Young Russians beat all the best pairs to become 2021 European mixed doubles champions.

You need to beat the best to become the very best, and that is what the Russians Alina Davletova and Rodion Alimov did at the 2021 European Championships.

This is how you do it
In the quarterfinals, the Russians, who are seeded six in the tournament, beat second seeds Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue, France, before beating number three seeds Mark Lamsfuss/Isabel Herttrich from Germany in the semifinals.

Winning the quarterfinals, Alimov and Davletova secured the very first Russian mixed doubles medal, and that medal will be gold.

In the final on Sunday, the 2017 European Junior mixed doubles champions beat the defending European Games champions, Marcus Ellis/Lauren Smith.

Beating the top seeds
The English world number eight and top seeds of the tournament took a comfortable win in the opening game winning 21-13, before the Russians got the momentum. Davletova and Alimov won the second game 21-16 in which the English trailed all the way.

In the third game it was once again the Russians controlling from 6-6, and after 64 minutes of play Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova were crowned European mixed doubles champions winning the decider 21-15.

- It is amazing and emotional. It is first time in the history, and we are very happy, Alimov said.

- We have lost the last two times. In the second and third game we played more aggressive and attacking, and that is why we won, the Russians added.