the final without dropping a set all week. Facing her was compatriot Shina Okuyama, who made an impressive run from the qualifying draw, defeating several top seeds along the way, including #13, #2, and #7. Ultimately, Miyazawa proved stronger, claiming the trophy with a decisive 6-4 6-2 victory.

As for the boys, Laurens Drijver (NED) upset top seed Rafael Pagonis (GRE) in the quarterfinals and endured a tough three-set semifinal to secure his place in the final. Meanwhile, Mario Vukovic was in a dominant mood throughout the week, conceding very few games. Despite Drijver's momentum from winning the doubles title the day before, Vukovic eased to a 6-2 6-2 triumph, earning his first 14 & Under title at a Category 1 event, adding to his win at the prestigious 12 & Under Festival at the end of 2023.

Richard Joyner, the Tournament Director, believes it was the best edition the Bolton Junior International has seen despite its rich history. “This is the 30th year, and each year the standard seems to get better and better, and that’s certainly proved to be the case this week. Although you see some good play, the names aren’t necessarily well known when you see them, but history tells us that a number of them go onto win Slams.”

Elsewhere on the Tour:

• Second seeds Elizaveta Anikina (EST) and Laurits Oestergaard (DEN) won the Category 2 14 & Under event in Narva (EST)
• At the Category 2 event in Larnaca (CYP) qualifier Carl Filip Bak Weller (DEN) upset second seed Alexandros Avgeris (GRE) 6-4 1-6 6-4 to win his second ever 16&U title. Also in Larnaca, home favourite and top seed Andrea Georgiou Papakyriacou won against Romina Hincu (MDA) 6-1 6-0.
• Emilia Henningsen (DEN) stunned top seed Alexandra Budkova Kjaer 6-1 6-0 to win the Northern Vision Norwegian Open singles title. After rest, the two later joined forces to claim the doubles trophy.

Stay tuned for an exciting week on the Junior Tour with the first Super Category event of the season - Les Petits As in Tarbes, France - and the qualifying rounds of the 12 & Under Winter Cups by Dunlop all set to take place.

 

 

 

 

Tea Kovacevic has taken the Tennis Europe Junior Tour by storm over the past three years. Ever since her debut in the 12&U Category in 2022, her star has risen as rapidly as she has amassed the 50-plus titles to her name.

The Bosnian’s cabinet is overflowing with trophies and medals, some of which include the European Junior Championships, Junior Masters, Development Championships, and a plethora of Category 1 victories.  The numbers speak for themselves. Here's our chat with the current European 16&U #8 and last year’s Player of the Year. 

How did you get your start in tennis?
Well, when I was nine months old, I started to walk and my dad put a racket in my hand and let me walk through this tennis court we had behind our house. There's a video online about it and then after six or seven months my dad wanted me to, at one-and-a-half years old, roll the balls a bit and swing with the racquet. So I started some practice for tennis but then at four, I started to practice two times a day for the entire week. And then it just kept going like that. Sometimes three practices during the day. So, the schedule was always a bit tough, but maybe that's why I'm here.

Okay, so I guess you played a lot of junior tournaments in Bosnia and then moved around Europe?
Yes, a lot…  a lot!! My first-ever tournament was in Croatia. I was playing Under 8 in Bosnia and in Croatia. I was also first in Croatia Under 10 and Under 12. I started to move across Europe to play Tennis Europe Under 12s. I got into the 12&U Festival when I was 11 - I got a wild card. That was my first ever big international tournament and then the year after the Festival I started, I won some 12&U Cat.1s.

What's your home city?
Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the north bordering Croatia.

Where do you mainly base yourself? Do you go back home to train in Bosnia or Do you move around a little bit or are you based in another country?
Well, this year was pretty complicated to practice at home with all the tournaments. I was home for only one-and-a-half months of the entire year. I was practicing with a lot of kids from the tournament and sometimes when I finish the tournament earlier, I go to the academies that I'm in and practice with people there. Sometimes I go to Belgrade to practice. So, I focused on travelling around and moving around.

You've moved into 14&U and you're winning most of your matches in 16&U as well, and it all happened rather fast.
When I moved to Under 14s, I started to play Under 16s also. I was with the Touring Team last year as well. So, this year I just kept going. I thought ‘why not let's try a bit of 16s’ and I won three Cat.3s so then I moved to Cat.1. I didn't tell myself,  ‘okay you have to win this’ so it was more like ‘okay you have to compare yourself to the older players because if you want to move to professional tennis you have to get used to that’ so I told myself to try that as a challenge. I had beautiful performances in the Cat.1s and it is just an amazing feeling when you win a tournament that big. And yeah, so that's basically how I got into the 16s.

As the 14&U European Junior Champion, were you looking forward to being invited to Monte Carlo? 
Yes, but I was trying to play Under 16 no matter if I got in as Under 14! (smiles)

When you go from 14 to 16, what differences do you see?
Great question and actually I've talked to my dad about it a lot when I play. Under older categories I usually focus on myself because there are older players who hit bigger and they're just stronger, they're taller and more athletic so I told myself that every time I'm playing older girls I try to play my best no matter what happens. I'm gonna try to hit the ball in the court, don't let them attack me. When I play ITFs I'm even better than under 16…  I play even better and it's maybe just because of the age if I see the older players I tell myself, ‘Okay let's make myself proud let's make my dad proud, I can do it, they're not that much better’, you know, so that's my mentality when I play under older categories.

How do you combine your education and going to school, these classes, with traveling and tennis?
Right now I do online school. I'm homeschooled. So, when I am at the tournaments, my teachers basically give me something I have to learn, then they give me tests, and then I do the tests when I'm at tournaments or when I'm at home. 

Between matches, it must be not that fun. If you want to talk or hang out with your friends, then you need to tell them “I've got to go study”!
(laughs) So it can be complicated sometimes, yes, but my school is really supportive.

Okay! And just thinking about favorites, in the tennis world, do you have a couple of favorite players, male or female, that you look up to even now?
Professionally, my personal favorite from men's is Novak Djokovic. and from women's it has always been Osaka. I really like her … everything, I mean. But if I look at who's the best now, definitely Sabalenka. I'm a big fan, big fan. And (Mirra) Andreeva … very surprising - she's just amazing! I would love to go as quickly as her into pro tennis. I’m really, really, really happy for her and her results and hope one day I can be like her! 

Coming from a small country, you're in the press and people hear about you. Do you feel that pressure and that expectation?
Yeah, when I look at my federation and when I'm looking at people who are supporting me back home, yes there can be pressure sometimes like for example the European Junior Championships.  When I see the Federation and people from Bosnia who support me, who are my sponsors there, I can sometimes feel pressure if it's an important tournament and you have to get results to keep the sponsors up. When I play big tournaments, I feel very, very much a lot of pressure, especially at the EJCs because it's the biggest tournament Under 14 in Europe or one of the best tournaments in the world. I was the second seed, so you know, if you lose before, like the semis or something, it can be like, “oh my God!” But, you know, the pressure can't keep me away from those results. I have to deal with it, I have to get used to it… always. So I'm going to try to do that!! 

As for the Junior Tour, can you think of any tournaments that are your favorites, for whatever reason the reason may be?
My personal favourite Tennis Europe 14&Us are definitely going to be the Cat.1s, like in Germany, Renningen, that I won. But because of the hotel, the club, everything basically over there, it was just perfectly organised. And the kids over there, it was a nice level of tennis. My team was there and I really enjoyed myself … and at the Super Category in Düren as well. My personal favorites in the 16&Us were in Tolentino Cat.1 in Italy and Sarajevo Cat.1 as well, all because of the organization and the people. Just beautiful.

Looking ahead are there any tournaments on the professional circuit where you would love to play?
Wimbledon was always my favorite. I wish I had been invited to under 14s but I guess, yeah I guess we're going to move on to under 18s and the professionals now (smiles) …  but yeah, Wimbledon was always my favorite!

What are your career goals?
Top three WTA and, if I can, my top goal is to win a calendar Slam!

That's a good goal to have!! You play a lot of doubles, do you have a preference?
You know, I think I might be better in doubles, honestly. But yeah, I’m there for singles and doubles!  A lot of times they hit at me and sometimes it happens that I don't even try to but I get the ball back somehow! (laughs) 

Have you played any mixed doubles? 
Once in my entire life! I played Big Mo last year in December in Miami. I was playing mixed doubles with one 2009 guy from Luxembourg, Evan Palumbo. And we won the doubles there under 14, without losing a single game in the entire tournament.

That's impressive! As was your 2024 season on the TEJT … congratulations on an amazing season!
Thank you!

*Parts of this interview took place, at the 14&U EJCs in Most. Kovacevic went on to win the title, defeating Jana Kovackova in the final. She then went on to claim the girls’ 16&U Junior Masters title in Monte Carlo. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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