Borussia Düsseldorf clinched the German Table Tennis Cup for the 28th time. In the LIEBHERR Cup Final Four Timo BOLL and his team first defeated ASV Grünwettersbach and then clinched the title in the final against 1. FC Saarbrücken TT thus claiming the first title of the season. The organizing German Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) can rejoice with around 5000 fans in the once again sold-out ratiopharm arena Ulm/Neu-Ulm confirming the spectator record. Timo BOLL showed an unusually emotional side on Sunday afternoon. With raised arms a broad grin and visibly satisfied the table tennis superstar took a lap around the arena. Just moments before BOLL with Borussia Düsseldorf won the German Table Tennis Cup final against 1. FC Saarbrücken TT with a score of 3:0 BOLL himself sealed the final with a decisive point. Against Darko JORGIC he found himself a 1:2 in reverse at one point but fought back to the deciding set. Under the rhythmic applause of the audience BOLL took a 9:0 lead sealing the fate of the final. A short time later the Düsseldorf players embraced each other celebrating the 28th cup victory in the club’s history and the first since 2021. In the previous two years Düsseldorf had been runners-up in the final. For BOLL it was the 13th cup victory of his career. “I performed well and for the first time in a long while I can truly be satisfied with my performance ” BOLL said afterward. “In such a moment you realize that all the hard work has paid off. Now I hope to maintain this level.” The history of finals between the two teams is rich as they have faced each other repeatedly in recent years. The Düsseldorf vs. Saarbrücken duel took place three times in a row in the Liebherr TTBL final for the German Team Championship and last season they met in the Champions League final as well. The two rivals have more title chances this season in the Table Tennis Bundesliga and once again in the Champions League: In the TTBL Düsseldorf leads as the table topper before Saarbrücken in the second half of the season; in the premier league both teams are in the Final Four scheduled for the Easter weekend at FCS. “I am very happy – the title was of course our goal ” said QIU. In 2020 he had already won the cup with Grünwettersbach and now he followed with his first triumph in the Düsseldorf jersey. The 27-year-old had returned from the WTT Finals the day before where he had eliminated two Chinese players and sensationally celebrated third place. “The preparation was not ideal with the travel stress and the equipment change ” said QIU “but in the end the main thing is that we won the cup.” Coach Danny HEISTER gave extra praise to the entire team: “I am incredibly proud of the entire team ” said the 52-year-old. “Now the first title is here and we can take a breather. The pressure is always high in Düsseldorf but that’s part of it.” Final 1. FC Saarbrücken TT – Borussia Düsseldorf 0:3 Yuto Muramatsu – Dang Qiu 0:3 (7:11 6:11 5:11) Patrick Franziska – Anton Källberg 0:3 (3:11 8:11 6:11) Darko Jorgic – Timo Boll 2:3 (7:11 12:10 11:6 10:12 2:11) Semifinals Borussia Düsseldorf – ASV Grünwettersbach 3:1 Anton Källberg – Deni Kozul 3:1 (11:3 5:11 12:10 12:10) Dang Qiu – Tiago Apolonia 0:3 (8:11 9:11 9:11) Timo Boll – Ricardo Walther 3:0 (17:15 11:5 11:4) Anton Källberg – Tiago Apolonia 3:2 (11:9 9:11 11:4 7:11 11:5) TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 2:3 Hugo Calderano – Darko Jorgic 2:3 (12:10 4:11 8:11 11:6 8:11) Alvaro Robles – Yuto Muramatsu 3:1 (10:12 11:8 11:9 11:7) Simon Gauzy – Patrick Franziska 2:3 (8:11 7:11 12:10 11:5 8:11) Hugo Calderano – Cedric Meissner 3:0 (11:7 11:2 11:4) Alvaro Robles/Simon Gauzy – Cedric Meissner/Patrick Franziska 1:3 (3:11 11:8 5:11 7:11)
Dang QIU WTT Finals Semifinalist is Hot Favorite in Montreux
With only two weeks remaining until the commencement of the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux on Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st one of the most in-form players at present is Germany’s QIU Dang. This week he advanced to the semifinals of the WTT Finals Men Doha 2023 eliminating China’s World No. 4 LIANG Jingkun and World No. 9 LIN Shidong. QIU is currently ranked at position No. 13. In last year’s Montreux event European champion QIU reached the final but faced defeat against two-time winner Darko JORGIC of Slovenia. It marked his debut appearance at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup. “It is unfortunate that I was not able to capitalize on my chances last year. However I will persistently strive to win the Europe Top 16 because it holds great importance for me and is a high priority ” said QIU. Dang QIU will also participate in the WTT Star Contender Doha 2024 starting from Monday. “I had even considered playing one or two fewer tournaments in January to ensure physical fitness. However competition practice is equally important and playing numerous tournaments is not always a disadvantage. I am eagerly anticipating the tournament and will approach the competition in Switzerland with confidence ” he added. The participants at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup include Felix LEBRUN of France Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany Slovenian Darko JORGIC Swede Anton KALLBERG Marcos FREITAS of Portugal Truls MOREGARD of Sweden Alexis LEBRUN of France Liam PITCHFORD of England Danes Jonathan GROTH and Anders LIND Portugal’s Joao GERALDO Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR Ukraine’s Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO and the host nation representative Loic STOLL. “This year’s Top 16 will witness one of the most balanced tournaments in its history. At least a handful of players can win the title making it highly dependent on the form of the day. Truls MÖREGARDH is not even seeded in the top four despite being the runner-up in the World Championship while another runner-up Mattias FALCK is not even qualified. The field is extremely tight with everyone eager and desperate to win this prestigious title. I anticipate a very open race for the championship ” stated QIU.
Elizabeta SAMARA Prioritizes Olympics in 2024
As a stalwart in the elite echelons of table tennis on the continent Elizabeta SAMARA from Romania has been a consistent presence at the Europe Top 16 Cup missing the event only once in the last 15 years. The 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup set to take place in Montreux on Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st marks her 14th appearance. In the previous year Elizabeta secured the ninth position in the standings. Notable performances include a third-place finish in Montreux in 2018 a sixth-place finish in 2019 and a fifth-place finish in 2020. Additionally in 2016 in Gondomar SAMARA achieved a commendable fourth place. Her debut in Dusseldorf in 2009 saw her finish in the fifth position. As the table tennis world anticipates another thrilling season we had the privilege of catching up with Elizabeta SAMARA one of the sport’s inspirational figures. When asked about her current form Samara expressed enthusiasm stating: “My current shape is quite good. I dedicated considerable time to practice in December and focused on maintaining fitness. It’s essential to be in peak physical condition especially considering the fierce competition in the top ranks.” Reflecting on her achievements in 2023 Samara singled out some standout moments saying: “The year exceeded my expectations. Securing bronze in the European Games for singles and clinching the team title were significant accomplishments. Winning silver in Malmö and a memorable match against CHENG Meng from Grand Smash gave me a boost of confidence.” Discussing the competition within the Top 16 Samara emphasized the high level of skill among all players. “I think all the players in the Top 16 are good and pose a threat regardless of their ranking. It’s the Top 16 where anyone can beat anyone. Each match is a challenge and that’s what makes it exciting for both players and fans.” Regarding her goal for the Top 16 SAMARA’s passion for the sport was evident. “My goal is usual; I enjoy coming to play in this prestigious tournament every year which takes place in my favorite country and city Montreux. The goal is to perform at my best and make every moment count.” Looking ahead to her aspirations for 2024 Elizabeta outlined her objectives. “My goal for 2024 is to stay fit and healthy. Qualifying with the team for Paris 2024 is a top priority and reaching the final stage is the ultimate aim. I want to get closer and closer to the medal contributing to the success of the team.” The 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux will also feature other top-seeded players such as Ying HAN Ying of Germany Bernadette SZOCS of Romania (2018 titleholder) Nina MITTELHAM of Germany (2021 winner) Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria Jia Nan YUAN of France Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden Prithika PAVADE of France Natalia BAJOR of Poland Xia Lian NI Jieni SHAO and Fu YU of Portugal Tatiana KUKULKOVA and Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia Maria XIAO of Spain and Rachel MORET.
Dang QIU Advances to the WTT Finals Semifinals with a Victory over World Number Four Liang
European champion Dang QIU has extended his brilliant start to the new year at the WTT Finals in Doha. The European champion among the 16 best players of 2023 reached the semifinals of the prestigious tournament with a 3-2 victory over the world number four LIANG Jingkun. He will face the world number two and defending champion WANG Chuqin (China) on Friday morning. For QIU the victory over Liang at the WTT Finals in Qatar was already the second consecutive win over Chinese stars he had not defeated before. In the previous round the native of Nürtingen had defeated the world number nine and Under 19 world champion LIN Shidong 3-1. Immediately after his victory the Düsseldorf player said: “I had anything but a dream start today. In the fourth set it even looked like I wouldn’t leave the table as the winner with a 4-7 deficit. But best-of-five matches go very quickly; anything can happen. I am very happy that I could win this crucial match and now be among the top four in the WTT Finals ” said QIU. Men’s National Team Coach Jörg ROSSKOPF praised his player’s performance: “That was really a super victory for Dang. At the World Championships in Houston he played very well against LIANG but narrowly lost 3-4. Today he deservedly won and dominated the fifth set as well. After the clearly lost first set we made some tactical adjustments which were crucial for the further course. Dang implemented that tactically very well and was also very strong in his activity today.”
Linda BERGSTRÖM: I’m at a great place in my life
The 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux is only two weeks away (Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st 2024). At the 53rd edition the defending champions Darko JORGIC of Slovenia and the HAN Ying of Germany are both on duty. In Women’s Event for a second time Swede Linda BERGSTRÖM will play after very busy end of 2023. “It was a busy December with the Mixed World Cup the WTT Finals in Japan in doubles and the Champions League. I am very happy with my achievements in the last few months sustaining a high level and contributing wins for the SAINT QUENTIN TT in the Champions League and the national team. Ending the year by winning the last match and finishing 1st in the group in the Champions League was a great accomplishment ” reveiled BERGSTRÖM who is currently at the position no. 32 in the World Rankings.. What is your current shape? “I am not sure of my shape because I just had rest over Christmas and New Year but the body and mind feel refreshed. I’m ready to take on a busy 2024.” What will you play before Switzerland? “ I have two matches in the French league before I go to Qatar to play the Star Contender.” In the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup the no. one seed is HAN Ying. Seeded at position no. 2 Bernadette SZOCS of Romania clinched the title in 2018 followed by Nina MITTELHAM of Germany the winner from 2021. Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA France’s Jia Nan YUAN Romania’s Elizabeta SAMARA Prithika PAVADE of France Natalia BAJOR of Poland NI Xia Lian Portugal’s SHAO Jieni and YU Fu Slovakia’s Tatiana KUKULKOVA and Barbora BALAZOVA Spain’s Maria XIAO and Rachel MORET are all listed for this year’s edition. “It’s 15 strong players but if I have to choose one I would say HAN Ying. She won last year and had a really good 2023.” What is your goal for Top 16? “My goal is to do better than last year and win the first round ” said Linda who was 9th last year. How do you look back at 2023? “The 2023 was a good year for me especially after the summer. I feel I improved on many levels and reached my highest world ranking yet. The highlight was of course the European Championships in Malmö.” In Malmö team Sweden reached the quarterfinals. What is the goal for 2024? “For 2024 the big goal is the Olympics. First to qualify and then have a good tournament. Other than that it’s the European Championships where we hope to make a great result in doubles.” What is your 2024 resolution? “I don’t really make New Year resolutions but I’m at a great place in my life so it would be to stay there ” said Linda BERGSTRÖM at the end.
Alexis LEBRUN: Aiming for Victory in the Top 16
Once again the best players from the Continent will gather at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux scheduled for Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st 2024. Making their debut at this tournament with a rich and long tradition (first played in 1971 in Zadar) we will witness the action of two of French sport’s finest brothers Félix and Alexis LEBRUN aged just 17 and 20 respectively. While the younger Félix leads the seedings Alexis is seeded at position no. 8 in Switzerland. From both being ranked over 750th in the world to start 2022 the French players made an incredible run reaching positions no. 8 and no. 23 respectively at the end of 2023. Both brothers were immersed in the sport from a very young age which is no surprise considering their table tennis relatives. Their father Stéphane was ranked as high as the French national number 7 while the boys’ uncle Christophe LEGOÛT represented France at three Olympic Games (1996 2000 2008). Currently Alexis is on duty in Doha where he plays the WTT Finals Doubles Event with his brother. Félix also plays in Singles. After Qatar they will fly back to Europe to be part of the prestigious 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux. “I am very happy to make my debut in the European Top 16. It will be a very intense tournament and I hope to play well and try to win ” said Alexis. The list of players is as impressive as ever. Besides the LEBRUN brothers in Montreux Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany his compatriot QIU Dang and Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC the reigning champion will play. Also Swede Anton KALLBERG Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS Swede Truls MOREGARD Liam PITCHFORD of England Danes Jonathan GROTH and Anders LIND Portugal’s Joao GERALDO Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR Ukraine’s Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO and the host nation representative Loic STOLL. Who do you find the most challenging to play against and who is currently in the best form? “I think all the players play very well. Players are very strong and in this tournament it’s all the best European players so it will be very interesting. I think Félix played at a very good level during the last tournament.” Have you looked up to any of them in your early days? “I watched a lot of videos of Simon GAUZY because he was the French number one but I also watched some videos of Dima when I was younger.” Alexis played at the mixed World Cup and finished in the 5th place before he moved to Doha for doubles finals and Star Contender. “I feel very good. I’m in good shape so I’m excited to play the tournament.” What goals do you have for the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux? “My goal in the Top 16 is to win.” What is your best moment in 2023? “Personally my highlight of the year is my victory against FAN Zhendong. It was the most memorable moment of my 2023 season.” Lastly could you share your goals for 2024? “For 2024 my goals are to take medals in big tournaments and of course the Olympic Games in Paris ” stated Alexis LEBRUN.
5 European Stars in WTT Finals Men Doha 2023
We are just a day away from the WTT Finals Men Doha 2023. Among the elite players vying for the coveted title five European stars prominently feature in this exciting lineup: Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and QIU Dang Frenchman Felix LEBRUN Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC and Swede Anton KALLBERG. Leading the Men’s Singles category is the World No.1 FAN Zhendong. Having clinched victory in the inaugural event back in 2021 FAN is determined to add another trophy to his collection. With an impressive record of three WTT Series titles including the recent Singapore Smash FAN enters the competition with confidence. In his opening match he faces Darko JORGIC the World No.14. Fan holds a commanding 2:0 head-to-head record against JORGIC setting the tone for what promises to be an electrifying start to the tournament. The top half of the draw hints at a potential semifinal showdown between FAN Zhendong and the legendary MA Long. Despite his illustrious career MA Long is still in pursuit of a WTT Men’s Singles title and Doha could be the stage where he breaks the spell. JANG Woojin stands as MA’s first challenge with the World No.3 maintaining a flawless record against him. However this encounter marks their first match in five years adding an element of unpredictability to this high-stakes match. The bottom half of the draw features defending champion WANG Chuqin who is set for a thrilling encounter with the 2023 breakout star Felix LEBRUN. Both players have achieved significant milestones in the 2023 season with WANG ascending to the World No.1 ranking for the first time and LEBRUN securing a spot in the Top 10. This matchup promises to be unmissable as the teenage sensation LEBRUN seeks to add a final chapter to his 2023 fairytale by challenging the defending champion.
Exciting Opportunity: National Coach Position at Table Tennis England
Table Tennis England is on the lookout for a National Coach to join their team and play a crucial role in shaping the future of table tennis in England. “The National Coach position is not just a job; it’s an opportunity to be a key player in supporting athletes on their journey to the podium at upcoming Olympic Games. If you have a vision to guide athletes to Olympic success this is the perfect role for you.” TTE are seeking an individual who passionately believes in ambitious goals embraces development programs and has the confidence to contribute as part of ‘the team behind the team.’ Being a National Coach demands dedication and new coach should be prepared for substantial domestic and international travel; commitment to working extended hours when required is crucial to meeting the demands of the position. Regular international travel is not just an expectation but a necessity to achieve the objectives outlined by the Head of Performance Development. Closing Date: 5 pm Friday 26 January 2024 Interviews: Expected to be held during the week commencing 29 January 2024. See the details here
