Champions League Men | 11 Sep 2013

Fenerbahce enriching European TT

Opening of 2013/14 Women’s European Champions League fulfilled expectations, especially the clash between two title pretenders in Istanbul. Top seed Fenerbahche beat 2012 finalist SVS STROCK in four games, but Austrians missed good chance to do something more. LI Fen was two sets up in fourth match against Viktoria PAVLOVICH, but current individual European champion managed to recover, providing very first WECL win for Turkish champion.

“First of all I want to say that the participation of Fenerbahce Istanbul is enrichment for European Table Tennis Community. The standards they are unbelievable. Professionalism, friendship, and the enthusiasm of this team is really great”, stressed STROCK`s manager Martin SOROS and added: “This match was from both sides on a very high level and even we lost 1-3 there was definitely the chance to win. LI Fen was in 4th set only two points away from beating PAVLOVICH and the fifth match CHEN I Ching – DODEAN would be wide open. Nevertheless we see that the WECL is strong this year and SVS STRÖCK is in de middle of the action. Right from the beginning of the competition I said that Istanbul, Berlin or SVS STRÖCK will win the WECL this year. This stands”.

SOROS is sure that next matches versus Metz (18.10.) and Berlin (25.10. in Werner Schlager Academy) are the key for two times Austrian champion in the group stage. The goal is, going step by step, to reach WECL final and new battles against Fenerbahce – “the team with four no.1 players”, as STROCK`s manager emphasizes.

His colleague in Istanbul`s club, Gurhan YALDIZ sounds very happy after debuting game on main European stage (Fenerbahce is two times ETTU-Cup winner). “First match against STROCK was very difficult for us but we started with very good result. STROCK`s team fought until the last point. I think all points were wonderful and exciting. Spectators were very happy to watch such a good game. I think our group is stronger than the other. If we take second position for to go up, than we`ll have chance to play final in WECL”.

YALDIZ underlined that Viktoria PAVLOVICH (two wins) „was the perfect”, praising also performance of HU Melek. “CHEN was not so good because she can not start good in first set. She lost very important 4-5 rally points in third and fourth set and after that she lost concentration”.

Alex MILETIC, EWT, Alex MILETIC, EWT