At the start of the program, the mixed doubles set the tone for the match. On the neighboring courts, the two Strasbourg pairs, supported by their audience from the Herrade gymnasium and always on the attack in the exchange, were quick to create a first break in favor of the locals. As Stefani Stoeva and Daniil Dubovenko continued, Strasbourg was quickly safe.
At 4-0, Alex Lanier, the European singles champion and eighth in the world, gave the Alsatians the point of success, despite great resistance from Léo Van Gysel. If Qi Xuefei saved the honor at the expense of the very young Clara Menegazzi-Briquet (13 and a half years old), the women’s and men’s doubles brought two additional units to the purse of the Strasbourg favorites.
“We fought with our means”
“The 7-1 is a little harsh, but we knew very well that we were going to suffer,” admits Anaïg Sibéril, the manager of BC Rostrenen, bluntly. Several points were really complicated for us to find. Strasbourg is a very strong team. They don’t always field Alex (Lanier) but there, they had him… It’s a logical defeat. We fought with our current means. »
In the first leg, the Costa Ricans managed to neutralize the leader (4-4). “But that day, we had Beiwen Zhang (in a tournament in Asia these days, Editor’s note)… When she is there, we can shift the composition. » On February 21, Rostrenen will return to his Porz-Moëlou gymnasium for the reception of Union Saint-Bruno Bordeaux, the red lantern which has just obtained its first success.
The technical sheet
Simple gentlemen: Alex Lanier – Léo Van Gysel : 21-15, 21-15 ; Daniil Dubovenko – Paul Tournefier: 21-11, 21-12.
Ladies’ singles: Stefani Stoeva – Romane Cloteaux-Foucault: 21-17, 21-13; Clara Menegazzi-Briquet – Qi Xuefei 13-21, 7-21.
Mixed doubles: Deniver Dubovenko/Deed Dwicaphyo – Jiah Y/Qi Xuefe : 21-15, 21-7 ; Alexa Lanier/Should Bauer – Noah Have Paksiutova : 21-13, 21-17, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Daniil Dubovenko/Callum Hemming – Noah Haase/Jiahao Yu : 14-21, 21-15, 21-15.
Double dames : Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva – Romane Cloteaux-Foucault/Yevheniia Paksiutova : 21-10, 21-9.
