In the girls’ team event, contrary to expectations, they secured first place in their respective initial stage group fixtures.

Represented by Veronika Matiunina and Sofia Sheredeha, Ukraine recorded a 3-0 success in opposition to the second seeds, the Belarus combination of Ulyana Miashchanskaya and Veronika Varabyova.

Belarus duly finished in second position and, like Ukraine, advance to the main draw.

Similarly, Poland, with Natalia Bogdanowicz and Wiktoria Wrobel on duty, posted a 3-0 win when facing the third seeds, the Russian combination of Ekaterina Ivanova, Anastasiia Ivanova and Zlata Terekhova.

Proving the only defeat the Russians would suffer, they progressed, keeping medal hopes alive.

However, for the fourth seeds, the Slovakian outfit formed by Mihaela Bitoova, Nina Daracova and Dominika Wiltschkova, it was third place in the initial phase group. They must now compete in the play-off rounds.

France, who selected from Gaetane Bled, Leana Hochart, Clea de Stoppeleire and Agathe Avezou topped the group ahead of Belgium’s Eloise Duvivier and Lilou Massart.

Testing times for prominent teams; for the top seeds, there were no such travails. Germany, selecting from Annett Kaufmann, Mia Griesel, Josephina Neumann and Faustyna Stefanska, remained unbeaten to secure top spot in the group.

Conversely, in the boys’ team competition, the top four seeded outfits, all ended their group phase fixtures in first position.

Top seeds, Romania’s Dragos Alexander Bujor and Iulian Chirita stamped their authority on proceedings as did the next in line, the French selection of Flavien Coton, Felix Lebrun, Elian Zemmal and Antoine Noirault,

Likewise, it was first place for the third seeds, Czech Republic’s Martin Sip and Stean Brhel, a situation that applied also to the fourth seeds, Poland’s Michal Wandachowicz and Alan Kulczycki.

Play in the team events continues on Wednesday 28th July.

Gazprom 2021 European Youth Championships results