Meulenbelt & Hruzikova Win Austrian Junior Titles

Bastian Meulenbelt and Linda Hruzikova triumphed in contrasting styles in the finals of the Austrian Junior U19 Open in Vienna.

Meulenbelt, the second seed from the Netherlands, reached the men's final of the European Squash Federation Junior Circuit Grand Prix event without dropping a game. After a close first game against Czech favourite Ondrej Ertl - runner-up in the 2005 event - the 17-year-old took control of the match to run out a 10-8, 9-5, 9-0 winner.

The success marked Meulenbelt's first ESF junior circuit title.

The women's final was won by the top seed, but Slovakia's Linda Hruzikova twice had to come from behind before beating 17-year-old Czech opponent Lucie Fialova, the No2 seed, 7-9, 9-5, 1-9, 10-9, 10-9 - saving match balls in both the fourth and fifth games!

Hruzikova, the Hungarian Junior Open champion who will be 19 next month, was making her final appearance in an ESF junior event.

Men's U19 final:
[2] Bastian Meulenbelt (NED) bt [1] Ondrej Ertl (CZE) 10-8, 9-5, 9-0

Women's U19 final:
[1] Linda Hruzikova (SVK) bt [2] Lucie Fialova (CZE) 7-9, 9-5, 1-9, 10-9, 10-9