The ÖTV youngster won the junior doubles in Paris alongside Norwegian Nikolai Budkov Kjer.
French Open 2024 crowns Joel Schwarzler: After a semi-final defeat in singles, the 18-year-old has now been crowned champion in his second Youth Grand Slam doubles final. Vorarlberger (ITF 2) defeated second seed Federico Cina (ITF 9) of Italy (ITF 9) and Rei Sakamoto (ITF 1) of Japan after 1:10 hours in the first-level doubles final with Norway’s Nikolai Budkov Kjär (ITF). 4) Saturday afternoon game time 6:4, 7:6 (3). Schwarzler is now the fourth Austrian youth Grand Slam winner in doubles after his coach, ÖTV sports director and Davis Cup captain Jürgen Melzer (doubles at Wimbledon 1999), Nicolas Moser (US Open 2008) and Lucas Midler (Australian Open 2014). The ÖTV young aces have now won the junior doubles trophy at each of the world’s four major tournaments. Melzer is still the only individual local winner.
Special emphasis: “I am obviously very happy”
Schwarzler unfortunately lost his doubles final debut at the US Open in New York in September 2023 after two match points. He was able to close this gap now. The tough man fended off a break point with Budkov cager at 0-1, and both managed to get a break in the next game that eventually decided the first set. Another breakaway opportunity on either side went untapped. When the two trailed significantly in the second round with scores of 0:5 and 30:40, everyone involved and the spectators were already expecting a decisive competitive tiebreak for the title. But Schwärzler and Budkov Kjär erased four set points spread over three games and saved themselves into the tiebreak, where they quickly moved to 4:0 and 6:1 to take a third match point. Then at the Bois de Boulogne facility in Paris, Court 13 will be celebrated by a full audience.
Schwarzler congratulated the two finalists at the awards ceremony, thanking his doubles partner Budkov Kjejar and his excellent team at the ÖTV Performance Center in the city’s south, where the local teenager has trained for almost three years and risen to the top spot. Youth World Rankings. In his statement to the media, the young man made it clear that the coup holds a special place for him in his list of achievements to date: “Of course I am very happy. However, the focus has always been on singles and I want a singles career as well, but to win doubles at a Grand Slam is something that is gratifying.” The key to victory and turning around a 0-5 deficit? “I think we are better than them in the important moments. (Sina and Sakamoto; reference) have played At 0:5 we were relaxed, then we got a little closer, then we played well. Of course they were a little nervous, and that’s what happened.
ÖTV sports director and Davis Cup captain Melzer had been watching Schwarzler throughout the week of the tournament and was very happy about his talented, promising defender’s title win: “It’s definitely a big win. It’s not every day you become a Grand Slam winner, and that’s pretty cool. It was a good match for both and they lived up to their share of favourites. So Joel can now call himself a Grand Slam champion – at least among the juniors.
Full focus on men’s tennis
Schwarzler also praised the chemistry between him and his doubles partner: “I think we both serve well and do our jobs, we’re a good team. We get along well and have fun on the court. At the same time, two weeks ago in Skopje (North Macedonia) with his After sensationally winning the first ATP Challenger title, Schwarzler declared that his junior career was over: “I won’t be playing any more junior tournaments,” he revealed – He is already ranked 387th in the world at such a young age. His next big highlight is the Generali Open Kitzbühel (July 20 to 27, 2024), where he earned a wild card to the ATP 250 home tournament main draw for his strong performances. Introduced.
