European Youth Top 10 On the second day of the play at the European Youth Top 10 in Berlin after six rounds there are no unbeaten Cadet girls although four recorded five wins and only one defeat. That promises a lot of excitement on the final day of the Event in Germany. Anna HURSEY of Wales suffered only by the hands of French player Charlotte LUTZ she overcame Bianca MEI ROSU of Romania Julie VAN HAUWAERT of Belgium Dominika WILTSCHKOVA of Slovakia Sophie EARLEY of Ireland and Jele STORTZ of Germany. “On the first match today Jele forced me to go full distance. I was very cautious; I played safe without big and risky shots. Then I lost against LUTZ. She has very powerful service game. Against EARLEY it was much easier. We know each other well we train together. It was only important not to miss easy balls ” explained Anna. Germany’s Annett KAUFMANN lost to Mia GRIESEL but beat Dominika WILTSCHKOVA Julie Van HAUWAERT Bianca Mei ROSU Helena SOMMEROVA and Jele STORTZ. “I had very difficult match at the beginning of the day. I played five games against Romania’s ROSU. I am better ranked than her playing at the home soil and all of that made great pressure on me. I was two to null in reverse before I managed to recover and to level. In fifth game my mental strength proved crucial. BIANKA kept her game on the high level all the time but after being two games up and being forced to play decisive game it was too much for her mentally. On the other side I was calm and played safe ” explained KAUFMANN. The 3:2 win gave Germany’s player some extra confidence. “I felt very good after first win so I managed to beat Julie in three games. Against – Dominika WILTSCHKOVA I lost one game because I could not keep my focus all the time. However I recovered quickly ” explained Annett. Today MEI ROSU halted Mia GRIESEL’s winning run but Germany’s player added wins against Julie Van HAUWAERT and Helena SOMMEROVA on her record. Charlotte LUTZ beat Anna HURSEY Dominika WILTSCHKOVA and Jele STORTZ. Only Helena SOMMEROVA managed to overcame her yesterday. Cadet Girls Round 6 Sophie EARLEY- Anna HURSEY 1:3 (3:11 9:11 11:8 5:11) Annett KAUFMANN – Dominika WILTSCHKOVA 3:1 (11:2 11:5 9:11 11:4) Mia GRIESEL – Julie Van HAUWAERT 3:1 (9:11 13:11 11:6 11:7) Helena SOMMEROVA – Bianca Mei ROSU 1:3 (11:9 7:11 9:11 3:11) Jele STORTZ – Charlotte LUTZ 0:3 (1:11 7:11 8:11) Round 5 Bianca Mei ROSU – Mia GRIESEL 3:2 (9:11 11:4 7:11 11:2 12:10) Helena SOMMEROVA – Jele STORTZ 3:0 (11:8 11:4 11:6) Anna HURSEY – Charlotte LUTZ 1:3 (4:11 11:5 9:11 6:11) Julie Van HAUWAERT – Annett KAUFMANN 0:3 (9:11 8:11 8:11) Dominika WILTSCHKOVA – Sophie EARLEY 1:3 (12:10 5:11 7:11 4:11) Round 4 Jele STORTZ – Anna HURSEY 2:3 (7:11 12:10 2:11 15:13 11:13) Annett KAUFMANN – Bianca Mei ROSU 3:2 (7:11 11:13 11:4 14:12 11:8) Charlotte LUTZ – Dominika WILTSCHKOVA 3:0 (11:7 11:6 11:8) Mia GRIESEL – Helena SOMMEROVA 3:1 (13:11 14:12 6:11 11:6) Sophie EARLEY – Julie Van HAUWAERT 3:2 (11:8 14:16 10:12 12:10 18:16) Liveticker here Streaming at Sportdeutschland.tv Day 2 Day 3
Prithika PAVADE in good run at the European Youth Top 10
Junior Girls Event unior Girls Singles Event at the European Youth Top 10 in Berlin brought thrilling matches today. After three rounds there are three unbeaten players but they all finished the day tired from long matches. Prithika PAVADE of France Sophia KLEE of Germany won all three matches whilst Elena ZAHARIA of Romania played one less and won both. Host nation representative KLEE needed full five games to overcame her team mate Ansatasia BONDAREVA before she showed merciless performance against Reka BEZEG of Serbia 3:0. In the third round she overcame Helga DARI of Hungary. Prithika PAVADE beat Isa COK at the beginning of the day:”I am in a very god shape here. Since May I resumed my practice sessions. I work very hard on fitness and table tennis. Against COK was very difficult because we are teammates and we know each other very well. In addition we play here best of five matches and each point and game are important. We are all under pressure that we have to have good start.” Against BEZEG PAVADE faced no difficulties but it was different scenario against Anastasia BONDAREVA. “I have problem with her game. She is lefthander and I am not used to players with such style. I have to risk more and to change my game in order to stop her ” explained PAVADE. Romania’s ZAHARIA overcame prevailed against Isa COK and BONDAREVA. ” It is very difficult to play at this moment. This year we did not have European Championships and I am missing open tournaments as well. It is hard to play at high level without real matches for months. Against BONDAREVA I had two games to null advantage but at the third game at 9:9 she raised her game. Anastasia started to play tactically better but I was not nervous and I finished the match in good style ” explained ZAHARIA.”I am here to win gold and I hope it will happen.” Junior Girls Round 3 Helga DARI – Sophia KLEE 1:3 (11:6 10:12 8:11 6:11) Anastasia BONDAREVA – Elena ZAHARIA 2:3 (6:11 4:11 11:9 11:6 5:11) Reka BEZEG – Prithika PAVADE 0:3 (9:11 7:11 6:11) Linda ZADEROVA – Darya KISEL 3:1 (18:16 11:5 9:11 11:5) Round 2 Prithika PAVADE – Anastasia BONDAREVA 3:1 (11:8 8:11 11:8 13:11) Elena ZAHARIA – Isa COK 3:2 (7:11 11:8 6:11 12:10 11:6) Darya KISEL – Helga DARI 3:2 (10:12 12:10 8:11 11:9 12:10) Sophia KLEE – Reka BEZEG 3:0 (11:5 11:7 11:9) Round 1 Reka BEZEG – Darya KISEL 2:3 (6:11 4:11 11:8 11:9 7:11) Anastasia BONDAREVA – Sophia KLEE 2:3 (11:9 8:11 9:11 11:5 8:11) Isa COK – Prithika PAVADE 0:3 (4:11 8:11 10:12) Helga DARI – Linda ZADEROVA 3:2 (14:16 9:11 11:8 11:4 11:7)
Kay STUMPER remained calm in hard moments
Junior Boys Event at the European Youth Top 10 in Berlin With seven players on the list of the Junior Boys Singles at the European Youth Top 10 in Berlin at the opening day of the competition only two rounds in this Event were on the schedule. Also there are two unbeaten players after Day one: Kay STUMPER of Germany and Olav KOSOLOSKY of Belgium. STUMPER overcame Adam KLAJBER of Slovakia but he needed full five games before triumph. Against Tomas MARTINKO of Czech Republic he needed one less. “Against MARTINKO it was my first match after a very long time. My league is canceled and I have not played at the tournaments for a while. In addition I was ill for a week and I started to play on Monday. I am not in the top shape but I fought hard. I played many times against Tomas and he already proved very difficult to beat. His playing style is very uncomfortable for me I am not used to it ” explained Kay.”In the third and fourth game I lost the energy it was close but I managed it.” Next in line was KLAJBER: “I played against him only once; it was at the European championships. I was worried when I saw him playing in the first round. He beat Filip DELINCAK in five games and showed very solid performance. That victory gave him some extra confidence because he came back after he lost fourth game. Against me he had very good service game and used a lot of variations. I lost both close games but luckily I was not nervous. I was very calm in the deciding games despite the problems.” Junior Boys Round 2 Ivor BAN -Nicolas DEGROS 2:3 (11:8 7:11 7:11 11:4 8:11) Kay STUMPER – Adam KLAJBER 3:2 (11:5 9:11 11:4 11:13 11:4)) Olav KOSOLOSKY – Tomas MARTINKO 3:2 (7:11 11:9 5:11 11:7 12:10) Round 1 Tomas MARTINKO -Kay STUMPER 1:3 (7:11 7:11 11:9 9:11) Nicolas DEGROS – Olav KOSOLOSKY 0:3 (6:11 11:13 6:11) Adam KLAJBER – Filip DELINCAK 3:2 (14:16 11:7 11:4 8:11 11:9)
ITTF Sustainability Working Group invites those with expertise and knowledge
At the ITTF Executive Committee meeting held in Chengdu China in October 2019 the ITTF Sustainability Working Group was created aimed at tackling the key issue of sustainability in table tennis. A year on from its formation the ITTF Sustainability Working Group is broadening its horizons and with exciting plans in the pipeline is keen to invite those with expertise and knowledge in the field to express their interest in collaboration. The ITTF has held two Sustainability Working Group meetings in recent months both conducted via video conference with members of the ITTF Executive Committee ITTF Foundation and Professional Staff in attendance. The first Working Group meeting held on Thursday 30th July outlined the importance of the “3 P’s”: planet profit and people identifying key areas of focus from event equipment and operational perspectives. Last week the Working Group met again building further upon discussions from the previous meeting and fine-tuning proposals on the Group’s structure with framework guidance already put in place by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “Sustainability is one of the most important tasks that we can take on – right here right now and in the nearest future. It is also a subject that I carry close to my heart professionally as well as in my private life. As one of the largest sports federations in the world from a member perspective it is vital that we strive to implement sustainable thinking in every action we take. 25th September 2020 marked five years since the United Nations set out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I am convinced that our sport can accomplish great things and work as a catalyst all over the world to help us achieve these goals.” – Petra Sörling Chair of the ITTF Sustainable Working Group The third Sustainability Working Group meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday 5th October 2020.At the ITTF Executive Committee meeting held in Chengdu China in October 2019 the ITTF Sustainability Working Group was created aimed at tackling the key issue of sustainability in table tennis. A year on from its formation the ITTF Sustainability Working Group is broadening its horizons and with exciting plans in the pipeline is keen to invite those with expertise and knowledge in the field to express their interest in collaboration. The ITTF has held two Sustainability Working Group meetings in recent months both conducted via video conference with members of the ITTF Executive Committee ITTF Foundation and Professional Staff in attendance. The first Working Group meeting held on Thursday 30th July outlined the importance of the “3 P’s”: planet profit and people identifying key areas of focus from event equipment and operational perspectives. Last week the Working Group met again building further upon discussions from the previous meeting and fine-tuning proposals on the Group’s structure with framework guidance already put in place by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “Sustainability is one of the most important tasks that we can take on – right here right now and in the nearest future. It is also a subject that I carry close to my heart professionally as well as in my private life. As one of the largest sports federations in the world from a member perspective it is vital that we strive to implement sustainable thinking in every action we take. 25th September 2020 marked five years since the United Nations set out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I am convinced that our sport can accomplish great things and work as a catalyst all over the world to help us achieve these goals ” said Petra SÖRLING Chair of the ITTF Sustainable Working Group The third Sustainability Working Group meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday 5th October 2020. If you are interested in joining our conversation on sustainability please contact inecula@ittf.com.
FRANCISKA and SAMSONOV tested new rule in friendly match
Germany’s 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT and the 2019 Champions League winners Fakel Gazprom Orenburg had an opportunity to test the new playing system which will be used in Champions League matches in new season. Guest’s from Russia clinched the victory 3:1. The system that was used tonight is the new one from the European Champions League. It will the Swaythling Cup system (best of 5 singles) and in each individual match the 5th game (set) shall start at 0:0 and play until the first player reaches 6 points (sudden death point at 5:5). In the 5th game each player shall serve only once in a row and there will be no change of ends in the 5th game. In a match there will be breaks after each second game only which means no break after game 1 and 3. “In the match between FRANZISKA and SAMSONOV we had an opportunity to see how the new system works. They had only one serve in the fifth game and it concluded at 6:3. So far I do not see any problem although it seems little odd with no breaks after first and third game. However I do not see any problem with it and I think the players will adjust easily ” said coach Slobodan GRUJIC. OVTCHAROV was planned to play fourth match but due the pain in the ribs it was FREITAS entered in the arena twice. “We have heavy weekend ahead of us. Bundesliga and Round of 16 in German Cup are scheduled for Friday and Sunday. I am happy that we played this match in order to put POLANSKY into the game after a break.” FC Saarbrücken-TT – Fakel Gazprom Orenburg 1:3 SHANG Kun – Marcos FREITAS 7:11 7:11 11:13 Thomas POLANSKY – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 5:11 7:11 11:13 10:12 Patrick FRANZISKA – Vladimir SAMSONOV 9:11 11:5 8:11 11:9 6:3 Darko JORGIC – Marcos FREITAS 9:11 4:11 9:11
Players announced for #RESTART!
Star names will be battling it out for honours this November. The #RESTART series will see international table tennis events resume after several months of suspended activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. #RESTART will feature three of the most prestigious ITTF events: the 2020 ITTF Women’s World Cup 2020 ITTF Men’s World Cup and 2020 ITTF Finals. The trio of events will be held in China on the following dates: 2020 ITTF Women’s World Cup: 8 – 10 November 2020 2020 ITTF Men’s World Cup: 13 – 15 November 2020 2020 ITTF Finals: 19 – 22 November 2020 The World Cups will feature 21 female and 21 male athletes many of whom have qualified either as World Champion or via completed continental events (Africa Europe and Pan America). Other players have been selected by world ranking from the other continents (Asia and Oceania) as well as the whole world according to the provisional World Cup playing system. The Asia players list is in accordance with the original list for the 2020 ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup which was cancelled due to COVID-19. The remainder of players have been selected as new entries to replace athletes unable to take part in the events. For each World Cup event there is a maximum of two players per national association to ensure an exciting spread of star talent from across the globe. The World Cups are typically contested by 20 athletes but the ITTF Executive Committee decided to allow more flexibility for the entry procedure increasing the quota to 21 players per event due to the timelines afforded to the players to enter the events and certain changes to the conditions of the event series as well as last-minute changes to some league matches. The ITTF Finals will see the top 16 world-ranked male and top 16 world-ranked female players (of those available) lock horns in men’s singles and women’s singles competition with a cap of four players per national association. The withdrawal through injury of LIU Shiwen (China) the reigning World champion and record-holding five-time Women’s World Cup champion has allowed compatriot and WR 1 CHEN Meng to enter the action. CHEN Meng is setting her sights on the trophy that she has yet to win in her stellar career to date. Her greatest competition for the title comes in the form of WR 2 Mima ITO (Japan). Among the players to have qualified via the continental cups there are Dina MESHREF (Egypt) who holds the record of eight Africa Cup titles; Petrissa SOLJA (Germany) winner of back-to-back Europe Cup titles; Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Europe’s highest-ranked female player at WR 14; Adriana DIAZ (Puerto Rico) winner of back-to-back Pan America Cup titles; and Lily ZHANG (USA) the 2019 ITTF Breakthrough Star and one of the standout players at last year’s Women’s World Cup in which she reached the semi-finals. Since the Asia and Oceania Cups were unable to be held due to COVID-19 players have been selected according to world ranking with many more familiar faces set to enter the action such as ZHU Yuling (China) Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) CHENG I-Ching (Chinese Taipei) and FENG Tianwei (Singapore). Meanwhile Melissa TAPPER (Australia) replaces compatriot LAY Jian Fang. Additionally Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) enters as the wild card while Suthasini SAWETTABUT (Thailand) qualifies as the original host player since the event got moved from Bangkok to China. Considered by many as the greatest table tennis player of all time MA Long (China) will be looking to add the 2020 Men’s World Cup to his burgeoning trophy cabinet. “The Dragon” qualifies off the back of his stunning third consecutive World Championships title sealed last year in Budapest. Ma is joined by WR 1 FAN Zhendong (China) who lifted the 2019 Men’s World Cup in Chengdu as well as a number of other top Asian players to have qualified via their world ranking such as teenage talents Tomokazu HARIMOTO (Japan) WR 4 and just 17 years of age and LIN Yun-Ju (Chinese Taipei) WR 7 and 19 years old. Europe is providing plenty of strength in the form of Mattias FALCK (Sweden) WR 9 and silver medallist at last year’s World Championships as well as Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) and Liam PITCHFORD (England). Hugo CALDERANO (Brazil) who is WR 6 will be keen to make a big impact following his third straight success at the Pan America Cup. Ahmed SALEH (Egypt) qualifies as this year’s Africa Cup champion while Quadri ARUNA (Nigeria) enters as runner-up in the competition. Heming HU (Australia) will be travelling to China as Oceania’s highest-ranked player. Many of the star players taking part at the World Cups will also be going for glory at the 2020 ITTF Finals. In the women’s singles CHEN Meng is on the hunt for a fourth consecutive crown following successes in 2017 (Astana Kazakhstan) 2018 (Incheon Korea Republic) and 2019 (Zhengzhou China). She is part of a Chinese quartet including Sun Yingsha Wang Manyu and Wang Yidi. Meanwhile Japan will be hoping to break the recent trend of Chinese dominance with Mima Ito Kasumi Ishikawa Miu Hirano and Hitomi Sato aiming high. ISHIKAWA (2014) and FENG Tianwei (2010) are both former women’s singles champions at the ITTF Finals. Meanwhile there will be first-ever appearances at the event for Adriana DIAZ and Petrissa SOLJA.
Durban to host historic 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals
The 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals will be staged in Durban South Africa after Member Associations voted during the 2020 ITTF AGM held on Monday 28th September. It’s an historic first time that the ITTF’s most prestigious event is being held in South Africa and the first time on the African continent since Cairo Egypt in 1939. The vote vindicates the new format for the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals coming into place in 2021 which sees continental qualification precede the Finals event thus making it more feasible for more countries to host. Durban won 90 votes (69.77%) to beat off competition from the other candidate city Düsseldorf Germany who won 39 votes (30.23%). Düsseldorf had been bidding to stage the event again following the resounding success of the 2017 edition. “Congratulations to both South Africa and Germany on presenting very strong bids to host the 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals. We are continuing to see benefits from the forthcoming changes to the format of the World Championships Finals which will be introduced from next year onwards leading to more countries bidding from different regions of the world. This also reflects the ever-increasing international appeal of table tennis which is extremely pleasing to see as we continue to work hard to make the sport more global in the future ” said Khalil Al-MOHANNADI ITTF Deputy President. “I am obviously ecstatic and beside myself with joy. The sleepless nights and all the hard work have paid off. I want to say to Germany that their presentation was absolutely superb. I did not want to take our success at all for granted given all their experience and I am certain that they will come up again in future. I want to thank the world of table tennis and the ITTF for entrusting us with the confidence with the team that we have the city that we have and the support from the government that we have to host this event. We are certain that we will make everyone who supported us extremely proud of having placed their trust in us to take the baton forward and host a World Championships worthy of the trust that you have given us ” – stated Joe CARRIM President of the South African Table Tennis Board. For the first time ever the ITTF AGM was held virtually to enable the safest possible solution amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. ITTF Deputy President Khalil Al-MOHANNADI ITTF Executive Vice President of Finance Petra Sörling ITTF CEO Steve DAINTON ITTF Secretary General Raul CALIN ITTF Chief Financial Officer Michael BROWN and ITTF Member Relations Director Mounir BESSAH spoke from Doha Qatar to deliver messages across a number of key topics. ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT was unable to travel to Doha having come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive patient last week and therefore needed to quarantine until receiving the all clear on Sunday evening. There was a special report on the impact of COVID-19 on global table tennis as the sport prepares for a return to action via the #RESTART series in November 2020 among other key decisions. Monday’s AGM saw major reforms to the ITTF Constitution with the creation of an ITTF Tribunal which assumes the judicial powers previously belonging to the ITTF Executive Committee and an ITTF Integrity Unit. Both reforms will provide yet another important step towards improving the ITTF’s governance. The ITTF has voted in favour of holding one Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in conjunction with the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan Korea Republic which has been rescheduled to take place between 22nd February and 1st March 2021 following its postponement this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plans for the AGM are to be held towards the end of 2021 to serve as an opportunity to review what is set up to be an intense year for the sport with the introduction of World Table Tennis events and also the proposed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games during the summer. YAO Zhenxu has been recognised for his longstanding commitment to international table tennis by becoming Personal Honorary Member of the ITTF. Yao Zhenxu played his part in China – US “Ping Pong Diplomacy” relations. He held the role of Chinese Team Manager between 1985-1995. Thereafter he worked as ITTF Technical Committee Chair between 1995-2009 and Vice President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) between 1995-2014. He was also Tournament Director at the 1995 World Championships in Tianjin and 2005 World Championships in Shanghai. As Vice President of CTTA Yao Zhenxu coordinated the hosting of several international tournaments and helped many international athletes to train in China thus helping to develop and popularise the sport of table tennis in China and across the world. “I want to thank not only the Membership for their commitment attending the videoconferences and virtual AGM but also for their firm declaration today in favour of good governance. We are very grateful for the continuous guidance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) in all governance matters and to the colleagues from other International Federations which shared their experiences on virtual AGMs during these months. Last but not least we send our thanks to the ITTF Executive Committee for the proposed reforms. By giving up their judicial powers today they have shown just how conscious this administration is about the necessity for good governance” said Raul CALIN ITTF Secretary General.
Iulian CHIRITA seeking for revenge against Darius MOVILEANU
European Youth Top 10 in Berlin from 9th to 11th October There is less than two weeks left before first ETTU event after long break caused by Pandemic. Since European Under 21 Championships in Varazdin in March we have been waiting for opportunity to gather on Continental competition. Finally the time has come. ETTU as organiser the German Table Tennis Federation (DTTB) as host and local club ttc berlin eastside will make it happen in Berlin from 9th to 11th October where the European Youth Top 10 will take place. In Germany will play 40 players in four categories. Top seed in the Junior Boys Singles Event is Samuel KULCZYCKI (Poland). In the same Event will also play his compatriot Maciej KUBIK. The list goes on with Csaba ANDRAS (Hungary) Ivor BAN (Croatia) Olav KOSOLOSKY and Adrien RASSENFOSSE (Belgium) Kay STUMPER (Germany) Maksim GREBNEV (Russia) Filip DELINCAK (Slovakia) and Tomas MARTINKO (Czech Republic). Junior Girls Singles Event: Isa COK and Prithika PAVADE (France) Elizabet ABRAAMIAN (Russia) Sophia KLEE (Germany) Darya KISEL (Belarus) Elena ZAHARIA (Romania) Natalia MALININA (Russia) Linda ZADEROVA (Czech Republic) Helga DARI (Hungary) and Reka BEZEG (Serbia). In Cadets Girls Event will play: Anna BRZYSKA (Poland) Sophie EARLEY (Ireland) Charlotte LUTZ (France) Annett KAUFMANN (Germany) Helena SOMMEROVA (Czech Republic) Anna HURSEY (Wales) Anastasiia BERESNEVA (Russia) Anastasiia IVANOVA (Russia) Dominika WILTSCHKOVA and Julie VAN HAUWAERT (Belgium). In Cadet Boys Singles Event we will have both European Youth Championships finalists on duty in Berlin. One of the three Romania’s representatives in the event Iulian CHIRITA is seeded no two in Berlin. He is one place below Darius MOVILEANU his teammate and the player who beat him in the final of the Singles Event 2019 in Ostrava. Andrei Teodor BERZOSA ISTRATE is no. three seed and third Romania’s player. Speaking about the long brake between tournaments CHIRITA said: “At first it was hard for me not to play table tennis but I made a schedule for physical exercise for every day. After some weeks I started to play table tennis a little bit and most of the time I watched my old table tennis matches to analyses my game and the play of the other players. And when I was done with my schedule I was watching some documentary and serials.” Slowly life starts getting back to normal in June. “Then I started training normally in my city Campulung Muscel. In addition I played at one competition with team and we were third. Now I am in a very good shape after this quarantine.” Beside Romania’s representatives Daniel BERZOSA (Spain) Sergey RYZHOV (Russia) Mateusz ZALEWSKI (Poland) Jakub GOLDIR (Slovakia) Gabrielius CAMARA (Netherlands) Lleyton ULLMANN (Germany) and Felix LEBRUN (France) will also play in the Cadet Boys Event. “My goal at top 10 Europe it’s to win the competition! However I am aware that the competition will be very hard and intensive with so many interesting matches. All the players are dangerous but for me the toughest will be Romania’s players Darius MOVILEANU and Andrei ISTRATE. I cannot forget Milosz REDZIMSKI from Poland. I beat him four times he beat me twice and it is always very difficult to play against him. And against Darius I think it is for 4:3 in matches in previous two years. It is always hard because we know each-other very good.” Chirita also won bronze in the singles at the World Cadet Challenge. Europe Top 10 site here Livestream laola1 Live ticker here
Executive Board meeting Thursday 24th September
The ETTU Executive Board under the leadership of newly elected President Igor Levitin met virtually on Thursday 24th September. President Levitin thanked the table tennis family for all the congratulations and good wishes which he had received. He reaffirmed that the hard work of changing revitalising strengthening and growing European table tennis had now begun. The Board confirmed responsibilities for the Vice Presidents appointed chairs for the 8 Committees and reappointed Arne Madsen (DEN) as the club competitions official. The Committee chairs for 2020-2022 are Beatrice Romanescu (ROU) – Gender Equality Jaroslaw Kolodziejczyk (AUT) – Coaches Alessandro Arcigli (ITA) – Para TT Igor Heller (NED) – Ranking Øivind Eriksen (NOR) – Technical Werner Thury (AUT) – Umpires and Referees Zdenko Kriz (SVK) – Veterans Thomas Buza (SWE) – Youth The Board discussed the 2020 finances and budget update and looked at 3 possible scenarios for the 2021 budget each with deficits. The ITTF-ETTU 2017-2020 strategic commercial agreement was explained and it was agreed to enter into discussions with ITTF about prolonging the agreement. An update on current membership of the ETTU Suppliers Pool was provided and the Board welcomed the continued support of the table tennis brands this year. The Board considered proposals to stage the Men’s and Women’s Champions Leagues as Covid secure ‘bubble’ events to ensure continuity of these prestigious competitions. The Board received a report on next month’s Youth Top 10 event at Berlin for which 40 junior and cadet players from 16 Associations have confirmed their participation. The next working meeting in early October will consider further plans to bring Europe’s major events back as soon as practical.
Table tennis players donating blood to Covid-19 patients
The players of the table tennis club Priping from Prishtina capital city of Kosovo have responded to the call of the Kosovo National Center for Blood Transfusion by donating blood to people affected by Covid-19 who need blood in this time of pandemic. The table tennis players of the Priping club together with the leadership of the club today in the National Center of Kosovo for Blood Transfusion have donated blood for the persons who are in weak condition from the infection with the Covid-19 virus. The director of the center Bukurije ZHUBI together with her staff welcomed the readiness of Priping club players to donate blood. She thanked the table tennis players for this initiative as well as informed the players about the benefits of blood donation. “We thank you for this much needed initiative in this time of pandemic we are very grateful for the contribution of every citizen who donates blood. Apart from saving lives by donating blood your body also benefits by donating blood ” said ZHUBI. While the head of the club Nehat ÇITAKU said that the Priping club will become a regular donor taking into consideration the great need for blood during these hard times. He also called on all athletes to join this life-saving initiative. “We as a club are donating blood for people infected with the Covid-19 virus. We will make this activity annually in our club to enable the saving of lives and at the same time to strengthen our body. ” ÇITAKU said.
