Champions League Men | 30 Oct 2015

Hard-fought win of defending TTCLM champion

Fakel Gazproma Orenburg beat at home Vaillante Sports Angers 3:2 in the Round 3

 

Defending TTCLM champion, Fakel Gazproma Orenburg needed full five games to beat Vaillante Sports Angers in the opening match of Round 3. Actual individual European champion Dimitrij OVTCHAROV brought two points for the host side, beating both, Jens LUNDQVIST in the second encounter and Christophe LEGOUT in the decisive, fifth one. Russian champion continues with 2-1 score in Group A, while French club now has 1-2.

 

Two players who last more than two decades in European table tennis, Vladimir SAMSONOV and Christophe LEGOUT met in the first game. Guest won opening set, but Byelorussian responded by three games in a row. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV defeated Jens LUNDQVIST in four games to secure 2:0 lead for the triple TTCLM winner.

 

In the next two matches guests managed to level the score. First, CHEN Jian overcame Alexey SMIRNOV in straight sets, whilst LUNDQVIST prevailed against SAMSONOV in full five games. OVTCHAROV brought important victory for Orenburg, having easy job against LEGOUT. German confirmed good form from the two recently held big events, LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships and World Cup.

 

TTCLM Round 3, Group A

 

Fakel Gazproma Orenburg – Vaillante Sports Angers TT 3:2

 

Vladimir SAMSONOV – Christophe LEGOUT 3:1 (8:11, 11:5, 11:9, 11:9)

Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Jens LUNDQVIST 3:1 (12:10, 11:7, 10:12, 11:6)

Alexey SMIRNOV – CHEN Jian 0:3 (6:11, 9:11, 5:11)

Vladimir SAMSONOV – Jens LUNDQVIST 2:3 (9:11, 9:11, 12:10, 11:6, 6:11)

Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Christophe LEGOUT 3:0 (11:5, 12:10, 11:7)