It’s time to welcome many of the world’s best 14-year-olds to the Royal Tennis Hall and the Nordics’ most prestigious junior competition.
This weekend, according to tradition, the qualification was played out, where Nike Gunnarsson (Inside Out TK), made it into the main competition after WO in the qualifying final (against second-seeded Eva Hutchins from England). Three more Swedes had the chance, but unfortunately, the KLTK duo Stella Kitsou and Filippa Bolander fell, as did Amanda Wallin (MIK Tennis). Bolander also lost to Gabriella Eie from Norway, and thus only two Nordic players advanced from the qualifiers.
It is also noteworthy that the first seeds of the qualifiers – Keisija Berziina from Latvia and Charley Riley from Ireland – are ready for the main draw competition.
Sunday’s qualifying finals ended with, among other things, the Tennis Europe Junior School, Coaches meeting and, of course, the traditional opening ceremony with around 120 players from 33 nations on the famous royal centre court.
We can look forward to 48 matches on eight courts when the first round gets underway at 10.30 am on Monday. 13 Swedish boys and as many girls are in the starting field, including KLTK players Rebecca Malmström, Grace Bernstein and William Kjellberg.
If we are to spotlight three Swedish players on Monday; William Kjellberg (KLTK), Knut Andersch (Vallda TK) and Vincent Almroth (Båstad TS), who represented Sweden in P14 in the European Championships, where they fell against Poland in the decisive doubles.
On the girls’ side, we can keep an eye on SALK players Nathalie Mackay Westling and Jessica Sundvall, but they have tough opposition, as does Djursholm’s TK’s Ludvig Tolf, who meets European number one Mark Ceban from England.