In tomorrow’s semi final of the Mixed Doubles event at the European Championships in Munich Robert GARDOS and Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria will meet Ovidiu IONESCU and Bernadette SZOCS of Romania whilst in other semi final Emmanuel LEBESSON and YUAN Jianan of France will play against Lubomir PISTEJ and Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia In the quarterfinal Robert GARDOS and Sofia POLCANOVA overcame Simon GAUZY and Prithika PAVADE of France 3:1 to be the first doubles to win the medal in Munich. Sofia POLCANOVA:”We prepared well for this tournament and we practiced a lot. I got some very good advices from ‘Robbie’ and I did mostly everything the way he told me to play. In the end I am happy that I could put very good balls on the table and that I also played my level.” On eliminating defending champions Dang QIU and Nina MITTELHAM as well as last year’s European championship bronze medallists Simon GAUZY and Prithika PAVADE on their way to the semifinals: “With this draw this victory is even sweeter. This draw was not easy. We beat the ex European champions and now these who were bronze medallists last year so we played really good today.” Robert Gardos: “It has been a very long day for an old man. It was even longer than for the young girl. But we are very happy. We knew this day would be very hard and we would have to fight. We have prepared I think we practiced quite good all these months and we are lucky that this day was for us.” On playing with Polcanova: “This is our first big tournament. We have just played two pro tours – these WTT tournaments – so we didn’t know which level we are at. For us it means quite a lot in such a big tournament with such a difficult draw to be in the semifinal. We will se how long we can go but if not we are happy about the bronze.” Ovidiu IONESCU and Bernadette SZOCS prevailed against young pairings from Poland Samuel KULCZYCKI and Katarzyna WEGRZYN 3:1. “Quarterfinals are always tough but we are very happy to reach another medal. The last two editions of the European championships were not as good as we hoped. We wanted very much to be in the semifinals and to fight for the gold medal so we are very happy ” said IONESCU. I both occasions their progress were halted by the German players who later become champions. “I know that we are capable of winning the gold medal and to fight for the podium. It was painful but we learn from these defeats and we are here in the semifinals.” On their preparations for the mixed doubles tournament IONESCU stated: “Mixed doubles is an Olympic event so we take it very seriously. Every time we have training camps we practise a lot together and try to work on our weak points and study a lot with our coaches. We invest a lot of time in mixed doubles. I think it’s one of the ways to get a medal the easiest but there are 16 couples in the Olympics. We have to try because Bernadette Szocs is one of the best in Europe and I am very glad that she’s my mixed partner. The coming gold is an Olympic medal so we will give everything for this.” Emmanuel LEBESSON and YUAN Jianan justified their rankings by beating Nándor ECSEKI Dóra MADARÁSZ of Hungary. “We knew from the beginning that it would be a really tough match against this Hungarian pair because these are two really good doubles players. We played against them one time in Tunisia one year ago and it was also a really close game. We won 3-1 but it was really close and it was about the same match today.We played really good doubles and had several tests today against this pair. They played really good today and we must play our best level to catch this game ” said LEBESSON. Lubomir PISTEJ and Barbora BALAZOVA prevailed against Álvaro ROBLES and María XIAO of Spain. Title holders in Mixed Doubles Event Dang QIU and Nina MITTELHAM were halted in the Round of 16 after superb performance of Robert GARDOS and Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria. Previously German pairings broke the ice in Munich by beating Truls MOREGARDH and Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden. “The first match at every tournament is very difficult. Especially if you play against Truls MOREGARDH both of them are playing really well very dangerous. We don’t need to say a lot about Truls everyone knows who he is. So it was very tough for us to get a good rhythm in the start so we are very happy that we managed to win ” said QIU. Nina added: “Last time at the 2020 European Championships I think in the second round we were down 0-2 and came back and we won so maybe it is a sign that the first match wasn’t the easiest one and it only can get better.” LEBESSON and YUAN Jianan beat Konstantinos KONSTANTINOPOULOS and Elisavet TERPOU of Greece in the Round of 32 before they halted the progress of Daniel HABESOH of Austria and Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania. In the Round of 16 Last year’s runner’s up Lubomir PISTEJ and Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia prevailed against Germany’s Benedikt DUDA and Sabine WINTER. Simon GAUZY and Prithika PAVADE reached the quarterfinal without losing the game. In the opening match of the day they overcame Filip ZELJKO and Matea JEGER of Croatia and in Round of 16 French pairings prevailed against WANG Yang and Tatiana KUKULKOVA of Slovakia. “We won three opening game against Slovaks 11:1 so we took the control over the match in very early stage. We kept the pressure on ” said GAUZY.

The start of the Women’s Singles Event brought few upsets and Marketa SEVCIKOVA of Czech Republic was in charge for the one of them in the early afternoon program in Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle. Marketa beat Serbia’s Sabina SURJAN in four games in the opening round of the Group Stage. “It was very tense duel from the first game because we were testing each other to see who could do what. Although I played with her sometime in the juniors six years ago that doesn’t count at all. I was a little unsure when she leveled at 1:1 but I still stuck to the set tactics. In the first two games I learned what applies to her where I should place the balls and then it was good. I have taken the first step towards wining my group but I have no idea how the Italian plays in defense so nothing is certain yet. I will fight and I believe that I will play the main competition ” said SEVCIKOVA. The big upset was created by Rebekka CARLSEN of Norway. In four games she overcame Ema LOBOSOVA of Slovakia the top seed in Group 15. In top 8 Groups only one two leaders stumbled. Beside SURJAN in Group 6 Nicole ARLIA of Italy suffered by the hands of Charlotte BARDSLEY of England after full distance duel. Amelia SOLJA of Austria Rachel MORET of Switzerland Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania Annett KAUFMANN of Germany Leone HARTBRICH of Hungary and Mateja JEGER of Croatia successfully concluded their opening round encounters. In Men’s Singles all the favorites concluded the opening round with success. In the Group 1 Tomas POLANSKY of Czech Republic beat Barish MOULLET of Switzerland in straight games. Belgium’s Martin ALLEGRO and Cedric NUYTINICK both recorded straight games victories in their respective Groups. Tom JARVIS of England beat Andrei PUTUNTICA of Moldova but he was forced to go full distance. Rares SIPOS of Romania was also under pressure against Greek Georgios STAMATOUROS. Same scenario was seen in the match between Ievgen PRYSCHEPA of Ukraine and Giorgos KONSTANTINOPOULOS where Ievgen was streched to full five games. Eduard IONESCU of Romania three weeks ago won the title at the 2022 Dunav Osiguranje European Youth Championships in Belgrade. Only 17-years old showed confinence by beating Mattias MONGIUSTI of San Marino in the opening round. “I’m confident but last month it was juniors now they are seniors so it’s a whole new level. It’s a lot harder but I will try to do my best and hopefully get a medal here also.” On the difference playing against senior player: “They are bigger. They have a lot more experience than me. At the key points – 9-9 10-10 – it is harder for me to deal with the situation but I am trying my best. Experienced player are calmer than me. Sometimes I get angry. I try to not let people see this but in my head I am very angry.” On the advantage of coming in as a young talent: “I am not under pressure here I don’t have pressure when I play because they are bigger. I have a lot of more years to play here so they have more pressure than me. I’m just trying to play my best and feel good.” On winning his first match 3-1: “It was kind of hard because it was the first game of the tournament. I have to get used to the hall first. Then hopefully it will get better day by day.”

Truls MÖREGÅRDH and Linda BERGSTRÖM of Sweden successfully commenced their journey in Munich at the Mixed Doubles Event at the European Championships. In the Preliminary Round of 32 they overcame Toomas LIBENE and Airi AVAMERI of Estonia after full five games. On whether it is helpful to have got a preliminary round match having only played one tournament with Bergstrom before one year ago Truls said: “Of course. It’s tough when you haven’t played that much together so then it’s pretty nice to get to play a preliminary round match. That’s good for us to get to play a little feel the hall and the ball and all of that before playing the seeded pairs tomorrow. That’s always special. If we improve a couple of notches which I’m sure we will then we’ll be dangerous.” On starting his European Championships Munich 2022 in a dramatic fashion winning 3-2: “You get a bit of pulse to it that’s always nice. Estonians put pressure on us throughout the whole game and stuck to their tactics. They did it when it was 9-6 in those sets too and then it’s tough. You need to always play well. As soon as we lower our level a bit they’re going to take that chance which they did.” Asked what it would have been like to lose Truls said: “Then I’ve got no idea of what we would have done in the four coming days. I would’ve had to stroll around and have a look at the Olympic Park or something. It would have been sad. So it is really nice to come away with a win here.” Whilst favorites from Sweden justified their rankings it was bitter story for the player with most of the medals in Mixed Doubles at the europeans in the 21st century – Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC who paired up with Sabina SURJAN this time. They lost to Carlos CABALLERO and Sofia ZHANG after another full distance match. Among the winners are Benedikt DUDA and Sabine WINTER of Germany Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN and Romania’s Elizabeta SAMARA as well as Finland’s – Netherland’s combination of Benedek OLÁH and Britt EERLAND. “It’s a really nice feeling to play in front of the home crowd. I think the atmosphere will get even better because so far we’re in the qualification and I think the further the tournament goes more people will come and cheer for Germany and I’m really looking forward to that “said Sabine WINTER.”I’ve been looking forward to this competition a lot. You do not always play in front of a home crowd and you also don’t have a multi-sport event very often. I even come from 30 kilometers from Munich so it is like my home. It is nice for me that I can play such a big tournament in Munich.” On her ambitions at the European Championships Munich 2022: “I saw the medals here are very nice and I want to go home with one of them.” DUDA also underlined how good is to win in front of home crowd: “It is always special to play the European championships. It doesn’t matter where it is. But if you play for Germany in Germany it is very special. The whole arena is for you. They’re cheering for you and pushing you to your limits and I think it is a good advantage for us for the next round.” On losing one game to Italy’s Jordy PICCOLIN and Debora VIVARELLI winning the match 3-1: “In the second (game) we were doing just a few too many serve receive mistakes too easy mistakes on the first two balls. But in the end we were very clear and didn’t make too many mistakes. We also played some good rallies and at the end it (their play) worked.”  

After the preliminary round of the matches in Doubles Event the European Championships in Munich is officially open this afternoon. ETTU Acting President Pedro MOURA accompanied with ETTU Deputy Acting Deputy President Heike AHLERT gave speech at the opening and wished all the players good luck and to fulfilled their dreams and targets. “This is very special moment. For the first time table tennis is the part of this big organisation. We are proud to be here in the city and the venue full of history; in the country full of table tennis history. LOC put a great effort and the result is the venue and event prepared at the highest standards ” stated Acting President MOURA in his opening speech. In next nine days we are going to see top European players fighting for the medals and the good matches are guaranteed. “From the players’ and coaches’ faces I could see the LOC did a great job to give them perfect conditions now I wish they fulfil their dreams and targets ” stated Acting President MOURA.  

The Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle will be the home for the Continental elite in next 10 days during the European Championships Munich 2022. In five medal events 39 nations with 225 players will fight for the honors. The reigning champion in men’s Singles Event Timo BOLL of Germany is on duty after the suspense that lasted until the last minute. His recovery from the rib injury ended well and Timo is ready to defend his title. Timo BOLL has won a total of 28 medals in singles doubles and with the team including 20 times gold. In singles alone he has been at the top of the podium eight times so far. However nor Timo nor last time’s vice champion Dimitrij OVTCHAROV are on the top of the seedings -Dima is no. three seed whilst Timo is no. 5. Topping the list is young Swede Truls MOREGARDH silver medalists from the World Championships in Huston. No. two seed is Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC. Last Championships’ Women’s Singles gold medalists Petrissa SOLJA of Germany will not be able to play in front of her home crowd but runner up from Warsaw her teammate SHAN Xiaona is ready for the challenge. No. one seed is another player who can bring joy to hart of host nation supporters – HAN Ying. Germany’s pairings SOLJA and SHAN won the title last year and Nina MITTELHAM and Sabine WINTER played in the final. This year top seeds are NI Xia Lian and Sarah DE NUTTE bronze medalists from Huston followed by Nina and Sabine. In Men’s Doubles at the top of the seedings are World Champions Mattias FALCK and Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden followed by Germany’s representatives QIU Dang and Benedict DUDA. Today at the opening day we will watch the preliminary matches in Doubles and Mixed Doubles events. Group Stages in Singles starts tomorrow. European Table Tennis Championships is the part of the multi-sport event that gathered nine existing European Championships of the continent’s leading sports. At the inaugural European Championships in Berlin and Glasgow in 2018 table tennis was not present.

The draw for the top seeded players for all five Events at the European Championships was held today in Munich.

Sweden has the top seeded player Truls MOREGARDH in the Men’s Singles but still remains the top power with the four players in top 10 at the forthcoming European Championships in Munich. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV QIU Dang Timo BOLL and Patrick FRANZISKA are seeded at the positions three four five and six at the list. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV Olympic bronze medalists and currently number 9 in the World is runner up from last year. In Warsaw he lost to Timo BOLL in the final. OVTCHAROV returned to the playing circuit in mid – June in Lima after the ankle injury. “After the tournament in Peru where I was second unfortunately an infection threw me off track again. The effects kept me a little off tracks during the tournaments in Budapest in July. But I have been back in rhythm since two weeks and feel very strong again in training. But that does not mean anything for the competition because in a short time you cannot completely compensate for such a long break. However I am going to the European Championships with self-confidence. My performance in Munich will also depend on my shape on the day. I am sure that the longer I stay in the tournament the more dangerous I will be for my adversaries.” Patrick FRANZISKA World number 11 and semi-finalist at the WTT Champions in Budapest is coming to Munich after his victory over Olympic champion MA Long among others. “Of course that was a nice feeling. The victory over MA Long showed me once again that on a good day I can win against anyone in the World. So the self-confidence is there before Munich there is no lack of it. This is the result of many months of intensive training where I worked very very hard on important details. Knowing now that I could successfully implement what I trained gives me even more self-confidence.” Timo BOLL and Patrick who would also have had to compete in the qualification had to withdraw their entries on Thursday at short notice. “The birth of Patrick and his wife Frida’s first child is due very soon. Unfortunately we can’t say exactly when. It will now unfortunately be too tight to be able to compete reliably in the double qualification on Saturday. Therefore the two of them together with the coaches’ team have decided with a heavy heart to withdraw from the doubles ” said DTTB spokesperson Simone HINZ. QIU Dang World number 13 is German champion and winner of the Lima Contender. He is reigning champion in mixed doubles with Nina MITTELHAM . ” As last year’s winner it is of course our goal to win the title again. But it will not be easy because there are some very strong mixed combinations in Europe. In the doubles I am one of the favorites together with Bene. I hope that we can win one or the other match and maybe be on top in the end.” It will be his European Championship debut in the singles competition in front of home fans: “In the singles I will try stay focused from round to round. It is always something very important to be able to compete in a European Championship. The motivation is always very high no matter if it is abroad or in Germany. But of course it is even nicer that the individual European Championships is taking place in Munich. For me as a native of Nürtingen it’s practically right on my doorstep.” Timo BOLL reigning champion record European champion and No. 14 in the World suffered from the rib fructure but he stood the latest tests. “Munich will certainly be one of the last international appearances in front of my home fans in my career.” What is meant by “international appearances” are the home European Championship and home World Cup which rarely take place in Germany. The last World Cup in Germany was held in Düsseldorf in 2017 the last European Championship in Stuttgart in 2009. Benedikt DUDA was the German champion in 2021. “Munich as a multi-sport European Championship is of course a great top event and a highlight for spectators and media. But as an athlete I am going to ignore the overall event for the time being and focus entirely on table tennis. My main goal is simply to play a good European Championship. That’s what I was nominated for and that’s why I’m going to Munich. In doubles I am one of the top favorites with Dang. We hope that we have learned from our experiences at the last European Championships and at the World Championships and that we will win a medal this time. In the Mixed alongside Sabine WINTER with whom I haven’t played a tournament for a long time a lot will depend on the form of the day. I’m going into the singles with confidence and know that I can beat anyone on a good day.” Jörg ROSSKOPF men’s national coach talked on his expectations: “Many players are dangerous. But we have chances in all competitions and I am very confident that we will win these medals in all competitions at the European Championships. Timo is a little bit injured but all the others are in a good shape. Until the European Championships we hope that the good shape will turn into top shape. Our boys are in a good mood and go to Munich with a lot of self-confidence. In any case we are in a good position in all three competitions.” He gave the comment on the special nature of a home European Championship: “At a home European Championship you always want to perform particularly well. You can see that in the players’ faces they are even more focused than usual in training. However we won’t notice so much of the multi-sport European Championships because we are not accommodated together with all sports like at the Olympics. But such events are the right way to get the sports more

The draw for the Group and Preliminary stage of all five events at the European Championships in Munich was held today in Hotel Leonardo. Tomorrow day before the start of the competition in table tennis in Rudi Sedlmayer Halle in Munich we will have a draw for the seeded players. The draw will be held in Hotel Leonardo once again.

Men’s national coach Jörg ROSSKOPF has given the all clear for Timo BOLL’S start at the European Championships in Munich after the final training. The reigning champion will be on duty after he passed the latest test. “The stress tests of the past few days in Höchst went well. The European Championships can start for Timo ” said ROSSKOPF after the morning training at the home of the record European champion for whom it would be the 18th participation in the continental title fights since his debut in 1998 in Eindhoven. At the most important European tournament which is being held in Munich this year as part of a multi-European Championship together with eight other sports Timo BOLL has won a total of 28 medals in singles doubles and with the team including 20 times gold. In singles alone Borussia Düsseldorf’s number one has been at the top of the podium eight times so far.