Sam Walker and Lewis Gray reached the Junior Boys Singles last 32 in France as the Juniors found the going tough on the first day of competition.
Their cause was not helped before the tournament even started as, after their baggage was lost upon leaving Heathrow, the players had to wear borrowed kit to battle on in Metz.
However, both Walker and Gray progressed through their qualifying groups after last-match victories before winning their round of 64 matches later in the day. Their respective runs were eventually ended by seeded players when Walker lost 4-0 to Mehdi Bouloussa (FRA) and Gray lost 4-1 to second seed Yuto Higashi (JPN).
That was as good as it got for the Junior players with Igor Morais failing to progress from his qualifying group while both sets of boys doubles fell at the first hurdle.
It was even worse for the Junior girls of Vicky Smith, Emily Bates and Yolanda King as none of them managed to register a victory.
All three lost both matches in their qualifying group, including a double-defeat to their Welsh rivals: Bates losing to Angharad Phillips 3-1 and King losing 3-0 to Charlotte Carey.
The doubles was also no better for the girls as they lost in the first round in both their respective matches.
The losing players will have another chance tomorrow as Morais, Bates, Smith and King will all feature in the singles consolation event in the hope of regaining some pride (and hopefully in England kit once more).
After that, on Friday both the Junior and Cadet teams will begin while the Cadet tournaments take place on Saturday and Sunday with Tin-Tin Ho and Helshan Weerasinghe leading England’s charge.
Results:
Junior Boys:
Qualifying Group 2:
Andrey Petukhov (RUS) bt Lewis Gray 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7)
Lewis Gray bt Martin Khatchanov (NED) 3-1 (11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 16-14)
Qualifying Group 4:
Robin Saudemont (BEL) bt Igor Morais 3-1 (11-7, 12-10, 5-11, 11-5)
Igor Morais bt Dan Zarnescu (ROU) 3-0 (11-6, 12-10, 11-3)
Maxim Efroikin (RUS) bt Igor Morais 3-1 (11-6, 11-5, 11-13, 11-3)
Qualifying Group 10:
Sam Walker bt Matthias Janssens (BEL) 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5)
Roman Rezetka (SVK) bt Sam Walker 3-1 (18-16, 7-11, 14-12, 11-4)
Sam Walker bt Libor Liska (CZE) 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-4)
Round of 64:
Sam Walker bt Romain Lambiet (BEL) 4-0 (12-10, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7)
Lewis Gray vs Paul Gauzy (FRA) 4-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9)
Round of 32:
Mehdi Bouloussa (FRA) bt Sam Walker 4-1 (11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-2)
Yuto Higashi (JPN) bt Lewis Gray 4-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6)
Junior Boys Doubles:
Round of 32:
Martin Allegro/Florent Lambiet (BEL) bt Igor Morais/Lewis Williams (WAL) 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-5)
Nikita Kirillov/Philipp Kuimov (RUS) bt Sam Walker/Lewis Gray 3-1 (8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-2)
Junior Girls:
Qualifying Group 5:
Yuko Imamura (GER) bt Vicky Smith 3-0 (13-11, 11-4, 11-5)
Chloe Martial (FRA) bt Vicky Smith 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-8)
Qualifying Group 7:
Bernadett Balint (ROU) bt Emily Bates 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-7)
Angharad Phillips (WAL) bt Emily Bates 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 4-11, 11-4)
Qualifying Group 9:
Anna Blazhko (RUS) bt Yolanda King 3-0 (11-8, 11-4, 11-9)
Andrea Quelen (FRA) bt Yolanda King 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-9)
Charlotte Carey (WAL) bt Yolanda King 3-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-6)
Junior Girls Doubles:
Round of 32:
Eva Andorin/Andrea Quelen (FRA) bt Vicky Smith/Elizaveta Khlyzova (RUS) 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-7)
Alyssia Perrin/Estelle Debonne (FRA) bt Emily Bates/Yolanda King 3-0 (12-10, 14-12, 11-8)