Table Tennis Champions League Men Round 3 Two former TTCLM quarter-finalists Sporting Clube de Portugal and GV Hennebont TT met in Lisbon as Portugal champion won 3:1 to improve its Group D win-loss record to 2-1 while French team has 1-2 after three rounds. Nigerian Quadri ARUNA paved the way to Sporting’s victory securing two points against Cedric NUYTINCK and FAN Sheng Peng. First two encounters both stretched to full distance determined the winner: Quadri ARUNA – Cedric NUYTINCK 3:2 and Diogo CARVALHO – FAN Sheng Peng 3:2. TTCLM Round 3 Group D Sporting Clube de Portugal – GV Hennebont TT 3:1 Quadri ARUNA – Cedric NUYTINCK 3:2 (11:9 11:5 5:11 9:11 11:6) Diogo CARVALHO – FAN Sheng Peng 3:2 (11:8 4:11 13:11 8:11 13:11) Paulo GUILHERME – Quentin ROBINOT 0:3 (3:11 4:11 5:11) Quadri ARUNA – FAN Sheng Peng 3:1 (11:8 8:11 11:6 11:8)
Team of Europe ready for the 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge
Olympic Center Wladyslawowo-Cetniewo in Poland will host the 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge from 23rd to 31th October. Team of Europe is there and after three days camp with other Continental teams the official competition will start on Saturday. In team of Europe are Darius MOVILEANU (ROU) Louis LAFFINEUR (BEL) Simon BELIK (CZE) Denis IZUMRUDOV (RUS) Elena ZAHARIA (ROU) Vlada VORONINA (RUS) Hana ARAPOVIC (CRO) Dorottya TOLGYES (HUN). Coaches on duty are Csilla BATORFI (girls) and Marc CLOSSET (boys). Team Manager is Neven CEGNAR. “We already had short preparations in Gdansk and I am very happy with the performance of the players ” said CEGNAR. At the 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge will be 6 Continental Teams representing Africa Asia Europe Latin America North America and Oceania plus the Hopes Teamand the Host Team Poland. Each hasto nominate four cadet boyplayers and four cadet girl players and a management team of two coaches and one team manager which must include both genders. All continental teams must be composed of athletes representingfour different national associations with the exception of North America. Team events will be played in two stages. Two groups of four teams in the first stage (round robin system) with the group winners and runners-up advancing to the semi-finals and the third and fourth in each group advancing to play for the positions 5-8. Two teams from the same Continent cannot be drawn in the same groups. All positions are to be decided. In doubles events there are the place for sixteen pairs two per participating team whilst in mixed doubles will play 32 pairings. In singles will play thirty-two boys and girls four per participating team. The singles events will be played in two stages. Eight groups of four players in the first stage (round robin system) with the top two players advancing to the main draw of progressive knock-out system (playing for the positions 1 to 16) and the last two players advancing to play for the positions 17 to 32.
TTCLM Round 3: High-stakes clash Angers vs. SV Mühlhausen
Table Tennis Champions League Men Round 3 (Oct 23-25) TTCLM Round 3 scheduled for October 23-25 will not decide quarter-finalists but could predict destiny of some participants regarding top two spots in each group. One of these clashes to be held between VS Angers TT and Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 (Oct 24 19:30 CET) in Group A. “Our meeting against Mulhausen will decide surely the second place in the group. However we still have to win against Leka in the second leg against which we have struggled to win 3-2 last Friday. I hope that our team will raise its level of play to worry more Mulhausen who remains in my opinion favorite on this meeting ” stated Eric GAUTRET VS Angers manager Post SV Mühlhausen coach Erik SCHREYER agrees that the upcoming encounter could decide the second quarter-finalist in Group A (everyone agrees that the regaining champion Fakel-Gazprom is untouchable): „Angers is a strong team and sure who will win have a good chance to get the second place in the group. This is for both teams the same challenge. Our players are in a good shape and after some defeats in Bundesliga and Champions League we are very focused to reward us with a victory. “ Mühlhausen player Lubomir JANCARIK added: „We are looking forward to the next TTCLM match in Angers. They have a strong team but so we are and we believe that all the spectators will enjoy this match. “ Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 unexpectedly lost both its game in Group B but sport director of Roskilde Allan BENTSEN is sure that first victory will come this Thursday against Ostrava: “We did not get the start that we were hoping for but we will fight to get back. Thursday’s game will we have Liam (PITCHFORD) to play his first game together with ZHAI and MAZE and we hope that Liam will give the confidence so that we can get a win and get into the group.” Saarbrucken’s coach Slobodan GRUJIC stressed that his side aims third win in a row playing at home against one of debutants in Group C: “After our win in Poland we expect GDCS Juncal in a good mood determined to keep top spot in our group. We will do our best to justify our status of favorites.” Another TTCLM newcomer STK Starr Croatia visits TTCLM record holder this Friday. Borussia Dusseldorf coach Danny HEISTER explains: “We have to see who will arrive. They made a good game against Sporting. We will prepare well and not underestimate the team. Everyone is fit and we are hot for the game.” Ricardo WALTHER hopes that German side will justify its status against Croatian team: “On Friday we have the third matchday in Champions League at home against STK Starr Croatia. On the paper they seem to be the lightest opponents. The win against Sporting at home went very well for us also the important points against Hennebont last Thursday. I think we can face now the Croatian with a big chest and of course we hope to take the third victory in the third game in Champions League.” WALTHER’s teammate Omar ASSAR agrees with him: “Well we had a very good start in the Champions League group by the game over Sporting Lisbon and also Hennebont because the two are very good teams and specially Hennebont we played away and it was a tough match for us so it was a very good start and we are looking forward for the third round against Zagreb here at home in Düsseldorf to also secure the first place of our group.” Table Tennis Champions League Men Round 3 GROUP A VS Angers TT – Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 (Oct 24 19:30 CET) Fakel Gazprom Orenburg – Leka Enea TDM (Oct 25 15:00 CET) GROUP B Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – TTC Ostrava 2016 (Oct 24 18:00 CET) SPG Walter Wels – TTSC UMMC (Oct 25 18:30 CET) GROUP C FC Saarbrücken TT – GDCS Juncal (Oct 25 19:30 CET) Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois – KS Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (Oct 25 20:00 CET) GROUP D Sporting Clube De Portugal – GV Hennebont TT (Oct 23 18:30 CET) Borussia Düsseldorf – STK Starr Croatia (Oct 25 19:00 CET)
ECLW Round 2: Linz wins tense clash in Hodonin
European Champions League Women Round 2 Actual ECLW winner KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg and two former champions TTC Berlin Eastside and Linz AG Froschberg won their away matches in the Round 2 held tonight October 22. Polish champion beat the 2013 runner-up SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC 3:1 German side overcame 2016 ETTU Cup women winner CP Lyssois Lille Métropole 3:1 whilst Austrian club was extended to full distance by last year’s quarter-finalist SKST Stavoimpex Hodonin of Czech Republic. TT Saint Quentinois was the only successful host this time as they beat UCAM Cartagena TM 3:1. SHAN Xiaona paved the way to Berlin’s victory as she defeated both Tamolwan KHETKUAN and Andrea TODOROVIC. The same effort did Polina MIKHAILOVA in TT Saint Quentinois’ team as well as HAN Ying in Tarnobrzeg and Sofia POLCANOVA in Linz. One of the strongest ECLW defensive players HAN lost only 25 points in total in both her encounters. After Round 2 four teams lead in their respective groups with 2-0 win-loss record: TTC Berlin Eastside (Group A) TT Saint Quentinois (Group B) KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg (Group C) and Linz AG Froschberg (Group D). Round 3 to be held from this Friday do Sunday October 25-27th. European Champions League Women Round 2 GROUP A CP Lyssois Lille Métropole – TTC Berlin Eastside 1:3 Andrea TODOROVIĆ – Bernadette SZÖCS 3:2 (11:7 9:11 12:10 9:11 11:4) Tamolwan KHETKUAN – Xiaona SHAN 1:3 (3:11 3:11 11:9 6:11) Sanja KORAK – Nina MITTELHAM 1:3 (11:8 11:13 7:11 9:11) Andrea TODOROVIC – SHAN Xiaona 0:3 (9:11 3:11 8:11) GROUP B TT Saint Quentinois – UCAM Cartagena TM 3:1 Polina MIKHAYLOVA – Silvia ERDELYI 3:1 (12:10 10:12 11:6 11:4) ZHANG Mo – Ana GARCIA 1:3 (6:11 11:7 9:11 8:11) Aurore LE MANSEC – Andrea MARIN 3:0 (11:8 11:5 11:1) Polina MIKHAYLOVA – Ana GARCIA 3:2 (8:11 7:11 11:6 11:3 11:3) GROUP C SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC – KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg 1:3 Szandra PERGEL – Elizabeta SAMARA 3:2 (6:11 11:8 11:8 10:12 11:4) Maria FAZEKAS – HAN Ying 0:3 (2:11 5:11 3:11) Szabina ŠURJAN – WU Yue 2:3 (11:9 5:11 8:11 11:9 9:11) Szandra PERGEL – HAN Ying 0:3 (7:11 4:11 4:11) GROUP D SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin – Linz AG Froschberg 2:3 NG Wing Nam – SOO Wai Yam Minnie 3:2 (11:9 9:11 11:4 9:11 11:8) Natalia PARTYKA – Sofia POLCANOVA 0:3 (11:13 3:11 15:17) Solomiya BRATEYKO – Christina KÄLLBERG 3:2 (13:11 8:11 11:6 8:11 11:6) NG Wing Nam – Sofia POLCANOVA 1:3 (9:11 10:12 11:9 4:11) Natalia PARTYKA – SOO Wai Yam Minnie 0:3 (9:11 5:11 7:11)
ECLW: Budaörsi honored to welcome reigning champion
European Champions League Women Round 2 (October 22) The 2012/13 ECLW runner-up SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC is going to face reigning champion KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg this Tuesday (Oct 22 18:00) in the Group C Round 2. Krisztina SZVITÁN table tennis manager of the Budaörsi Sport Club is looking forward meeting Polish champion in Hungary. “The Budaörsi Sport Club is honored to be a member of the Champions League again this year” stated Krisztina SZVITÁN. “We are pleased that our women’s table tennis team is one of the 12 strongest teams in Europe. Like every year since 2003 our goal this year is still that we well represent the City of Budaörs our sponsors our main sponsor SH-ITB Kft. and Hungarian table tennis in the European Cups. We are proud of our Chapmions League bronze medal we won in 2012 to our finalist place in the Champions League in 2013 and our 3rd place in the last round of the ETTU Cup. On our match on Tuesday in Budaörs we host the Champions League defender team which is an honorable task.” Regarding aims for this season SZVITÁN explains: “The leadership of our association would like that if SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC would stay in battle till the end with the French team Metz TT. for the advancement. The 2019/2020 season can bring us matches of this high quality which can help Szandra PERGEL to realize our dream the Olympic qualification and will provide continuous development opportunities for our young player Szabina SURJÁN.” Szandra PERGEL believes that her side is capable to fight against top European clubs: “I would like to play as many good games as possible we can play bravely we have nothing to lose. I hope we can surprise our opponents with a couple of unexpected results though it will be very difficult because these teams are really excellent.” European rising star Szabina SURJÁN added: “I am really excited to be playing in the Champions League for the first time in my life I can gather new experiences. I am excited to get started. I hope our team will be in a good shape and we can give the maximum on the match.”
ECLW: Two rounds in six days!
The 2018/19 European Champions League Women Round 2 (Oct 22) and Round 3 (Oct 25-27) Two ECLW rounds will be held this week from Tuesday do Sunday (October 22-27) but entire Round 2 is scheduled for tomorrow October 22nd with clashes between two top ranked teams in each group. That’s why this stage could be decisive for the final standings and places that lead to the quarter-finals. Actual ECLW champion KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg travels to Hungary to meet 2012/13 runner-up SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC in Group C. Four-time champion and current no.1 seed TTC Berlin Eastside plays in France against 2015/16 ETTU Cup winner CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (Group A); three-time in a row ECLW quarter-finalist in the last four seasons TT Saint-Quentinois hosts 2015/16 ECLW semi-finalist and 2018/19 ETTU Cup winner UCAM Cartagena T.M (Group B) while two-time ECLW champion Linz AG Froschberg (Group D) faces last year’s quarter-finalist SKST Stavoimpex Hodonin in Czech Republic . “It`s always difficult for us to collect a healthy and capable team in autumn… but this time we think it can work again against Hodonin. Hodonin is strong and not easy to evaluate but we think that Minnie (SOO) and the quarter finalist from actual Women’s World Cup Sofia POLCANOVA will set the marks and our great Swedish girls Linda BERGSTRÖM or Stina KALLBERG can achieve also points for us. A clear victory would be great but we always expect a close match.” stated Gunther RENNER Linz AG Froschberg president whose side won Round 1 game against Leka Enea 3:1 TT Saint-Quentin team manager Jean-Louis POLARD believes that his side has a good opportunity to secure second win in a row: “After the first home victory against Villach (Austria) TT Saint-Quentinois will receive UCAM Cartagena team for the second consecutive match in France. Coach Franck DELCAMBRE would like to confirm the first result with the same players: Canadian ZHANG Mo French Aurore LE MANSEC and Russians Polina MIKHAILOVA and Olga MIKHAYLOVA. Every season ECLW teams change and the difficulty of Tuesday’s match will depend on the members of the Spanish club. It can vary a lot according to any case of injury or illness for both teams. Nevertheless the French public would like to see again the best players in the sports hall of Saint-Quentin.” European Champions League Women GROUP A Round 2: CP Lyssois Lille Métropole – TTC Berlin Eastside (Oct 22 19:00 CET) Round 3: GIRBAU-VIC TT – CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (Oct 25 19:00 CET) GROUP B Round 2: TT Saint Quentinois – UCAM Cartagena TM (Oct 22 19:30 CET) Round 3: TTC CarinthiaWinds Villach – UCAM Cartagena TM (Oct 26 15:00 CET) GROUP C Round 2: SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC – KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg (Oct 22 18:00 CET) Round 3: Metz TT – SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i SC (Oct 27 15:00 CET) GROUP D Round 2: SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin – Linz AG Froschberg (Oct 22 18:00 CET) Round 3: Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa – SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin (Oct 25 18:30 CET)
Liu Shiwen wins for record fifth time
Uncle Pop 2019 ITTF Women’s World Cup in Chengdu Winner earlier this year at the Liebherr 2019 World Championships in Budapest; on Sunday 20th October LIU Shiwen emerged successful at the Uncle Pop 2019 ITTF Women’s World Cup in Chengdu. Thus she both wrote her name indelibly into the record books and joined the very elite of the sport. The no.2 seed on the concluding day play after ending the brave run of Lily ZHANG from the United States the no.18 seed (11-6 11-1 11-5 11-5) she beat colleague ZHU Yuling the top seed (11-6 11-8 11-8 5-11 15-13) to arrest the title. In the opposite half of the draw in the penultimate round ZHU Yuling had overcome Singapore’s FENG Tianwei the no.7 seed (11-1 11-13 9-11 11-5 11-5 11-5). Gold in Chengdu means that she has now won the Women’s World Cup title five times; previously she succeeded in 2009 in Guangzhou 2012 in Huangshi the following year in Kobe before emerging victorious in 2015 in Sendai. Moreover LIU Shiwen is now the most successful player ever in the history of the tournament that dates back to 1996 in Hong Kong. She now goes one ahead of compatriot ZHANG Yining who won in 2001 in Wuhu and 2002 in Singapore prior to succeeding again in consecutive years in 2004 in Xiaoshan and in 2005 in Guangzhou.
No Europeans in the semis of the Uncle Pop 2019 ITTF Women’s World Cup
On the second day of play at the Uncle Pop 2019 ITTF Women’s World Cup in Chengdu there are no more European players left in the arena in China. At the semi-final stage China’s ZHU Yuling meets FENG Tianwei of Singapore whilst another host nation representative LIU Shiwen opposes Lily ZHANG of USA; play concludes in Chengdu on Sunday 20th October. Lily ZHANG was beaten in her very first match of the tournament by Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS (11-9 8-11 12-10 11-7 11-3); second place in the initial phase group and thus progress to the main draw gained courtesy of success in opposition to Puerto Rico’s Adriana DIAZ (12-10 11-8 9-11 11-7 13-11) on the second day of action Lily Zhang excelled all expectations. The no.18 seed she beat Japan’s Miu HIRANO the no.4 seed and winner in 2016 in Philadelphia (12-10 11-8 8-11 8-11 8-11 11-5 11-5) prior to accounting for Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA the no.8 seed in yet another full distance encounter (11-9 8-11 11-8 4-11 8-11 11-8 11-8) to reserve her place in the penultimate round. Thus Lily ZHANG becomes the first player from the United States and only the second from the Pan American continent to progress to the semi-final stage of the tournament. A surprise semi-finalists and there was one more; Singapore’s FENG Tianwei the no.7 seed after overcoming Bernadette the no.9 seed (11-8 12-10 11-8 11-8) accounted for Japan’s Kasumi ISHIKAWA the no.3 seed (12-10 7-11 11-8 8-11 8-11 12-10 11-7) to reserve her last four place. Upsets but not where China was concerned; both ZHU Yuling the top seed and LIU Shiwen the no.2 seed advanced smoothly to the penultimate round. ZHU Yuling beat Canada’s ZHANG Mo the no.14 seed (11-2 11-3 11-3 11-4) followed by success in opposition to Germany’s Petrissa SOLJA the no.11 seed (11-4 11-1 11-6 11-7).
45 people attended the interactive session at the ETTU and ITTF Marketing Workshop in Nantes
During the recently held LIEBHERR European Championships Nantes hosted this year’s ETTU and ITTF Marketing Workshop. This was the 4th edition of such a collaborative ETTU and ITTF workshop following Budapest (2016) Luxembourg (2017) and Alicante (2018). The workshop was well attended with 45 people joining the interactive session. ETTU would like to thank to those attendees which included representatives of National Associations Table Tennis equipment brands ETTU Executive Board and staff and players including a former world number 1 ! The topic this year was Working Together to Deliver High Level Quality European Events with the objective of reflecting on the entertainment industry we are all in and particularly how we can work together to improve our events for all stakeholders including fans players TV sponsors partners cities etc. The workshop was opened by Petra SORLING (ITTF Vice President for Finance) and Richard SCRUTON (ETTU Secretary General) and was led by Jonny COWAN (ITTF European Marketing Manager) and Lena DUBKOVA (ITTF Europe Promotions Manager). Thank you to Max ANSBRO and Beatrice ROMANESCU who gave updates on their strategies in Sweden and Romania respectively. You can see a summary version of the slides used at this year’s ETTU and ITTF Marketing Workshop in Nantes here
Walter Wels enjoys its best start in TTCLM
Table Tennis Champions League Men Round 2 Walter Wels has made its best start in TTCLM having 2-0 win-loss record after two rounds. Austrian club beat at home TTC Ostrava 2016 3:0 in Group B clash held tonight October 18th. Host teams won all today’s matches: VS Angers TT – Leka Enea TDM 3:2 TTSC UMMC – Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 3:1 SPG Walter Wels – TTC Ostrava 2016 3:0 Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois – GDCS Juncal 3:0 Sporting Clube De Portugal – STK Starr Croatia 3:2. Two best ranked Group B teams met in Russia where no.6 seed and actual TTCLM runner-up UMMC beat no.4 Roskilde Bordtetnis BTK61 3:1. It was a good team work of Russian side as each player contributed with one point. Roskilde’s Bojan TOKIC was stretched to full distance by Andrej GACINA in the opener but one Danish player Jonathan GROTH tied the score at 1-1 against his compatriots as he prevailed against ZHAI Yujia. Remaining two matches took four games each: Alexander SHIBAEV and Andrej GACINA overcame Allan BENTSEN and ZHAI Yujia respectively. Walter Wels defeated Ostrava 3:0 and KANG Dangsoo improved his season’s win-loss record to 3-0. First two matches were tense and exciting both decided after full five games: KANG beat Felipe OLIVARES and Frane KOJIC overcame Ondrej BAJAGER. Third clash saw Adam SZUDI’s clear win against Simon BELIK. Quadri ARUNA paved the way to Sporting’s 3:2 home win over STK Starr Croatia. Nigerian beat both QIU Liang and SUN Chia-Hung both in straight games whilst Diogo CARVALHO overcame QIO Liang in the decisive fifth encounter. VS Angers beat Leka Enea 3:2 in Group A. Each of host player won one point – Jon PERSSON Jens LUNDQVIST and Joao GERALDO while Hampus SODERLUND took both for Spanish side. Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois recorded first victory in its debuting season in TTCLM. French club overcame GDCS Juncal 3:0. TTCLM Round 2 GROUP A VS Angers TT – Leka Enea TDM 3:2 Jon PERSSON – Endika DIEZ 3:2 (9:11 11:8 6:11 11:8 11:8) Joao GERALDO – Hampus SODERLUND 1:3 (9:11 11:8 7:11 11:13) Jens LUNDQVIST – Daniel PALACIOS 3:0 (11:6 13:11 11:6) Jon PERSSON – Hampus SODERLUND 2:3 (7:11 11:5 6:11 11:9 9:11) Joao GERALDO – Endika DIEZ 3:0 (12:10 11:9 11:6) GROUP B TTSC UMMC – Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 3:1 Andrej GACINA – Bojan TOKIC 2:3 (9:11 11:9 10:12 11:9 9:11) Jonathan GROTH – ZHAI Yujia 3:2 (11:5 4:11 11:7 7:11 11:7) Alexander SHIBAEV – Allan BENTSEN 3:1 (11:7 10:12 11:5 11:8) Andrej GACINA – ZHAI Yujia 3:1 (11:8 16:18 11:5 11:8) SPG Walter Wels – TTC Ostrava 2016 3:0 KANG Dangsoo – Felipe OLIVARES 3:2 (11:8 5:11 11:6 9:11 11:5) Frane KOJIC – Ondrej BAJAGER 3:2 (4:11 11:7 6:11 11:4 11:8) Adam SZUDI – Simon BELIK 3:0 (11:4 11:7 11:7) GROUP C Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois – GDCS Juncal 3:0 Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA – Andrey BUKIN 3:0 (11:5 11:6 11:4) Nima ALAMIAN – Saheed IDOWU 3:0 (11:9 11:4 11:3) Vassily LAKEEV – Bruno SILVA 3:0 (11:2 11:7 11:5) GROUP D Sporting Clube De Portugal – STK Starr Croatia 3:2 Quadri ARUNA – QIU Liang 3:0 (11:9 11:7 11:5) Diogo CARVALHO – SUN Chia-Hung 0:3 (9:11 7:11 6:11) Francisco WAHNON – Ronald REDJEP 0:3 (7:11 7:11 7:11) Quadri ARUNA – SUN Chia-Hung 3:0 (11:8 11:6 11:5) Diogo CARVALHO – QIU Liang 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:4)
