The quarterfinal opening leg of the TAMANNEFTEGAS Champions League Women commences tomorrow in France where TT Saint Quentinois awaits KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg. Polish club’s players looking forward their first clash in 2022. “Players are fit HAN Ying played some interesting matches in Japanese League at the end of the year. All others prepared as usual. First match in this year in Polish League we played with Viktoria PAVLOVICH only so there will be for others first official high-level confrontation in New Year ” stated Kinga STEFANSKA. KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg holds the leading position in the Polish national league and they are able to use wide roster. Last time they played against TT Saint Quentinois nine years ago and they won both legs in straight matches. Now their adversary is much stronger. Coach Zbigniew NĘCEK expects very tough battle. Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO proved many times that she is very dangerous against the players with the defensive style of play Polina MIKHAILOVA is able to beat anyone and Sarah DE NUTTE brought medal from World Championships. “St Quentinois is high class team that is why we would like to bring to Poland a good result. Both teams had chance to win ” said coach NECEK. Quarterfinal Opening leg Wednesday 12/01/2022 19.30 Saint Quentin: TT Saint Quentinois (FRA) – KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg (POL) Friday 14/01/2022 19.00 Lys Lez Lannoy: CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (FRA) – Metz TT (FRA) Sunday 16/01/2022 16.30 Linz: Linz AG Froschberg (AUT) – Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT (FRA) Tuesday 18/01/2022 18.00 Hodonin: SKST PLUS Hodonin (CZE) – TTC Berlin eastside (GER)
CP Lyssois Lille Métropole looking forward all-French clash in Champions League
In all-French quarterfinal of the TAMANNEFTEGAS Champions League Women in the opening leg CP Lyssois Lille Métropole will host Metz TT. Led by member of the Swedish Olympic team Linda BERGSTROM at the list of players are also Sibel ALTINKAYA Agnes LE LANNIC Andrea TODOROVIĆ Margo DEGRAEF and Katsiaryna SIVAKOVA. “We are all healthy and looking forward to the quarterfinal. Andrea TODOROVIC had an injury in the shoulder area before Christmas but she is back in practice “reported BERGSTROM. The schedule is very busy and it gives the opportunity to prepare well for the forthcoming duel in Champions Legue. “We will play two matches in the French league on 9th and 11th January before the start of the quarterfinal. I hope for a good performance in those matches so we come with solid confidence for the quarterfinal. We are at the moment on 7th position in the French Pro A League and we have been playing good so we are satisfied ” said BERGSTROM. Yesterday the team beat TT JOUÉ-LÈS-TOURS 3:1 so it is already a good sign. Last time they meet Matz the close encounter concluded in favor of adversaries. “We played against Metz in November and lost 2-3 so we are looking forward to a rematch. Metz has very strong players so our whole team has to play at a high level for us to have the chance to win. Whatever happens I think we are looking forward two entertaining matches ” concluded BERGSTROM. Quarterfinal Opening leg Wednesday 12/01/2022 19.30 Saint Quentin: TT Saint Quentinois (FRA) – KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg (POL) Friday 14/01/2022 19.00 Lys Lez Lannoy: CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (FRA) – Metz TT (FRA) Sunday 16/01/2022 16.30 Linz: Linz AG Froschberg (AUT) – Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT (FRA) Tuesday 18/01/2022 18.00 Hodonin: SKST PLUS Hodonin (CZE) – TTC Berlin eastside (GER)
Daniels KOGANS and Karina IVANAUSKAITĖ crowned Baltic Youth Top 10 Champions
The winner in the boys’ group was Latvian Daniels KOGANS the second place has won by Aleksandras CHMELEVSKIS and the third place took Lukas LAKETCENKO both from Lithuania. In the girls’ group the first place was won by Karina IVANAUSKAITĖ the second – by Vitalia REINOL from Estonia and the third place winner was Sabina MUSAJEVA from Latvia. The President of the Table Tennis Federation of Latvia and ETTU Vice president Ina JOZEPSONE and Secretary General of the Table Tennis Federation of Latvia Baiba BOGDANOVA congratulated winners and athletes with cups diplomas and medals. Baltic Youth TOP-10 participants from Estonia – Boys: Pert Marten LEHTLAAN Andrei MALTIZOV Märt KURVET. Girls: Vitalia REINOL Arina LITVINOVA Raili NURGA. Coaches: Vallot VAINULA Kristo KAUKULA and Liidia ANDREEVA. Lithuanians who participated in the Baltic Youth TOP-10 Championships: Aleksandras CHMELEVSKIS Lukas LAKETCENKO Šimonas LUKŠA. Girls: Karina IVANAUSKAITĖ Eivilė ABRAMAVIČIŪTĖ Simona RIMKEVIČIŪTĖ. Coaches: Viktor FRIZEL and Laima BUBNELYTĖ. Participants from Latvia – Boys: Daniels KOGANS Arturs SPALIS Deniss VASILJEVS Romāns STREĻČUKS. Girls: Sabina MUSAJEVA Aleksandra JERŠOVA Rēzija MEĻĶE Franciska LINIŅA. Coaches: Olga KARTUZOVA and Kirils JAHONTOVS. More information here. All results available here.
OVTCHAROV recovered and ready for the quarterfinal of the TTCL
Five times title winners in the European Champions Legue mighty club from Russia Fakel Gazprom Orenburg will travel to Portugal on their first encounter in top European club competition this year. The opening leg will be played in Lisbon against Sporting Clube de Portugal. For Marcos FREITAS it will bring slight advantage of playing in his country but more important is that Dimitrij OVTCHAROV is fully recovered and ready to join him. “We are looking forward to the knock out stage of the Champions League. All our players are healthy and in excellent physical shape. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV had a successful surgery in Munich. He practically did not stop training. He will already play in the TTCL opening leg in Lisbon ” TTC Fakel-Gazprom Vice-President and Head coach Victor ANDREEV shared good news with us. OVTCHAROV is already back in playing mode. “In the Russian Championship in Yekaterinburg Dimitrij played one match and won.” In Russia National league holds the top of the standings. “TTC Fakel-Gazprom is the leader in the Russian Championship after the first round of the competition. Our team won a convincing victory over the club UMMC with a score of 3:0. We are happy with this result.” Coach ANDREEV praised the adversaries but has no doubt who is the favorite. “Our club has played against Sporting Clube De Portugal several times. We met the Portuguese team in the semifinals of the Champions League in 2018. Our team beat Sporting 3:0. Vladimir SAMSONOV Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Jun MIZUTANI played then as part of our club. However we do not want to underestimate anyone. Sporting Clube De Portugal is a very good team. Our players are seriously preparing for the upcoming quarterfinal in Lisbon.” TTC Fakel-Gazprom Vice-President was confident that the club’s stars will proved their worth once again. “We believe in our victory. It is not a secret for anybody that three players from Fakel-Gazprom are among the ten best world players – Hugo CALDERANO LIN Yun Ju and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. We managed to create a great team. We are proud of our team! We wish everyone to be healthy and have a good start in the knock out stage!” Quarterfinal Opening leg Tuesday 11/01/2022 20.00 Hennebont: GV Hennebont TT (FRA) – FC Saarbrücken TT (GER) Wednesday 12/01/2022 17.00 Dzialdowo: K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (POL) – Borussia Düsseldorf (GER) Wednesday 12/01/2022 20.30 Lisbon: Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) – Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (RUS) Thursday 13/01/2022 19.00 Neu Ulm: TTC Neu-Ulm (GER) – TTSC UMMC (RUS)
Saarbrücken wins the LIEBHERR Cup final in Germany
1.FC Saarbrücken TT won the LIEBHERR Cup final for the second time in the club’s history. In the final of the Final Four tournament Patrick FRANZISKA and Co. prevailed 3-1 against Borussia Düsseldorf in the Ratiopharm arena Ulm / Neu-Ulm. It happened in the eve of the Champions League quarterfinals. On Tuesday 1. FC Saarbrücken TT travels to France to play opening leg of the TTCL against GV Hennebont TT. Patrick FRANZISKA scored point by point on Saturday evening and caused one cheer after the other for the 1. FC Saarbrücken TT delegation. Franziska’s team mates were torn from their seats again and again and at shortly after 8 p.m. they were finally able to celebrate at the FCS. With the 3-1 win against Borussia Düsseldorf Saarbrücken won the Liebherr Cup final in the ratiopharm arena Ulm / Neu-Ulm and won the German Table Tennis Cup for the second time in the club’s history since 2012. “Düsseldorf has been the dominant force for a year and a half ” said FRANZISKA after the big coup was achieved. “We are therefore very happy and very proud to have decided this final for ourselves and thus won the Cup.” Last season Saarbrücken was defeated twice in the Champions League and Liebherr TTBL finals in finals against Düsseldorf . In view of these defeats Saarbrücken coach Wang Zhi said: “We work hard every day now we have finally been rewarded with another title.” The key scene of the day had already occurred at noon in the semi-finals: Saarbrücken was behind 1:2 in matches against Post SV Mühlhausen Franziska was down 0:2 in games then in the decisive game he was 3:8 points in reverse against Daniel HABESOHN. “We were already on the bus with one and a half legs ” admitted Franziska afterwards. The German national player however took a bite turned the match against HABESOHN in the last second – and after his victory the FCS played with an almost irrepressible will. “That’s how it works sometimes in sport ” commented Franziska on the key scene of the day. Mühlhausen was finally swept away in doubles 3-0 and in the final not even Anton KÄLLBERG was too strong. First Darko JORGIC defeated the Düsseldorf leading player who had not yet lost a season game before the duel with FCS then also. The other point had meanwhile also gone to FRANZISKA’S account who defeated his brother-in-law Kristian KARLSSON 3-1. For Borussia which had to do without Timo BOLL due to an abdominal muscle injury Dang QIU made it third with his win against Tomas POLANSKY for a 2-1 draw. “The narrow win against Mühlhausen gave the entire team an extra boost ” explained Franziska. “Congratulations to Saarbrücken ” said Düsseldorf coach Danny HEISTER after the game. “I can’t blame my team: They fought and gave everything. But Saarbrücken was just that crucial bit stronger today. ”After the triple of cup victory championship and Champions League last season two trophies are still possible for Düsseldorf in the current season. At the table of the Bundesliga Borussia leads after the first half of the season without losing points in front of the FCS in the Champions League it is – like Saarbrücken and TTC Neu-Ulm – in the quarter-finals. In the semifinals Düsseldorf had beaten TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell 3-0 on Saturday before. KARLSSON initiated the success with the break against Ruwen FILUS then KÄLLBERG fought his way to a 3-2 win against fan BO Meng before QIU made it all clear with his smooth win against Quadri ARUNA. “All four teams played at an incredibly high level ” said QIU “our victory was by no means as clear as the result suggests.” Cup: “The first two games were extremely competitive and unfortunately didn’t go in our direction. Congratulations to Saarbrücken in the end you deserved to win. “ Final Borussia Düsseldorf – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 1:3 Anton Källberg – Darko Jorgic 2:3 (11:9 7:11 9:11 11:8 6:11) Kristian Karlsson – Patrick Franziska 1:3 (13:11 14:16 5:11 5:11) Dang Qiu – Tomas Polansky 3:0 (11:4 11:9 11:4) Anton Källberg – Patrick Franziska 1:3 (11:9 9:11 9:11 7:11) Semifinals Post SV Mühlhausen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 2:3 Daniel Habesohn – Darko Jorgic 1:3 (11:9 3:11 8:11 7:11) Ovidiu Ionescu – Patrick Franziska 3:2 (3:11 12:10 4:11 11:7 11:6) Irvin Bertrand – Tomas Polansky 3:1 (11:8 10:12 11:9 11:6) Daniel Habesohn – Patrick Franziska 2:3 (11:6 11:9 5:11 8:11 9:11) Irvin Bertrand/Ovidiu Ionescu – Darko Jorgic/Tomas Polansky 0:3 (11:13 7:11 7:11) TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – Borussia Düsseldorf 0:3 Ruwen Filus – Kristian Karlsson 1:3 (10:12 13:11 8:11 6:11) Fan Bo Meng – Anton Källberg 2:3 (8:11 11:8 11:9 8:11 8:11) Quadri Aruna – Dang Qiu 0:3 (9:11 2:11 10:12)
Stojanov: Novi Sad is capable to create the upset
Novi Sad from Serbia keeps lifting the bar higher and higher. They already made a big step forward by reaching the Champions Legue and now they are looking for new milestone. This is the second time that the club from Novi sad reaches the quarterfinal of the TAMANNEFTEGAS Europe Cup and the management and the girls does not hide the ambition to reach the semifinal stage. In the opening leg they will host Spanish Reus Ganxets MIRÓ. “We have never played against them but I am expecting very close duel. I do not think it will be easy for neither of us. Certainly we proved already that we are capable to create a big upsets. Since mid-December the players was free from competition but at that time they showed good level of play at the National Championships ” said Novi Sad coach Slobodan STOJANOV. Coach thinks that the break did not affect the level of shape of the players. “We had very strong trainings and I think the girls are in good shape. Most important is that everyone stays healthy with this escalation of Covid in recent days. “ Novi Sad is currently at the leading position in the National League with 11 wins out of 11 matches. Quarterfinals Wednesday 12/01/2022 17.30 Novi Sad: TTC Novi Sad (SRB) – Reus Ganxets MIRÓ (ESP) Friday 14/01/2022 15.00 Taganrog: “TMK-TAGMET” Taganrog (RUS) – ALCL TT Grand Quevilly (FRA) Friday 14/01/2022 20.00 Linares: Tecnigen Linares (ESP) – UCAM Cartagena T.M (ESP) Saturday 15/01/2022 18. 00 Budaörsi: SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club (HUN) – ASD Quattro Mori (ITA)
KATSMAN:”I do not expect anything I will just fight”
Germany’s TTC Neu-Ulm will host Russia’s TTSC UMMC in the opening leg of the European Champions League Men quarterfinal. Ulm is founded in 2019 but they already play very important role in Germany’s and European club scene. Club gathers experienced players such as Tiago APOLONIA but also the very best of young players such as Lev KATSMAN Vladimir SIDORENKO Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS and Kay STUMPER. All of them took few days off for the holidays. “After a short break we are back and we are getting ready for the second half of the season. At the moment we are preparing for the matches in order to be in best shape. Now we are at the position no. six in Bundesliga but in the last three matches we won twice. So in my opinion it is a good result which is upgradable ” said KATSMAN. The member of the Russia’s team who won the medal at the European Team Championships KATSMAN knows very well who will be on the other side of the net in the forthcoming quarters. “In the past when I was playing in the Russian League I also had matches against TTSC UMMC; as well as Vladimir SIDORENKO. But we have never met in Champions League. I hope we will have great support because it´s important for us.” Lev did not want to give any tip or to reveal his expectations. “Me as a player I don´t expect! I will fight and give everything. After the match we will see the results. I think our coach is expecting a big fight and a good result. For us it´s important to try the best and believe in good results.” Quarterfinal Opening leg Tuesday 11/01/2022 20.00 Hennebont: GV Hennebont TT (FRA) – FC Saarbrücken TT (GER) Wednesday 12/01/2022 17.00 Dzialdowo: K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (POL) – Borussia Düsseldorf (GER) Wednesday 12/01/2022 20.30 Lisbon: Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) – Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (RUS) Thursday 13/01/2022 19.00 Neu Ulm: TTC Neu-Ulm (GER) – TTSC UMMC (RUS)
LOIC: We want to reach the semis of the Champions League again
In French town Lys Lez Lannoy CP Lyssois Lille Métropole will host the opening leg of the quarterfinal at the TAMANNEFTEGAS Champions League Women. They will clash with another French representative Metz TT. Metz Coach Belguise LOIC has a very powerful team composed by internationals as Adina DIACONU WU Jiaduo Mariia TAILAKOVA Dina MESHREF Leonie HARTBRICH and French player Julia KOCH. “Everybody are well. After heavy calendar in December girls stopped for a few days for the Christmas holidays. They rest in order to be fit at the beginning of year ” reported Belguise LOIC. In French Pro A Metz is in the upper half of the standings. “After first part of the season we are in 3rd position in French League and matches in January will be important. We have to finish among top four clubs in order to qualify for the play off.” The club played against CP Lyssois Lille Métropole recently in the national championships. “We won very closed 3:2. Our clashes against Lyssois Lille metropole are always very close and they have big intensity.” What do you expect from the forthcoming clash? “We expect two big matches against strong team and we hope we will qualified for the second time in semifinal of Champions League ” said coach LOIC. Quarterfinal Opening leg Wednesday 12/01/2022 19.30 Saint Quentin: TT Saint Quentinois (FRA) – KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg (POL) Friday 14/01/2022 19.00 Lys Lez Lannoy: CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (FRA) – Metz TT (FRA) Sunday 16/01/2022 16.30 Linz: Linz AG Froschberg (AUT) – Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT (FRA) Tuesday 18/01/2022 18.00 Hodonin: SKST PLUS Hodonin (CZE) – TTC Berlin eastside (GER)
Champions from Borussia Düsseldorf travel to Poland for quarterfinal’s first leg
For the opening leg of the Champions League Men champions Borussia Düsseldorf will travel to Poland. They will meet K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo on Wedensday 12th January. After the holiday break the team is gathering together with the exception of Timo BOLL. BOLL was in quarantine during the holidays due the corona infections but he is recovering. „Timo is clear from Corona but he still has problems with abdominal muscles from the injury he got at the World Championships. So we have to see next days. All other players are healthy and in a good shape. After a short Christmas break after the last match was taking place on December 22nd Anton KALLBERG and Dang QIU started practicing at the end of December Kristian KARLSSON started this week. It´s a bit strange but the Cup final on Saturday will be a test and preparation for TTCLM matches. If we can win the first title this season on Saturday it will push the team additional for quarterfinals ” explained coach Danny HEISTER. Borussia Düsseldorf shows no mercy in the national Championships. “We are in the leading position in Bundesliga without any lost. By the way we won all matches this season not only in Bundesliga but also in Cup and TTCLM is something special. So yes I am very happy with my team!” The adversaries from K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo are well known to Germany’s club. “We played several times against Dzialdowo last time in TTCLM bubble in Düsseldorf 2020. We won so it was a good experience. But we know it will be a hard duel. Especially DYJAS and MOREGARD are excellent players whom we have to get under control. These matches are the ones everyone likes to have. You have to fight you have to play on best level you get emotional. And if you are successful you feel very very good. And it´s really bad if you lose.” Anton KÄLLBERG showed holiday spirit. „I wish everyone all the best for 2022. I am happy that we will continue the season within short time. We had a brilliant year with three titles and played very well as team. And it was a great year for me in person and I hope to play at this level in the upcoming weeks too. We all want to take the hurdle of quarterfinal and to stay on the way of defending the TTCLM title.” Quarterfinal Opening leg Tuesday 11/01/2022 20.00 Hennebont: GV Hennebont TT (FRA) – FC Saarbrücken TT (GER) Wednesday 12/01/2022 17.00 Dzialdowo: K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (POL) – Borussia Düsseldorf (GER) Wednesday 12/01/2022 20.30 Lisbon: Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) – Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (RUS) Thursday 13/01/2022 19.00 Neu Ulm: TTC Neu-Ulm (GER) – TTSC UMMC (RUS)
All-Austrian clash in Wiener Neustadt
Next Saturday SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt awaits the opening leg of the TAMANNEFTEGAS Europe Cup Men quarterfinal at home in Austria. They will host another club from Austria SPG FELBERMAYR Wels. There are not many secrets among the adversaries. “Against our opponent Wels we played two years ago in the ETTU Cup quarterfinal and we lost at home 3:1 and win outside 3:2. Last year we played in the Austrian League 3:3 and we become Austrian champions ” reminded Coach Martin DOPPLER. More recently SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt continued with the mixed results. “In running season we won the Austrian cup and we beat Wels 3:2 in the semifinal. The last game in the Austrian League against Wels we lost 4:2 but one of our players was ill.” Concerning presented facts Coach DOPPLER was reserved when he presented the odds. “The chances in the quarter finals against Wels are 50:50. We hope we will win and we are also convinced it’s possible.” Among listed players in Solex are Tomas KONECNY Frane KOJIC and Felix WETZEL. “The players are recently in the Austrian league on position 3 7 and 21 in the single ranking. The shape will go better but we had 20 games in 3 month and the break was really good for all of us. We are currently in the Austrian League on position no. three one point behind Wels which is the leader. It was not a perfect season but we have to be satisfied not with all results but that all players are healthy. Thursday 13/01/2022 19.00 Roskilde: Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 (DEN) – KS DARTOM BOGORIA Grodzisk Mazowiecki (POL) Friday 14/01/2022 18.00 Havličkuv Brod: HB Ostrov Havlíčkův Brod (CZE) – ASISA Borges Vall (ESP) Saturday 15/01/2022 16.00 Wiener Neustadt: SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt (AUT) – SPG FELBERMAYR Wels (AUT) Sunday 16/01/2022 18.00 Viale San Martino -Messina: Top Spin Messina Fontalba (ITA) – USD Apuania Carrara Tennistavolo (ITA)
