29 July 2007 By Jim Beckley
Gavin Evans has brought home a gold medal after winning the boys singles title at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Belgrade. Gavin, still only 14 and the ETTA’s Most Improved Player of the Year, beat Lauric Jean from Belgium, in a seven game thriller in the city’s Pionir Hall. Besides being a good result for Gavin it also proved that the young Nottingham player has not only the ability but also mental agility, so important when matches go to seven games and when the pressure is on. Like an earlier match against another Belgium player Cedric Nuytinck a match that also went the full distance, this was to prove again a tough one with the match ending 11-9 11 3 9-11 7-11 7-11 11-8 11-8 again in Gavin’s favour.
"Lauric is a very good player. But Gavin knows his style and played very agressively. There was a blip midway through the match but Gavin fought back well. He has worked very hard and I'm very pleased for him," said team manager Steen Hansen.
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