Team Denmark came out fighting in today’s final of the team event at the European U17 Championships in Lubin, Poland. The Danes had a tough day at the office yesterday but walked away as easy winners in today’s final beating England 3-0

Alexandra Boje lead the lines again for Denmark partnering Paw Eriksen to an easier than expected mixed doubles win over Callum Hemming and Lizze Tolman. The English had no real answers to the power of the Danes with Tolman coming out second best against Boje in the front court. 

The performance of the victory came from Jesper Toft who had a very up and down week in the team event losing his singles in two early group matches. The tall Dane showed exactly what he is mad of in today’s final against the Johnnie Torjussen inflicting the first defeat of the week on the Englishman in a match they felt was one they could win. 

Toft raced into a 15-3 lead in the opening game before seeing out the first 21-15 as Torjussen began his fightback. Toft could have easily caved in during the beginning of the second game given the pressure Torjussen put on him at the end of the first but the Dane had a point to prove today and he did just that getting over the line 21-17 in the second game.

The task then fell on the shoulders of Michelle Skodstrup to bring the title home for Denmark. The Dane, an undoubted star of the future, was pushed to the wire against arguably England’s player of the tournament Abigail Holden. The diminutive English girl took the match to a deciding set, the first set Skodstrup dropped all week but the Dane stood tall and took the set 21-14 and with it the team title for Denmark. 

“It was a very tough game against Abigail today. I felt very nervous at the start but going into the third game I really told myself to focus and just stick to the plan and win this thing for the team” commented Skodstrup after the final.

Speaking of his team’s performance today coach Lennart Engler was full of praise for his team and especially the girls who carried a lot of the pressure this week. 

“You know we struggled early this week to find a rhythm in the competition. It’s a big learning process for these young players to come abroad and be sleeping three to a room and being the ones to beat. The girls stood very tall this week and Michelle, while not playing her best game today, got the winning point and she can be very proud of that.” 

Denmark have never been beaten in the under 17 competition since its inception as a combined team/individual event and once again prove there are the premier country in Europe and look like maintaining that dominance for many years to come with a healthy crop of top juniors coming through.

Final results from #EU17C team event in Lubin, Poland

MX - Alexandra Boje/Paw Eriksen beat Callum Hemming/Lizzie Tolman 21-14 21-14 

MS - Jesper Toft beat Johnnie Torgussen 21-15 21-19

WS - Michells Skodstrup beat Abigail Holden 21-13 23-21 21-14

MD & WD not played.