Speaking to players and coaches about outsiders to the title as European Women’s Team Champion most people mention the hosting nation Russia and Turkey. On the opening day the two nations met.

Turkey and Russia might not have been happy, when the saw the two nations drawn into the same group and already from the beginning of the first match, the atmosphere in the venue was good.

LIVESTREAM: 2018 EUROPEAN MEN’S & WOMEN’S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Russia took the lead in the big clash of Group 4 winning the first women’s single, while Turkey equalized winning the second women’s singles.

Deciding doubles
After the third women’s single the lead changed. Ozge Bayrak took the second Turkish victory in a row. 2-1 for Turkey before the women’s doubles.

Olga Morozova and Anastasia Chervyakova are ranked 24 in the World, but the Turkish underdog – Bengisu Ercetin and Nazlian Inci, ranked 78 – took up the fight in the first big thriller of the tie.  Despite of a good Turkish fight, the score before the last women’s doubles was 2-2 after Russian victory 22-20 16-21 21-16.

Gallery: EMWTC18 – Day 1 

- It was tough. We really want to do well in Kazan this time, so it was an important victory for us, Olga Morozova says.

The last women's doubles was a true thriller. Both pairs fought for the victory, but when the shuttle hit the court for the last time this Tuesday evening, it was the Russians who celebrated. Russia won the women’s doubles, and claimed the victory 3-2.

See all the results from the 2018 European Men’s & Women’s Team Championships here