President's Message

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the qualifying rounds of the 2011 Helvetie Cup, the European Summer Cups event for girls aged 16 & Under.

The European Junior Championships, both individual and team, are the most coveted events on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour. For some players this represents the first opportunity to represent their country, a first step on a ladder that for many will lead one day to doing so in the Davis Cup or Fed Cup.

This event began in 1975, the year that the European Tennis Federation was founded, and has always been amongst our most enjoyable and popular tournaments for junior players. It is both an achievement and a great honour to represent your country in sport, and this is reflected, as always, in the quality of the players selected for the national teams this year.

The eight teams to qualify for the final rounds will compete for the title of European Junior Team Champion.  Five of those eight teams will also go on to qualify for the World Junior Tennis competition, adding extra excitement, and further opportunities for our best European players to perform in important international team events.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Romanian Tennis Federation for supporting the event, and also the great many people involved at club level, the tournament organisers and officials who have played a role in the staging of the competition. Your generous support and hospitality are very much appreciated.
Many thanks also to all of the sponsors and volunteers for their valuable contribution.

Finally, I would like to thank all of those who have come to visit the event. Whether you are here as a participant or a supporter of junior tennis, I wish you all an enjoyable and successful weekend of tennis.
 

Jacques Dupré
President, Tennis Europe