Three European pairs in the three different doubles events had made it to the World Junior Championships quarterfinals, as well as Lanier.
We’ve had great performances from several European players on the biggest Junior stage. After the Team Event, the Individual Event for the 2022 World Junior Championships started five days ago. It is a big day today, as players are currently fighting in the quarterfinals for the chance to win a medal.
Alex Lanier, who has been gathering nothing but excellent results not only in the Junior circuit but also in the senior tournaments is one of the players that made it to the quarterfinals. The Frenchman faced Chinese Taipei’s Kuo Kuan Lin and despite winning the first game, the opponent took the match to three games to eventually win the encounter.
Danes Hjalte Johansen/ Emma Irring Braüne — who won a bronze medal at the 2022 European Junior Championships semifinals — had won the matches in the previous rounds in straight games. Today, the number three seeds were facing Yu Hao/ Qin Hui Zhi, China. Just like Lanier, the Danish duo won the first game but their opponents pushed harder, winning the 45-minute match.
Besides mixed doubles, we also had European young talents in the other two doubles events. In women’s doubles, 2022 European Junior bronze medallists Malya Hoareau/ Camille Pognante had to get past some tough opposition, including Danes Maria Højlund Tommerup/ Kathrine Vang. Today, they faced Kokona Ishikawa/ Riko Kiyose, Japan, but the French pair missed their chance of winning a medal after losing 21-19 21-18.
Second-seeded Daniel Franco/ Ruben Garcia, Spain, faced a similar battle on court. The Spaniards, who stormed their way into the Round of 16 in the 2022 European Junior Championships but fell just one match away from winning a medal, played in today’s quarterfinals against Apiluk Gaterahong/ Witchaya Jintamuttha, Thailand. The Spaniards gave it their all but lost 21-16 21-17.
This means that today was the last stop for all the remaining European young players at the World Junior Championships but the strength and determination shown on court in Santander have demonstrated that there’s talent ready to shine.