Real Club Cajasur Priego TM took a decisive step towards the final of the ETTU Europe Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Lille Metropole TT in the opening leg of the semi-final.
Despite expectations of a close encounter, the Spanish side showed composure and experience from the outset. Hampus SODERLUND set the tone with a solid win over Romain BRARD, before Robert GARDOS, fully focused on European competition as highlighted ahead of the tie, delivered a convincing straight-games victory to extend the lead.
The third match proved to be the closest of the evening, with Tom CLOSSET pushing Carlos MACHADO to five games. However, the experienced Spanish player held his nerve in the decider to complete a clean sweep for the visitors.
“We had a great start with Hampus. He was leading 2-0 and 8-2 before losing that game, but he recovered well, and that was very important for us. We knew that Romain BRARD is very dangerous and capable of winning two points. After that, I was able to control my game and secure the win. Carlos had to finish it, and he played calmly with great experience. At 2-2, he also had a bit of luck on his side. Now we are one step closer to the final,” said Robert GARDOS.
MACHADO added: “We are very happy with the team’s performance today. At the same time, we need to stay grounded and quickly refocus on the second leg in Priego in a couple of days.”
With a 3-0 advantage secured away from home, Real Club Cajasur Priego TM now head back to Spain in a strong position, where they will look to confirm their place in the final in Sunday’s second leg.
Lille Metropole TT – Real Club Cajasur Priego TM 0-3
- Romain BRARD – Hampus SODERLUND 1-3 (2-11, 10-12, 11-9, 10-12)
- Fabio RAKOTOARIMANANA – Robert GARDOS 0-3 (6-11, 7-11, 10-12)
- Tom CLOSSET – Carlos MACHADO 2-3 (11-8, 5-11, 12-10, 10-12, 3-6)
