Diogo CARVALHO (Sporting CP) and Inês MATOS (Boa Hora FC) are the crowned champions of the Portugal’s National Championships held this weekend in the Municipal Pavilion of Vila Nova de Gaia. Diogo won the fifth trophy by beating Gonçalo GOMES (CD 1.º Maio) in the final national vice-champion for the second consecutive year. Inês MATOS just 17 years old became national champion for the first time beating Patrícia SANTOS from Sporting also 17 in the final. Last year Inês MATOS finished in 2nd. Men’s Singles 1st Diogo CARVALHO (Sporting CP) 2nd Gonçalo GOMES (CD 1st May) 3rd José MAGALHÃES (GDCS Juncal) / Marco RODRIGUES (CD 1st May) Women’s Singles 1st Inês MATOS (Boa Hora FC) 2nd Patrícia SANTOS (Sporting CP) 3rd Matilde PINTO (CTM Mirandela) / Olga CHRAMKO (ADC Ponta Pargo) Women’s Doubles 1st Inês MATOS (Boa Hora FC) / Patrícia SANTOS (Sporting CP) 2nd Olga CHRAMKO (ADC Ponta Pargo) / Mariana GONÇALVES (CS Marítimo) 3rd Rita FINS / Matilde PINTO (CTM Mirandela) Sara NUNES (CTM Ponta Sol) / Catarina FERREIRA (ADC Ponta Pargo) Men’s Doubles 1st Jaime BESSA (CTM Lagos) / José MAGALHÃES (GDCS Juncal) 2nd Marco RODRIGUES / Gonçalo GOMES (CD 1.º Maio) 3rd Bode ABIODUN / Tiago ABIODUN (Sporting CP) Alexandre QUEIROZ / Pedro OLHERO (CCR Arrabães) Mixed Doubles 1st Bode ABIODUN / Patrícia SANTOS (Sporting CP) 2nd Rafael KONG / Matilde PINTO (CTM Mirandela) 3rd Jaime BESSA (CTM Lagos) / Raquel MARTINS (U Sebastianense FC) Gonçalo GOMES (CD 1.º Maio) / Inês MATOS (Boa Hora FC)

In Scotland Gavin RUMGAY and Faye LEGGETT won their respective titles in Men’s and Women’s Singles Events at the National Championships. It is title number 16 for RUMGAY who faced Colin DALGLEISH in the final for the 4th year in a row.   Men’s Singles Winner Gavin Rumgay       Runner Up Colin Dalgleish       Semi Finalist Martin Johnson       Semi Finalist Calum Morrison               Ladies Singles Winner Faye Leggett       Runner Up Lucy Elliott       Semi Finalist Lara Stirling       Semi Finalist Rebecca Plaistow               Men’s Doubles Winners Chris Main & Sean Doherty       Runners Up Colin Dalgleish & Calum Morrison               Ladies Doubles Winners Rebecca Plaistow & Lucy Elliott       Runners Up Faye Leggett & Alisa Khalid               Mixed Doubles Winners Colin Dalgleish & Rebecca Plaistow       Runners Up Yaser Razouk & Lucy Elliott               Junior Boys Winner Martin Johnson       Runner Up Charlie Morton               Junior Girls Winner Faye Leggett       Runner Up Holly McNamara               Cadet Boys Winner Joe Mulhern       Runner Up Ben Hart               Cadet Girls Winner Megan Mulhern       Runner Up Maja Wojcicka               Minor Boys Winner Joe Mulhern       Runner Up Jakub Krzyzostaniak               Minor Girls Winner Maja Wojcicka       Runner Up Kiishi Adekola               Junior Boys Doubles Winners Martin Johnson & Jamie Johnson       Runners Up Borui Chen & Charlie McGowan               Junior Girls Doubles Winners Faye Leggett & Shannon Brown       Runners Up Holly McNamara & Jessica Hogg      

In Bratislava at the Slovakia’s National Championships Alexander VALUCH and Tatiana KUKULKOVA clinched the titles in their respective Men’s and Women’s Singles Events. Alexander VALUCH overcame Peter SEREDA in the final 4:2 (9:11 11:7 12:14 11:7 12:10 11:9). Previously VALUCH succeeded against Filip DELINCAK 4:1 and SEREDA overcame Andriy SITAK in straight games. Tatiana KUKULKOVA prevailed in the final match against Eva JURKOVA 4:1 (11:9 11:7 4:11 11:4 11:5). In the penultimate stage KUKULKOVA beat Ema LABOSOVA 4:0 and JURKOVA halted the progress of Simona HORVATHOVA in six games. Jakub and Matus ZELINKA clinched gold in Men’s Doubles. They overcame Ingemar PETER and Jakub TAKAC in the final 3:0 (11:5 11:7 13:11). Monika MAROUSKOVÁ and Monika URÍKOVÁ overcame Eva JURKOVA and Dasa SINKAROVA 3:2 (11:5 11:8 6:11 7:11 11:7). In the Mixed Doubles Event Adam BRAT and Nikoleta PUCHOVANOVA overcame Jakub ZELINKA and Eva JURKOVA to clinch the title 3:2 (10:12 11:9 11:13 11:6 11:1). Adam KLAJBER won the Under 21 Men’s Event whilst Ema LOBOSOVA secured the title in Women’s Under 21.

The Team’s Events European champion from 1976 in Prague and World Vice-Champion in Calcutta in 1975 Serbia’s Milivoj KARAKASEVIC passed away on March 26th at age of 74 after a short illness. KARAKASEVIC started to play table tennis rather late when he was 14 but very quickly at age of 17 managed to become the soul of the one of the best teams in World at that time. In Yugoslavia with SURBEK and STIPANCIC he won eight medals seven in teams and one in doubles at the biggest events. The whole life was some sort of competition for him and he never performed beyond his maximum. That is what he also taught his son Aleksandar. He told him that each point has to be earned by himself without help. Once Milivoj beat Aleksandar 21:0 when youngster was in mini cadets category to prove his point. After success as a player KARAKASEVIC has stayed dedicated to table tennis and as a national coach lead his team to seven medal rostrums at biggest Championships. After the news former national coach of Yugoslavia’s team Dusan OSMANAGIC bursted into the tears. “Neither before nor after I saw anyone who was even near to KARAKASEVIC when we speaks about his dedication. In the arena he was able to spent all his life energy. It happened that he succeeded against the better player than himself and then fainted away from exhaustion. He was able to do for the team unthinkable and he is one of the rare players who never was able to disappoint ” said OSMANAGIC.

At its last meeting the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Table Tennis Federation proceeded to its reorganization. It was a move planned in application of law no. 4908 and the recent amendment of an article that “the representatives of the athletes and the coaches are not allowed to occupy the position of vice-president secretary or treasurer in the board. of the sports federation “. So a new general secretary of the Board Ioannis Kordoutis was voted while Panagiotis Gionis who had taken over the position 3.5 months ago now continues only as a representative of the athletes as he had started his presence in the administration after last year’s elections. “It is a great honor and responsibility to take on a managerial position following my many years of service to the sport. My message is that we should all work together with cooperation and motivation for work in order to achieve better results for the sport ” underlined Ioannis Kordoutis former leader of the men’s national team champion of Greece in all events and current coach who until recently was a member of the administration of the Federation. It should be noted that on Saturday March 26 the administration of Kostas Papageorgiou also for many years an international athlete completed one year at the helm of HTTF.    

For the first time in history Czech National Championships will take place in Kutná Hora. In a town of 20 thousand inhabitants eastwards of Prague. And the championships will not include the U21 category for the first time. Nevertheless there are many things for fans to look forward to. Apart from two exceptions all the elite players from the Czech Republic are in for the title fight. The exceptions are a dominant number one among women Hana MATELOVÁ and Lubomír JANČAŘÍK in men’s tournament. Both of them will compete in Qatar at the WTT Star Contender Doha. The starting line-up for the men’s singles is packed with quality. You won’t miss the defending champion Jiří VRÁBLÍK the best Czech player in the international rankings Pavel ŠIRUČEK or David REITŠPIES who is tearing up this season’s top division. When talking about the favourites Tomáš TREGLER 2020 champion Tomáš POLANSKÝ and surprising finalist of last season’s edition Šimon BĚLÍK also deserve mention. Women’s singles expect an open fight with Hana MATELOVÁ leaving the throne for somebody else. Will it be last year’s finalist Kateřina TOMANOVSKÁ? Or her national teammate Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ consistent Tamara TOMANOVÁ defensively-minded Markéta ŠEVČÍKOVÁ or any of the promising juniors? Answers to all these questions will uncover on Sunday 27th of March. The tournament starts traditionally on Friday with qualifications for the major singles tournaments and first rounds of doubles. The final singles tournaments unfold a day later with the men’s women’s and mixed doubles already finishing. Last year’s titles belong to Men’s singles: Jiří VRÁBLÍK (SF SKK El Niňo Praha) Women’s singles: Hana MATELOVÁ (ASRTT Etival) Men’s doubles: Michal OBEŠLO Radek SKÁLA (HB Ostrov H. Brod) Women’s doubles : Markéta ŠEVČÍKOVÁ (SKST Hodonín) Tamara TOMANOVÁ (TJ Ostrava KST) Mixed doubles: Petr DAVID Kristýna ŠTEFCOVÁ (SKST Havířov).

Latvian National Championships 2022 will take place on March 26-27 2022 in the Salaspils Sports Hall 1 Smilšu street. Start of the Final tournament is on March 26 at 12:00 and on March 27 is at 11:00. The main favorite for Men’s Singles this year could be Arturs REINHOLDS who missed the previous championship as well as Olegs KARTUZOVS. The most titled Latvian Table tennis player Sandijs VASILJEVS is on the run too and the runner up of the previous championships Aleksandrs MASKALONOKS who will definitely want to prove that it was not an accident. The list goes on with the new progressive player Daniels KOGANS who last year missed a little to get to the Men’s Singles final. Baiba BOGDANOVA the winner of the singles championship last year will definitely be the main favorite for this year Women’s Singles Event as well as the young talented player Sabina MUSAJEVA who already has once won champion’s title and certainly want to repeat it. Last year Sandijs VASILJEVS clinched gold in Men’s Singles at the Latvian National Championships 2021 and Baiba BOGDANOVA is the crowned champion in Women’s Singles Event.  

Roman KLECKER of Czech Republic has become the first Gold Badge (GB) umpire worldwide. The GB Umpire was created to identify highly qualified International Umpires who have been Blue Badge umpires for at least 2 years performing on the highest level and being assessed during all these events. Roman KLECKER is not only performing excellent in the venue but he is also supporting people who are suffering. During these days he is coordinating the support of Ukraine refugees at the Slovak-Ukraine border.  

There will be a new men’s singles champion – or perhaps a golden old one – at the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships in England this weekend. Liam PITCHFORD is missing the event to compete at the WTT Star Contender in Doha and Paul DRINKHALL has withdrawn with an ankle injury. It means Sam WALKER is the top seed and he will be aiming to win the title for the first time. He lost in the final in 2016 and 2017 to DRINKHALL and in 2018 to Pitchford. The only other player in the competition who has won the title before is Andrew BAGGALEY who last won it in 2010. England players Tom JARVIS and David MCBEATH will also be aiming to win but WALKER is determined to come out on top. WALKER said: “I don’t want to make four finals and get four second places – I want to make sure I win it this time and it is a big driving force for me. I very much believe I’m going to be the best player at the tournament and I have to show that now.” The women’s singles will likely see defending champion Tin-Tin HO battle with 2019 champion Maria TSAPTSINOS for the title but England players Denise PAYET Emily BOLTON and Charlotte BARDSLEY can also compete for medals. HO has won 49 national titles in her career from under-11 to senior and she has three chances to win her 50th as she partners WALKER in the mixed doubles and TSAPTSINOS in the women’s doubles. The championships will be held at the University of Nottingham from March 25-27 and include under-21 men’s and women’s singles as well. Table 1 will be shown live on the Recast platform on Friday and Saturday and on the BBC Sport website on Sunday.