Top Austria Challenge in TV Center   The first Austrian Sports Event after the Corona lockdown the Top of Austria Challenge will be held on Saturday 2nd of Mai (20:05) in the TV Center of the Austrian Broadcaster ORF.   The first duel leads to a revenge between the Austrian runner up Stefan Fegerl and the champion Daniel Habesohn. The second semi final will compete the former European champion Liu Jia versus Europe’s number 1 Sofia Polcanova. In the final there will be a gender duel between the two winners.   Finally live sport comes back! The best table tennis players of Austria Sofia Polcanova Liu Jia Stefan Fegerl and Daniel Habesohn compete against each other. Of course all Corona regulations are strictly observed.   “I am very happy and rateful that in cooperation with the ORF we have managed to organize this event during this brutal corona crisis. I think this live challenge is now a real European premiere. This is an important and valuable sign of life for our sport. We will of course meet all Corona requirements in order to be able to present table tennis and the best players in Austria” said ÖTTV President Hans Friedinger.   At the “Table Tennis Top of Austria Challenge” the two ladies Sofia Polcanova (number 1 in Europe) and Liu Jia (single European champion 2005) as well as the two men Stefan Fegerl (double and team European champion 2015) and Daniel Habesohn (double European champion 2018 and 2012 and team European champion 2015) will play against each other. These matches are played as best-of-3.   Afterwards the winners and losers meet in a direct duel in best of 5 matches. The women get six points as a default. Referee is Werner Thury chief referee at the Tokyo Olympic Games.   ORF SPORT + will broadcast the table tennis challenge live on Saturday May 2nd from 8.05pm to 10.30pm. The commentator is Michael Roscher and the former world champion Werner Schlager will be co-commentator.        

Before the break caused by the pandemic of COVID-19 that has led to the suspension of all international table tennis action Liam PITCHFORD produced one of the best performances of his career to became the first English player to reach an ITTF World Tour Platinum men’s singles final at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open. On his way to the penultimate stage he beat world no.1 XU Xin.   In the first three months of this year PITCHFORD has been a top eight finisher at the CCB 2020 Europe Top 16 Cup crowned English national champion for a sixth time a semi-finalist at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open and runner-up at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open.   In anticipation of the better times for sport and opportunity to continues his good run we talked with Liam about his starts.   “I was around eight or nine years old and I was at school normally we were always outside playing football but this lunchtime it was raining so me and my friends went inside to try out the table tennis club that the school started and we carried on playing from there ” said Liam about his beginnings.   It took a while before he realised – that is it.   “ I would say it was when I was 13/14 and I started to go to the national training center in Sheffield and see the likes of Paul playing professionally that I knew I also wanted to do it. My first ever award was probably from a local league tournament in my hometown Chesterfield I think.”   Do you ever thought about quitting?   “ Yes there have been some tough periods during my career but I managed to get through them and come out a stronger person for it.”   England caused arguably one of the biggest shocks of the year when they left the 2016 World Team Championships with an unexpected Men’s Team bronze medal but for Liam it is not the top moment to memorize.   “ I will always remember the World Championships bronze medal we won in 2016 but for me I will remember more the Commonwealth games gold medal me and Paul won in doubles because I always dreamed of winning gold since watching on TV as a child.“   PITCHFORD has always had the potential to pose problems for the world’s best on the big stage showing it from an early point in his career when he beat Vladimir Samsonov at the 2011 European Championships aged 18. We asked about the dark moments.   “ I wouldn’t say I have regrets if course I’m disappointed with some matches and tournaments I have played but I try not to dwell on them and focus on my next match. Speaking about bad moments there have been a few most recent not qualifying a team for Olympic Games it was a bad tournament for all of us..”   What will stay as you legacy?   “ I hope that I can inspire the next generation of table tennis players in the UK show them that people from the UK can compete with the best table tennis countries in the world.”   It is hard to predict when the sport will set in motion again but we all hope it will be soon.   “The next goal in table tennis will be to qualify for Olympics and also to hopefully carry on my good form from before the lockdown. But right now the aim is to stay safe and healthy and get through these tough times together.”

If everyone who is involved will test negative the women’s national team can start the trainings again from the 4th of May.   Because of the coronavirus pandemic most of the table tennis players could only practice at home following their personal training plan in the past few weeks. After all this it is great news that from next Monday the Hungary women’s national team can start the trainings again in smaller groups. However a condition must be met for this to happen.   “We had our tests today and there will be more testing on Sunday morning just before the scheduled start of the trainings. If everyone tests negative we can get it started” said Zoltán BÁTORFI the head coach of the women’s national team on Monday afternoon.   The National Sports Health Institute published a statement about how the trainings can be re-started.   “We will try to meet all points of the regulation and to comply with all hygienic conditions. The players will be far enough from each other on the two ends of the table and we will also take care of the distance between the tables. Balls which everyone uses pose the greatest threat in this situation this is why we will try to disinfect all the balls every day and of course we will also clean the hall.”   Those members of the national team who returned home to the countryside will not be involved in the trainings yet. Dóra MADARÁSZ can train in Kecskemét with the help of a table tennis robot Mercédesz NAGYVÁRADI can also maintain the basic level of fitness Orsolya FEHÉR who is in Transylvania would have to stay in quarantine if she would return now to Hungary.   “We will commence with a very small group there will be four or five players in a training “continued BÁTORFI.” We always try to find men training partners to our highest seeded players but now it is not an option. Tired of quarantine everyone really wants to train again so there will be a lot of energy I am sure about that. Then there will be setbacks due to the fact that we do not know when our next competitions will be held. At this point we will have to solve the problem of maintaining motivation. It can also pose a problem that we usually work on a minimum of four or five tables with at least ten players partners can be changed regularly this way the practices are not so monotone but now we do not have other options”   This epidemic situation still allows only a limited workflow but according to Zoltán BÁTORFI it also provides an opportunity to learn and practice new technical elements for which in normal circumstances would not be enough time due to the tight calendar of the competitions.   However the head coach considers the most important is that the trainings will be conducted under the relevant regulations of the National Sports Health Institute the National Sports Centers and the Ministry of Human Resources.   It is also important to note that for the time being the trainings can only be re-started in the women’s national team in the case of the youth national teams it is still necessary to wait.   More about HHTA here web | facebook | instagram| youtube| twitter

As the measures in Austria getting a bit relaxed players recovers some of their routines. Sofia POLCANOVA 2018 European Championships bronze medalist started the playing trainings with the teammates from the national team.   She was thrilled with the chance to start playing again.   “Everything looks definitely better now than before! Of course we have to take care and there are many rules which we have to follow during the practice and when we go inside the hall. We always have to take care about the distance and for example we are not allowed to play short -short in the hall. However overall I am very happy that I can practice again. I am very thankful for that ” explained POLCANOVA.   Sofia is full of positive energy.   “In general life is getting more normal day by day but there is of course still a long way to go. It looks like I got my feeling for the play again. I did not need to much time to recover it. My physical condition is also good because I did a lot of workout at home.”   Currently four or five players are in training team.   “Right now we are practicing with the national team other people from the club are not here they all had to fly home when the pandemic started. But it is very good atmosphere we are just happy that we can see each other again and practice together. Currently Karoline MISCHEK LIU Yuan LIU Jia Amelie SOLJA and me are on the trainings.”  

Hungary’s Adam SZUDI is affected by lack of tournament like all other players but he was little bit lucky in these unfortunate time.   “I am fine and healthy. Fortunately I am able to practice also in this period because Bence MAJOROS and me isolated ourselves in a table tennis hall where nobody else is allowed to enter. There are also rooms inside so we can practice and stay isolated in the same time ” explained SZUDI.   Adam admitted he needed a little bit pushing before he had started play table tennis.   “I commenced to play in the school. There was a table tennis ‘class’ which started but at first I did not even apply for it. My friends went there and they pushed me to go there and to try. Few months later I went with them and I liked so much that after that I was going there whenever it was possible. I decided to be a professional when i was 18 and I had the opportunity to move to Ochsenhausen and to be part of the practice group. Of course I had difficult moments but I never wanted to stop to play. I enjoy the game too much” said Adam.     First gold medal came when he was nine years old.   “It was a regional tournament and I was so happy to win. However most precious memories I have are playing the Youth Olympics in 2014 and playing at the World Championships in Hungary last year. I remember how great was to be member of the team for the Youth Olympics because I was 18 when I played and it was very nice to be part of this huge event. It gave me also power to fight even harder to qualify for the Olympic Games. Playing World Championship in front of home crowd was fantastic on every game we had a special atmosphere. It was simply great to play this event in Budapest. “   European Games has also special place for Adam.   “This was the first multi-sport Games which I took part. It was very nice to be around world-class athletes from other sports and to learn from them.”   Speaking of big stars who is your favorite?   “I would say Roger FEDERER. He is a great athlete and a great person.”   What is greatest disappointed in your career?   “Losing in round of last 16 in Double and Mixed double last year at the World Championship. We played really good in both events and would have been great to be able to play for a medal in front of home crowd.”   Adam spoke about long term and short term goals.   “I hope that table tennis will become and even more popular sport in Hungary. The next big tournament is European Championships and I think that we have a strong doubles and mixed doubles also so my goal is to take a medal in any event. In a little bit longer term I want to qualify for the Olympic Games.”    

Aleksandr KHANIN is in Minsk where he waits for the end of restrictions and start of the tournaments.   “I feel good thanks. We do not have quarantine in Belarus we practice almost in the usual mode. I pay more attention now to physical training. I reschedule a bit the training sessions. The time between two training was reduced so we do not need go home between trainings.   KHANIN started to play at age of six in Minsk.   “My parents had doubts should it be tennis or table tennis. But in the end one grandmother’s friend who used to play too advised them to choose table tennis. I realized that I would stay in this sport for a long time when I began to have success and began to win medals. I am also very grateful to the first coach Alexandra SIPACH who instilled in me from an early age a love of sport. There were times when I wanted to quit all and finish with sports. However this feeling disappeared very quickly and I again went to the hall.”   He remembered his first medal.   “I won the very first medal in Minsk I think I was 7 years old at the City Championship for the kids. Honestly I don’t remember what kind of competition it was but I remember well that the boys and girls participated together.”   The medal count continued at the Continental gatherings as well.   “One of my most memorable moments are connected with the European Championships. I won two medals at the European Youth Championship; gold in doubles event with Tomas POLANSKY of Czech Republic and bronze in singles. In addition I clinched the bronze in the team’s event at the European Championship 2015 in Yekaterinburg where I did not play in the group nor in the quarter-finals but in the semi-finals I was in the game and managed to beat Daniel HABESON who in that time he was no. 60 in the World rankings.   Aleksandr KHANIN reached the Round of 32 at the European Championships 2016 in Budapest at age of 18.   “On my way to the best 32 I beat several players from the Top 100” reflected KHANIN.”And from the most recent memories it is the Austrian Open 2019 where I was in Round of 32 before I lost to Timo BOLL.”   Speaking about the players he admires the most KHANIN mentioned two names.   “Vladimir SAMSONOV and ZHANG Jike. Vladimir has been an idol for me since I was a child and I am very happy that I can still play with him in the same team. And about ZHANG Jike: I just love the way he played. He is still my favorite player of all time.”   Not all memories are that nice. There were sad moments as well.   “This is probably a match with Darko JORGIC in 2016. It was the quarter-final of the Youth European Championship in Zagreb. It was 9-7 for me in the seventh game but eventually I lost that game.”   What makes you happy?   “The greatest happiness is that I do my favorite thing and that my beloved family always supports me.”   What is your favorite city?   “Shanghai. I really like skyscrapers and in Shanghai there are really a lot of them.”   What legacy do you want to leave behind?   “I would really like table tennis to be much more popular in the World. In particular in my country. In Belarus many people don’t even know about this sport although we have a living legend – Vladimir SAMSONOV.”   What is next?   “My first goal is to get to the Olympic Games in Tokyo. I really hope that the pandemic will end as soon as possible and I will start competing again.”      

Tin-Tin Ho wanted to do something unique and special for her contribution to the England squads’ Thursday Takeover of our social media channels.   So the England women’s No 1 wrote and performed her own lockdown song on ukulele! It’s a thank you to the frontline and key workers going the extra mile during the coronavirus pandemic and an encouragement to the rest of us to support them and look after ourselves too.  

Jakub DYJAS and Marta GOLOTA-DYJAS will become parents in three weeks and Polish player admitted he is nervous and cannot wait for the happy event.   “We are fine and healthy and that is the most important thing. Together with my wife we are in Ochsenhausen right now and we are waiting for the birth of our son.”   Marta who is also playing in Bundesliga and Jakub crowned their eight years long relationship with marriage last year.   “Now during this pandemic we most of the time stays at home. We walk outdoors and always go for medical checks by foot.”   DYJAS started as a tennis player but soon discovered the beauty of table tennis.   “I started when I was six years old. Before that I tried to play tennis. I liked that sport but my father decided to take me to table tennis club and to show me some smaller rackets and that is how I stared.”   Already as a young teenager he joined the professional circuit.   “I guess when I was around 13-14 years old at that time. I signed first professional contract in Polish League. Since then to be honest I had some moments when I was not satisfied with my level of the game but I never thought that I would quit playing table tennis.”   He remembered his first trophy.   “In 2001 I received one for the youngest player in the tournament. That was small kind of cup with table tennis ball pressed inside the cup.”   Most important moments in your career?   “Definitely when I won two medals on European Championships 2016 in Budapest.”   Place which made greatest impression on you?   “It was Olympic Games 2016 in Rio De Janeiro.”   Person that impressed you the most?   “It will be tennis player Roger FEDERER. In my opinion he is the greatest athlete in the World.”   Biggest regret in career?   “That I trusted some people which I shouldn’t.”   Greatest happiness so far?   “In personal life is having my wife beside me and concerning my professional life it is the possibility to be a professional table tennis player.”   Greatest sadness?   “When I lost against Kristian KARLSSON in the semi final of the Table Tennis Championships League Men.”   Your legacy for the sport?   “I hope that with results which I will achieve in the future in my country Table tennis will become famous again.”   What is the next goal to achieve?   “I will fight to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year”

  Last year at the World Championships in Budapest Mattias FALCK reached the final of the Men’s Singles Event and won the first Swedish medal in men’s singles since Jan-Ove WALDNER took the bronze in 1999; and it was first silver after WALDNER’s final in 1997. On his way to the ultimate stage Swede beat Korean player LEE Sangsu French number one Simon GAUZY AN Jaehyun of South Korea. FALCK was stopped in the final against World Champion from 2015 and 2017 China’s MA Long.   Mattias FALCK spends his time during the break in events in Sweden with his family wife Julia and six months old daughter Lexie.   “I am in Halmstad where I lived and have been since after Qatar Open and the last round of Bundesliga that I played. In Sweden the situation has been tough but it has not been any lockdown yet so I have been able to practice table tennis and the fitness I do at my home. I also try to run at least two times per week ” explained FALCK.   Mattias is the only Swedish player that has clinched three gold medals in the Swedish Junior Championships winning 3 titles in a row 2007 – 2009.   “The first ever award I remember is my first junior Swedish national title. I won it three times and I am the only one in the history who did it so I’m happy with that.”   He started to play in Lyckeby BTK.   “I started to play table tennis when I was 7 years old. I started because my father played. I was many times with him for his practice and after that he played with me and I really enjoyed it so I wanted to start to play in a club. Same club as my father played for during that time.”   When you realize it will become your professional call?   “I would say around the time I was 16 and moved to a high school with table tennis as the main focus ” said FALCK and stated that he never thought of quitting. “No never felt that but of course there have been tough times. But I always had great support and help from home to help me with the struggle and tougher times. I think there will always be tougher times for all athletes. It will make you stronger when you overcome those tougher times.”   FALCK underlined two special moments.   “The most memorised moments are of course my silver medal in the recent World Championships. It was an amazing tournament and the best and most awesome moment so far in my career. The second most is for sure our bronze medal in team World Championships at home soil in Halmstad and that is also the city I lived in for the past 10 years. So that was also a really special moment.”   Person that impressed you the most?   “I always admire Jorgen PERSSON and look up to him and how he played the game.”   Biggest regret in career?   “I have no regrets so far in my career I’m happy with all the choices I’ve made.”   Greatest happiness so far?   “My daughter ❤”   Greatest sadness?   “When me and Kristian KARLSSON lost the quarter final in Doubles at the Budapest World Championships. We have been aiming for a medal in doubles for many years but been close and now we lost in the quarter final and that was really tough.”   Legacy of the sport?   “I hope that more will play with differently style and that I can help more players to go their own way and show them that there’s many ways to success. I also hope that I can contribute to more players in Sweden and that the sport here will expand more.”   What is the next goal to achieve?   “To win an Olympic medal. It has always been my dream since I was a little child and now it is my goal. Looking forward to 2021 Olympic Games and I hope I will be in my best shape there and fight for the medals ” concluded FALCK.