Scandinavia’s best junior tournament in the Royal Tennis Hall.

Nine Swedes go through in the first round of qualifying. With a very strong international line-up 27 Swedish players did their best in the first round of the Kungens Kanna and Drottningens Pris.

It is clear to see the international interest in this highly rated event. Players for example from Tajikistan, Algeria and Portugal are making their way to Stockholm to try to get a spot in the main draw. This first day of qualifying gave us a great overall Swedish performance.

Leo Borg from KLTK unfortunately fell in three sets against seeded Max Bakken from Norway. Leo took the first set 6-4, but failed to to go the distance. The home player Victor Ek Johansson (also from KLTK) gave the seventh seed Jean Luc Gassman from Germany a hard time but the task proved too difficult and Gassman won in three sets. Sara Salemyr from SALK didn’t have a good day however still managed to pinch a set of seeded Estonian Saara Orav who won the match 6-0, 5-7, 6-0.

Robert Minasyan (Danderyd TK) and Nelly Mezan (Farsta TK) were successful in both winning their opening qualifying matches along with Emma Shasteen (Lerum TK) and Olivia Pezo (Fair Play TK).

Eighth-seeded Edis Nokic, the best Swede in qualifying from Aby TK, won the first qualifying match comfortably 6-3, 6-3 against the Spaniard Pol Feixas Panella. Lancelot Carnello also got through his first qualifying match comfortably against German Noah Borges 6-3, 6-2.

For the todays upsets Jan Koupil from KLTK surprisingly beat the tenth seeded Portuguese Manuel Goncalves with a 6-0, 6-2 confident win.

We can sum up the first day with a decent nine Swedish victories. Tomorrow we will enjoy the qualifying finals and we look forward to Tuesday when the main draw of the Kungens Kanna and Drottningens pros will commence.