CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux (February 2nd to 3rd)
Last year Lionel WEBER faced Dimitrij OVTCHAROV runner-up and world no.1 in the first round of the Top 16 Montreux 2018. In the 2019 edition he wants to surprise and overcome the obstacle of the first round.
What are your goals for this year ?
“I still want to improve my international ranking in order to start the Olympic year with the best starting position. My other objective is also to reach the main draw of the World Cup and qualify for the European Championships with the Swiss team.”
What is your goal for the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux?
“Passing the first round would be a real consecration. Of course I will enter as an outsider but if there is a chance I want to take it ” said WEBER.
Who do you want to play against? What would be your dream without a dream and why?
“Preferably against Panagiotis GIONIS because I like to play against defenders and I’ve never played against such a good defender before. But this will probably not be possible because of the seedeings.”
What would you do if you won the Top 16?
“I don’t want to speculate on that I focus first on my first game.”
In your opinion how important is the Top 16 for table tennis in Switzerland?
“It is very important to have such event in Switzerland because it gives the opportunity to table tennis fans in our country to see live the best players in Europe playing. The atmosphere and organisation of the Top 16 has always been incredible as it was at the Swiss Open in Lausanne. Very few tournaments offer the same standard even in comparison with the European and World Championships ” added Lionel WEBER.
In men’s singles will play: Timo BOLL (Germany) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) Mattias FALCK (Sweden) Liam PITCHFORD (England) Vladimir SAMSONOV (Belarus) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) Simon GAUZY (France) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) Tiago APOLONIA (Portugal) KOU Lei (Ukraine) Ovidiu IONESCU (Romania) Panagiotis GIONIS (Greece) Lionel WEBER (Switzerland).
Women’s Event: Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) LI Jie (Netherlands) Petrissa SOLJA (Germany) Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) LI Qian (Poland) Georgina POTA (Hungary) Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia) NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) Natalia PARTYKA (Poland) Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic) Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) Rachel MORET (Switzerland).
Tickets are available here.
