Romania secured a place on the podium at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals after defeating France 3-1 in the women’s quarterfinals on Friday evening in London. With the victory, Romania guaranteed at least a bronze medal and advanced to the semifinals, where they will face China for a place in the final. France made the stronger start as Yuan Jia NAN edged past Adina DIACONU in five games. Romania quickly responded through Bernadette SZOCS, who recovered after losing momentum in the fourth game to defeat Prithika PAVADE in the decider. Andreea DRAGOMAN then put Romania ahead with a confident 3-1 win over Charlotte LUTZ before SZOCS sealed the overall victory in the fourth match. The Romanian star came through another hard-fought battle against Yuan Jia NAN, winning the decisive fourth game in deuce to send Romania into the semifinals. “This medal means more to me than words can truly describe. Winning a medal at last year’s World Championships gave me valuable experience and helped me handle the pressure much better this time. Before today’s match, I already knew what it feels like to fight for a World Championship medal, and that experience allowed me to stay calm, focused and confident throughout the day,”said SZOCS reflecting of Busan’s defeat in quarters against Japan.” From the first point until the last, I just wanted to fight for every ball and give absolutely everything I had to help bring this medal home for Romania.” SZOCS continued: “What makes this achievement even more special is the incredible unity within our team. In the difficult moments we supported each other, stayed together and managed to complement one another perfectly. I am extremely proud of my teammates and our staff because together we achieved something truly historic.I also want to thank everyone who supported me during this journey. The encouragement and belief people showed in me really meant a lot.” France – Romania 1-3
In Memoriam: Norbert VAN DE WALLE
Belgian table tennis has lost one of its greatest names with the passing of Norbert VAN DE WALLE at the age of 85. A legendary defender and one of the most respected figures in Belgian table tennis history, VAN DE WALLE left a remarkable mark on the sport through a career that spanned decades. He won six Belgian national titles, claiming his first crown in 1964 and his last in 1972, while also representing Belgium an incredible 215 times in the national team colours. Widely regarded as the finest defensive player Belgium has ever produced, VAN DE WALLE was admired not only for his consistency and fighting spirit at the table, but also for his deep love of the sport that remained with him throughout his life. His table tennis journey began far from Belgium. After his parents moved to Chicago, he started his career in the United States and even represented the US junior national team before eventually returning to Belgium, where he would go on to become one of the country’s most iconic players. Even in recent years, VAN DE WALLE remained closely connected to the table tennis community. He was still present in March at the Belgian National Championships in Spa, once again showing his passion and dedication to the sport that shaped his life. The European table tennis family extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, former teammates and the Belgian table tennis community. His legacy will remain an important part of Belgian table tennis history forever.
Germany’s women secure World Championships medal after victory over Hong Kong
Germany’s women booked their place in the semifinals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals after overcoming Hong Kong 3-1 in a tense and emotional quarterfinal clash in London. Sabine WINTER, Ying HAN and Annett KAUFMANN secured Germany’s 57th medal in the history of the World Championships and guaranteed a place on the podium once again. The German team will now face either Japan or Ukraine in Saturday’s semifinal. Japan, seeded second in the tournament, handed Germany their only defeat during the group stage. Sabine WINTER played a decisive role in the victory by collecting two crucial points. She produced a remarkable comeback in the opening match against Doo Hoi Kem after trailing by two games and facing a difficult situation midway through the third game. WINTER gradually turned the momentum around with clever variation and strong forehand play before sealing the match in five games. Ying HAN then delivered one of the most dramatic encounters of the tournament against NG Wing Lam. The experienced defender survived a marathon battle filled with spectacular rallies and momentum swings. In the deciding game, HAN also showed great sportsmanship by correcting a point in favour of her adversary after the umpire missed an edge ball. Despite missing several match points herself, she eventually closed out the contest 15-13 to double Germany’s lead. “It was a crazy match. I kept believing in myself until the very last point,” said Ying HAN afterwards. Hong Kong responded through SU Tsz Tung, who defeated Annett KAUFMANN in four games to reduce the gap to 2-1. However, WINTER stepped up once more in the fourth match, producing a dominant straight-games win over Ng Wing Lam to secure Germany’s place in the semifinals. “It’s something huge to be in the semifinal,” said Sabine WINTER. “The score may say 3-1, but every match was extremely close. We fought for every single ball and stayed mentally strong in the key moments.” Germany – Hong Kong 3-1
