Europe Cup Men | 6 Mar 2014

High-class semis overheating ETTU Cup

The penultimate stage of the Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup is scheduled for this weekend.In the Men’s opening leg on Friday Stella Sport La Romagne will meet Saarbrucken in France, whilst LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen will play against Walter Wels in Austria. In the Women’s ETTU Cup SKST Mart Hodonin will play at home against Club Pongiste Lyssois Lille Metropole. On Monday Leistungszentrum Linz Forschberg will meet
SVS Ströck in all-Austrian duel.

Stella Sport La Romagne secured the place in the semi final after they beat Sweden’s Eslov in both legs. In first leg it was 3:2 for French side, whilst at home soil they needed match less to made progress to next round. Now they are ready for toughest challenge.

“We are looking forward our duel against Saarbrucken. Of course, they are favorites. German club is very big name in Europe, but we will not give up. We will give our best to win the duel”, said Manager Fabrice COUTOLLEAU. Currently the club occupies third position in French Pro A. “We lost only one duel against Chartres since the beginning of the season. All the players are fit and ready for the match. We hope to finish this season well.”

LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen will play against Walter Wels. Previously German team beat Cajasur Priego SM in Biberach. Unlike the match in Priego de Cordoba which finished in straight games, German club needed four matches to conclude the meters at home. Austria’s Walter Wels overcame TTC Zugbrucke Grenzau in Hohr-Granzhausen after five matches. They needed four in Austria.

In LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen, coach Dubravko SKORIC hopes for two triumphs. “We are ready. Every match is new chance. Our strength is in our team. We have four very good players and very good balance. It will be first time that we play against each other, but that is not a problem. No one is injured and we are ready,” said SKORIC.

In Women’s ETTU Cup Leistungszentrum Linz Froschberg was stretched to full distance in both legs against ALCL Tennis de Table Grand-Quevilly in the quarterfinal. However they concluded this phase unbeaten and impatiently waits for the duel against SVS Strock.

“It is pretty clear that SVS is the favourite if you take the perspective of the World ranking. But that was the same situation before, in the matches against Kazan and Grand Quevilly. It is funny and satisfying that our “second” team is on the same level like the Top Team of Schwechat. The last two matches resluted in a dead heat with the score of 3:3″, said Manager Günther RENNER.

The club can count to two “fresh” national title holders. “We look very relaxed regarding the future of LZ FROSCHBERG. We will try to win, but if not, it`s not a big deal for us. Although our players, like LIU YUAN and Camelia POSTOACA won the National Championships in Austria and Romania’s Camelia beat SAMARA and SZÖCZ, our goal is just to have again some interesting matches with the future in mind.”

Milica NIKOLIC, EWT, Milica NIKOLIC, EWT