At the Slovak National Table Tennis Championships in Bratislava, Adam KLAJBER and Ema LABOŠOVÁ claimed the senior singles titles, highlighting a weekend of breakthrough performances and strong individual performances.
KLAJBER became Slovak men’s champion for the first time in his career after an impressive run. On his way to the title, he defeated Ivan KULICH (4-0), Jakub HOLUBČÍK (4-1) and Samuel ARPÁŠ (4-1), before overcoming defending champion and record 11-time winner Ľubomír PIŠTEJ (4-2). In the final, he produced a remarkable comeback from 1-3 to defeat Jakub ZELINKA (4-3).
“It’s a surprise for me, and at the same time I’m very happy that I managed to win. I consider it a very valuable triumph. Before the final, I saw the chances as equal. I expected that luck and better handling of crucial moments would decide. For me, this has been the most successful tournament on the domestic scene so far, and I hope there will be many more like this.”
In the women’s singles, LABOŠOVÁ returned to the top after missing last year’s championships due to injury, securing her third national title. Entering as the third seed, she defeated Monika URÍKOVÁ (4-0), Simona JASS (4-2) and Dominika WILTSCHKOVÁ in the semifinals (4-2), before beating top seed Tatiana KUKUĽKOVÁ (4-1) in the final. Notably, all three of her national titles have come against the same opponent in the final.
“Last year I missed the championships due to injury. I’m happy to be back and, in a way, to defend my title from the previous championships I played. I felt very good throughout the tournament. Táňa and I have known each other since childhood. Our matches are not only about the game, but also about the mental side. Over the past two days, it was very demanding for me, but I’m glad I managed it after previous problems and that I’m healthy again. I feel great.”
LABOŠOVÁ also added the women’s doubles title alongside Dominika WILTSCHKOVÁ, completing a highly successful return.
In the men’s doubles, the rising young duo Samuel ARPÁŠ and Mychailo LOVHA claimed the title, defeating the defending champions in the semifinals and the top-seeded pair Ľubomír PIŠTEJ / Jakub ZELINKA in the final, without dropping a set.
In the women’s doubles, LABOŠOVÁ and WILTSCHKOVÁ confirmed their status as the strongest pairing, overcoming the defending champions Tatiana KUKUĽKOVÁ and Nikoleta PUCHOVANOVÁ in straight games.
In mixed doubles, Ľubomír PIŠTEJ and Tatiana KUKUĽKOVÁ lived up to expectations, winning the title without losing a single set and securing their third joint national crown.
The championships also included U21 events, where Mychailo LOVHA and Dominika WILTSCHKOVÁ claimed the titles.
Slovakia
Men’s Singles
- Champion: Adam KLAJBER
- Runner-up: Jakub ZELINKA
- 3rd Place: Ľubomír PIŠTEJ
- 3rd Place: Samuel ARPÁŠ
Women’s Singles
- Champion: Ema LABOŠOVÁ
- Runner-up: Tatiana KUKUĽKOVÁ
- 3rd Place: Dominika WILTSCHKOVÁ
- 3rd Place: Natália GRIGELOVÁ
Men’s Doubles
- Champions: Samuel ARPÁŠ / Mychailo LOVHA
- Runners-up: Ľubomír PIŠTEJ / Jakub ZELINKA
- 3rd Place: Adam KLAJBER / Róbert REZETKA
- 3rd Place: Damián FLÓRO / Jakub GOLDÍR
Women’s Doubles
- Champions: Ema LABOŠOVÁ / Dominika WILTSCHKOVÁ
- Runners-up: Tatiana KUKUĽKOVÁ / Nikoleta PUCHOVANOVÁ
- 3rd Place: Nina DAROVCOVÁ / M. MAROUSKOVÁ
- 3rd Place: S. ĎURIŠOVÁ / V. VANIŠOVÁ
Mixed Doubles
- Champions: Ľubomír PIŠTEJ / Tatiana KUKUĽKOVÁ
- Runners-up: Jakub GOLDÍR / Dominika WILTSCHKOVÁ
- 3rd Place: Samuel PALUŠEK / E. ČINČUROVÁ
- 3rd Place: M. GUMÁŇ / Nikoleta PUCHOVANOVÁ
