European Veterans Championships | 27 May 2013

All stars survived the challenges of day 1

Day 1 of the European Veterans Championships in Bremen didn’t make any of the former top players stumble. Mikael APPELGREN had to be early at the table for his 9 o’clock opening match but neither this time nor his opponents caused any trouble to him. Sweden’s former World and European Champion did not lose a single game in his preliminary group 1 of category 50. His direct competitors, 14-times German Champions Zsolt-Georg BÖHM, and the former Olympic quarter-finalist DING Yi from Austria, did not have any weaknesses today either: 3 matches, 3 victories, 9-0 games.

Like them did Olga NEMES (Women 40), JING Tian-Zörner (50) and Jutta TRAPP (65). Only Eliska KREJCOVA had to fight. The multiple World Championship of the 1940s and 1950s from Czech Republic was 0-2 down against Latvian Laimdota JORDANE, before KREJCOVA could turn it into a 3-2 victory.

Germany’s World Doubles Champion from 1989, Steffen FETZNER, and bronze medallist Dmitrij MAZUNOV from Russia will play their first matches on Tuesday. CHEN Weixing – originally top-seed in their category 40 – had to cancel his participation because of the play-offs in Austria.

Incidentally “Speedy” FETZNER did not relax on his day off, but gave a few media interviews and had a training session with Heiko WIRKNER at the practice hall. That is where they faced a downside of being VIPs. FETZNER/WIRKNER were surprisingly sent off: When they asked two ladies, whether they may join them for training crosswise, the women, who immediately recognized them, replied indignantly: “But your matches will only start tomorrow!” The German duo was perplexed, smiled – and then looked for another training table.

For all age groups except Men 40 the second day of the tournament is “doubles day”. On Wednesday all players have a day off from competition but are welcome to practice in the afternoon.

courtesy DTTB, courtesy DTTB