Champions League Men | 7 May 2016
Eslovs upsets Pontoise in the first final leg of TTCLM
Photo: Courtesy Eslovs AI Bordtennis
Actual ETTU Cup winner beat the 2014 TTCLM champion 3:1, as XU Hui beat Marcos FREITAS in the decisive match
The 14th seed in the ongoing TTCLM season, Eslovs Al Bordtennis upset the 2013/14 winner AS Pontoise Cergy in the first final leg held in front of about 1000 people in Eslovshalle. Actual ETTU Cup winner won 3:1 (9:5), as Chinese XU Hui defeated the world`s no. 13 Marcos FREITAS in the decisive match. Returning leg is scheduled for May 29th in France.
XU beat Tristan FLORE in four games of the opening encounter. Promising French player, who usualy play as no.3 in the line-up (he had 4-0 in that role), now was faced with one of the best TTCLM players in the 2015/16 season. Chinese confirmed his reputation in the fourth set, when his opponent tried to continue excellent play from the previous game.
Marcos FREITAS leveled the score against Robert SVENSSON. The silver medalist from the 2015 ITTF European Championships did it in straight games, but not easy. Host player put a lot of pressure on him all the time and all three sets were ended by narrow margin. In the last one Portuguese saved a set ball and concluded the clash by three points in a row.
Mattias OVERSJO got maybe the most important point in his club`s career, beating WANG Jian Jun 3:1. Crucial moment came in the early fourth set when host took four consecutive points (6:2).
Two leading players from both sides have emerged one against another to decide the first final leg, as XU overcame FREITAS in superb style. European star had no any chance against Chinese who now has the best individual score (17-4) in the ongoing season (FREITAS 15-4).
It was the third game between these two teams in this season (in the group stage both sides won away). The 2013/14 TTCLM winner and actual no. 3 seed will be faced with a hard task, bearing in mind that they should prevent XU to take again two points. Chinese now has 5-1 individual score against Pontoise`s players so far.
The 2015/16 TTCLM final, 1st leg
Eslovs Al Bordtennis – AS Pontoise Cergy 3:1 (9:5)
XU Hui – Tristan FLORE 3:1 (11:7, 11:5, 5:11, 11:4)
Robert SVENSSON – Marcos FREITAS 0:3 (9:11, 11:13, 11:13)
Mattias OVERSJO – WANG Jian Jun 3:1 (11:4, 11:6, 9:11, 11:9)
XU Hui – Marcos FREITAS 3:0 (11:7, 11:9, 11:7)
