Other Events | 2 May 2014

Romania, Germany, Netherlands: go!

Romania, Germany and Netherlands booked their places in the quarterfinal of the Women’s Event at the ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championship. Romania repeated the success from the World Championships in Gwangju 2010. This time they beat Korea Re

Romania, Germany and Netherlands booked their places in the quarterfinal of the Women’s Event at the ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championship.

Romania repeated the success from the World Championships in Gwangju 2010. This time they beat Korea Republic in the Round of 16. All three players scored in the full distance thriller.

“I put the note on Facebook last night so anyone can see; I do not want to sound clever when everything is over. Yesterday I wrote “If Dana play we will win.” That is exactly what happened. We spoke and she told me last night that she does not know will she be capable to play. She said she will take some painkillers and if she can stand the pain she will be in the team. Only this morning, we decided to go with her. It was hard for her, especially since the last two days she was not on top of her game,” explained coach Viorel FILIMON.

Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO beat SEOK Hajung. “Everything comes from my head. If the head is OK, then the knee will work too. It was not easy match, since SEOK has something very close to Chinese style of play. I just wanted to put the ball on the table and to play as safe as possible,” said Daniela.

Elizabeta SAMARA beat YANG Haeun. “Now we will meet Singapore. I think that the chances for win are 50:50. We are not afraid,” said SAMARA who was in the same position four years ago. Then Romania beat Germany to reach quarters, before they lost against China. Bernadette SZOCS cannot be unnoticed whenever she plays. Japan is not exception. In the decisive match against YANG Haeun, after 2:2, she was 5:0 up, then her adversary leveled, but Bernie succeeded at the end.

“When I had 5:0 advantage I become too relaxed. I lost one easy ball and suddenly my service stopped working for me. I did everything like before but my balls went out. I started to panic. It was 5:5…but when I won first point after that, I regained my self-confidence. I knew I would win. It was hard match for me. For a first time I was not on position no. 3 in the team and I entered the game after 2:2,” said SZOCS.

A first -year –senior found a way to cope with stress. “The breaking point in the Championships was the match against Austria. In the fourth round I was down 0:2 against LI Qiangbing when I realized I have to change something. I started to play relaxed because I had nothing to lose any more. I won that match and rebuilt my confidence.”

Germany progressed to the quarterfinal. Belarus team lost in straight matches. Sabine WINTER beat Viktoria PAVLOVICH, Irene IVANCAN overcame Alexandra PRIVALOVA and Petrissa SOLJA beat Elena DUBKOVA. After the match girls were in perfect mood. “Here is our defense killer,” smiled SOLJA when WINTER joined us in mix zone. WINTER is “defense killer”, what about you? “I was nervous,” smiled SOLJA. And Irene… “She is fighter. She won close duel today.”

Let start from the beginning. “I played for a first time against Viktoria, but in Germany I always love to play against defense. I just look forward every opportunity to meet such players. Always when I see the draw with defender against me, I smile,” admitted WINTER.

Irene was forced to go full distance. “It was difficult match, because I could not read her tactics. However, after Sabine won her match I forced myself to think positive. I had to win. I could not allowed this chance to slip away,” explained IVANCAN.

SOLJA concluded the match in straight games. “After 2:0 it was easier for me to play. I felt less pressure.”

In next round Germany will meet Hong Kong. And the girls had only one word for that duel: ”Revenge!”. “No” said Irene. ”Two words. Sweet revenge.”

Veronika PAVLOVICH was disappointed after the match. “Nothing worked for us today. It was strange day. Generally I am happy with the outcome and place among top 12 teams, but it is hard to speak after the defeat.”

Dutch team accounted for Taipei in effective style -3:0 to secure place in last 8. Li Jiao beat HUANG Yi Hua, LI Jie overcame CHENG I Ching and Britt EERLAND succeeded against CHEN Szu Yu.

LI Jie was absent from the table tennis more then a year and just 6 months after she gave birth, Dutch player is back in action. “It still is so hard for me to play at such level. My first tournament after a year of absence is World Championships. I am so tired and I feel the pain in every muscle,” admitted LI Jie.”I was also under great pressure so far, but after we reached place among top 12 teams I was relieved. I played much more freely against Taipei and it helped me win the match.”

Britt shined after the great victory. “I was so nervous before the match, but CHEN was too. However the victory of LI Jie gave me extra motive and wings to succeed. She had tough tournament and struggling in few moments during the tournament but now when she won I know I had to seize the opportunity and to stay on same path,” said EERLAND.

In quarters Netherlands will play against Japan. “It is going to be fantastic experience. The hall will be full. Their supporters are so enthusiastic; I can only imagine how it is going to be. Not to mention TV…I am looking forward that duel.”

Ukraine could not stop North Korea in the Round of 16.  Margarita PESOTSKA, Tetyana BILENKO and Ganna GAPONOVA suffered 3:0 defeat. “It is very hard to play against their players with the defensive style of play. It is completely different style comparing the European defenders; we are not comfortable with their service play either. I could not settle in the rhythm,” explain PESOTSKA who lost against RI Myong Sun, World’s no. 23.

However, Ukraine’s player was happy at the end. “We are in Top 12 and that is very important for us. The crucial moment at the tournament was the match against Czech Republic, when we played for the position no. three in the Group. I beat Iveta VACENOVSKA and Renata STRBIKOVA, whilst GAPONOVA scored against CECHOVA. Also, we are very happy with our performance against Hong Kong. We were very close. I beat JIANG Huajun and BILENKO beat LEE Ho Ching. We had 2:0 against them and that is great thing,” explained PESOTSKA.