In an electrifying and fantastic atmosphere KS DEKORGLASS DZIAŁDOWO took the lead against KS DARTOM BOGORIA Grodzisk Mazowiecki securing an away victory in the opening leg of the European Cup Men’s final. Under the guidance of coach Michał DZIUBAŃSKI this marks the team’s third appearance in a European Cup final bringing them one step closer to a second title. Contrary to what the results suggested the match was a nerve-wracking thriller that lasted just shy of three hours. All three matches concluded in decisive games with two of them going down to the wire in a death-point finish. In all three matches players from KS DEKORGLASS DZIAŁDOWO rallied from behind coming back twice from a 1-2 deficit and once from 0-2 to secure victories. First up was Konishi KAII who reversed a 2-1 deficit against Marek BADOWSKI to clinch victory in the fifth game with a death-point finish. Milosz REDZIMSKI got off to a strong start against Jonathan GROTH leading 2-0 but the Dane rallied to win the next three games in a row. Jakub DYJAS applied early pressure on Panagiotis GIONIS but the Greek player responded by winning the next two games. However DYJAS sealed the match with another thrilling finish. “It was an amazing match. It’s still hard for me to describe what happened. Tonight all three games were at the highest level. We’re incredibly happy to have finished with a 3-0 score. We have the advantage now but it’s not over yet. We’ll play on home soil on Saturday in front of our supporters. We need to rest and prepare well ” said Jakub DYJAS. KS DARTOM BOGORIA Grodzisk Mazowiecki – KS DEKORGLASS DZIAŁDOWO 0-3 Marek BADOWSKI – Konishi KAII 2-3 (7-11 11-4 13-11 6-11 5-6) Milosz REDZIMSKI – Jonathan GROTH 2-3 (11-9 13-11 8-11 4-11 4-6) Panagiotis GIONIS – Jakub DYJAS 2-3 (8-11 14-12 11-9 8-11 5-6)
Bucharest to Host 158 Young Competitors Vying for European Crown
The 2024 European Under 13 Championships will take place from May 22nd to 26th in Bucharest Romania. The entry lists are now closed featuring 28 teams. Additionally there are 83 boys and 75 girls registered for the Under 13 singles competition. The competition will kick off with the Mixed Teams event followed by the Singles and Mixed Doubles competitions. The Championships will be hosted at the Polyvalent Hall in Bucharest. The draw for the team events will be held in Sarajevo on Wednesday May 15th. Last year’s champions in the Mixed Teams event were Türkiye with Italy securing silver. Spain and Germany rounded out the medal podium in third place. All documents and any future updates or changes can be found at the following link: European Under 13 Championships Regulations & Documents
Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki Faces KS Dekorglass Dzialdowo in Europe Cup Final
In the final of the Europe Cup Men Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki will host KS Dekorglass Dzialdowo in the opening match of the final. The host team will be led by Pawel FERTIKOWSKI who replaced coach REDZIMSKI after he became the coach of the Polish national team in January. “The team from Dzialdowo is very strong and also holds a special place in my heart because I used to play there and together we won the ETTU Cup. I believe they have excellent players and the details will decide who will be more effective ” said coach FERTIKOWSKI. “All the players of Bogoria are in optimal shape and the outcome of the match will be seen during the game. We are preparing as best as we can refining different combinations and variants. We will be ready for a great game.” It has been a long and challenging season especially for the national team’s players. “This season has been incredibly tough for everyone particularly for players like Miłosz REDZIMSKI and Panagiotis GIONIS who are competing for the Olympic Games. We must use every ounce of strength and determination to cope. I deeply appreciate the perseverance of the entire team.” Coach FERTIKOWSKI remembered the 2013 season when Bogoria played in the final. “I still recall Bogoria’s amazing ETTU Cup Final where I had the pleasure to play and we came close to defeating a strong team from Russia. It was a beautiful event filled with incredible emotions but focus is crucial at the table. Maintaining calm and focus amid such emotions can lead to a better game.” The Polish League showcases its strength with both finalists hailing from Poland. “The main difference in my opinion is that in ETTU when the score is tied at 2:2 we play singles whereas in the Polish League we have doubles. For us this matters because we have a defender. It’s fantastic that two Polish teams will compete in the European competition highlighting the high level of our Polish teams ” coach FERTIKOWSKI stated. Marek BADOWSKI added “We are familiar with the team from Dzialdowo. We have competed against each other for many years in key competitions. They have skilled players who can be extremely dangerous when in good form. I am personally in good shape and have been preparing for the Super League playoffs and the European Cup final for several weeks. I’ve had fewer matches recently so I’m focused on training. It’s great that we have a few days to prepare and practice together as a team.” Badowski admitted “For me the schedule isn’t as tight since I don’t compete internationally. If I had to juggle WTT ETTU and Super League competitions it would be overwhelming. Players must adapt daily to different tables balls and conditions sometimes even time zones. It seems excessive and I often wonder if it’s sustainable physically for the players. This is my first European Cup final and I’m eager to compete for the title with my Bogoria team where we’ve been preparing physically tactically and mentally for this match. Both teams will be fully prepared and it promises to be a fantastic show.” Miłosz REDZIMSKI announced “We are familiar with our opponents and we always engage in fierce battles. That’s what we expect this Thursday. We are all in good shape and hope for a meeting that ends in victory.”
Watch the Action from the 2nd EYS in Loutraki
Table tennis fans from all over Europe will have the opportunity to watch videos of all the matches that took place at the recent Europe Youth tournament in Greece. The YouTube channel gre78.tv which provided the live streaming for the second Greek Open in Loutraki has started publishing individual matches. They have recorded all of them including the team events competition. Day by day and table by table the match videos will be posted. You can find the channel here.
SAMARA: Fu YU is the hero of the match
Polish club KTS ENEA Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg clinched an away win in France against Etival ASRTT in the opening leg of the Champions League Women’s final. After three hours of intense competition the defending champions emerged victorious in five matches. The highly anticipated clash between two Portuguese stars Jieni SHAO and Fu YU concluded in YU’s favor. YU also secured a crucial win in the fifth match against Camelia IACOB. “It was a fantastic night and an incredible match. Fu YU was our hero. I’m disappointed we couldn’t win 3-0 as we had the opportunity ” remarked Elizabeta SAMARA. Marie MIGOT and Jieni SHAO each earned points in their duels against SAMARA and Xiaoxin YANG both matches going the full five games. “Both of those matches were very close. I’m grateful I was able to play tonight. Just a few days ago in Macao I had to retire against HAYATA due to recurring back pain ” shared SAMARA. The return leg is set for Friday night. Etival ASRTT – KTS ENEA Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg 2-3 Jieni SHAO – Fu YU 1-3 (8-11 9-11 11-6 9-11) Camelia IACOB – Xiaoxin YANG 0-3 (8-11 4-11 11-13) Marie MIGOT – Elizabeta SAMARA 3-2 (11-8 12-14 11-8 5-11 6-2) Jieni SHAO – Xiaoxin YANG 3-2 (3-11 11-6 4-11 12-10 6-5) Camelia IACOB – Fu YU 0-3 (4-11 13-15 5-11)
Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity: ETTU Marks World Table Tennis Day in Saarbrücken
Today the world marks World Table Tennis Day and 117 out of the 702 events registered globally are happening in Europe. ETTU is proud to spotlight the success of our recent event at Europa Galerie in Saarbrücken on April 20th. The event drew hundreds of people from different backgrounds and ages. Everyone came together to enjoy the sport play fun and friendly matches and embrace this year’s theme of Diversity and Inclusion. ETTU Secretary General Pierre KASS and ETTU Deputy Secretary General Galia DVORAK joined the celebration. Both took part in the games showing off their skills and sharing their passion for the sport. Galia DVORAK shared her thoughts on the day: “It’s wonderful to see so many different people coming together through their love for Table Tennis. Today shows that the sport is truly for everyone regardless of where you come from or your skill level. I would like to thank the ITTF Foundation Nico BARROIS the manager of 1 FC Saarbrücken TT and Dennis BASTRUCK the center manager of Europa Galerie for making this event possible.” Darko JORGIC and Cedric NUYTINCK members of the local team 1 FC Saarbrücken TT which recently won the Men’s Champions League Final 4 also visited the Europa Galerie to join the celebrations. Bojan TOKIC a former Slovenian national team player and current coach of the Belgium national team attended the event as well. World Table Tennis Day is more than just a day to celebrate; it’s a reminder of how sports can connect people promote inclusivity and build respect for each other. At the ETTU we are proud to support such a meaningful movement.
Etival ASRTT Aims to Upset Reigning Champions KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg in Champions League Final
This season in the Champions League Women Etival ASRTT has emerged as the dark horse by reaching the final creating one of the top-rated upsets in the competition. The French club will now face the formidable reigning champions KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg with hopes of halting their mission to secure a third consecutive crown. On their journey to the final Etival ASRTT defeated Czechia’s SKST Plus Hodonin in the semis Serbia’s TTC Novi Sad in the quarters and topped their group by overcoming Austria’s Linz AG Froschberg and French ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly. Jieni SHAO Marie MIGOT and Camelia IACOB have been the driving forces behind Etival ASRTT’s European campaign this season. “Hana wasn’t playing this year due to the extremely busy schedule leading up to the Olympic Games. Despite missing MATELOVA we managed to reach the final which no one expected ” commented MIGOT. The opening match is set for Tuesday in France. “We have nothing to lose. We’ll play without pressure. We need JIENI to perform at her usual level and Cami and I will give our best ” added MIGOT. KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg will be without their star player HAN Ying. “Certainly that works in our favor but even without HAN they are an incredibly strong team with vast experience. They are a top club boasting world-class players. It’s up to us to try to create an upset. With our home advantage and a packed venue we’ll have the supporters on our side ” noted MIGOT. Marie promised a fierce fight saying “Camelia has lost only one match this season in the Champions League I’ve defeated two very strong players and Jieni has been consistently outstanding. We have our chances in the final and we’ll go for them. While a quick 0:3 defeat like last year is possible we’ll give our best to extend the match.” MIGOT also expressed her preference for the Men’s Champions League playing system stating “The Men’s Champions League system with the Final Four format was much better than ours this year. It’s a pity we didn’t adopt the same format.”
Donner and Vendelbo Celebrate Three Gold medals in the Veterans’ NETU Championships
Finnish player Marina DONNER and Danish player Henrik VENDELBO celebrated three championships over the weekend at the North European Table Tennis Union (NETU) Veterans’ Championships held in Helsinki. DONNER managed to achieve this impressive feat without dropping a single game. The Åland native secured gold medals in the singles for the 40-year-old category teamed up with Sweden’s Sofia WESTHOLM for the doubles and partnered with Finland’s Aki KONTALA for mixed doubles. In a thrilling final match of the 55-year-old singles VENDELBO defeated Finland’s Pasi VALASTI 3-2 (7-11 11-8 13-11 3-11 11-5). The Danish mixed doubles pair consisting of Oscar SØNDBERG from Denmark clinched the top spot alongside Lilian BIERDASZKIEWIEZ. The friendly tournament brought together over 300 enthusiasts from the sport from seven different countries to the Finnish capital over three days. Participants represented age groups ranging from 40-year-olds to those over 90. The junior championships for the NETU region will be decided in June in Norway. All results and pictures of the winners can be found on the website of the Finnish Table Tennis Association. Link to the Finnish Table Tennis Association’s website
KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg Aims for Third Consecutive Champions League Title
KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg the reigning Champions League Women’s champions are geared up and motivated as they travel to France to face Etival ASRTT in the opening leg of the final on Tuesday. With two consecutive titles under their belt they are eyeing a historic third in a row. Their journey to the final has been impressive overcoming strong opponents along the way. They defeated Austria’s Linz AG Froschberg in the semi-finals Italian ASD Quattro Mori in the quarters and topped their group by defeating TT Joué les Tours and TTC Novi Sad. However their path to the final has not been without challenges. They faced a tough blow before the quarters when HAN Ying had to take a break due to surgery. Meanwhile Elizabeta SAMARA and FU Yu competed in the ITTF World Cup Macao 2024 last week and Xiaoxin YANG is gearing up for Olympic qualifications. Coach Zbigniew NĘCEK expressed his feelings ahead of the final saying “We are thrilled to be in the final especially after HAN Ying’s injury. We believe in our chances but due to our players’ demanding schedules including preparations for the Olympics and WTT tournaments our preparation has been compromised. Eliza SAMARA and FU Yu will be fatigued. While our opponents have fewer such players we’re up for the challenge. We are highly motivated aiming to win for HAN Ying. We know our opponents well and anticipate a tough match in France especially with a packed arena of spectators.” Despite the challenges KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg remains at the top of the national standings with just two matches left before the playoffs.
SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club Triumphs in Spain
The Hungarian SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club clinched a victory in the opening leg of the Europe Cup women’s tournament. Despite playing on their home turf at Museo De La Almendra Francisco Morales in Spain the home team failed to capitalize on their advantage. “The team did a perfect job today but it’s not over yet. We must focus on the Saturday match. It’s very important for all of us to win this title ” emphasized Georgina POTA reflecting on the team’s performance. The match turned out to be much closer than the result predicts with two closely contested encounters concluding after five games each. Georgina POTA secured a crucial 6-3 victory over Meng JIAQI in the deciding game. Meanwhile Patricia SANTOS came agonizingly close to winning her duel against Dora MADARASZ narrowly losing by a death point. “I am very happy with this result. My first match was very difficult mentally but I am overjoyed I could manage to win my second match especially after how she played against Pota in the first match ” expressed Dora MADARASZ. The return leg is set to take place on April 27th. This year marks the 21st appearance of the Hungarian club in European competitions and they have their sights set on clinching their 6th medal in European competition. Museo De La Almendra Francisco Morales – SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club 1-3 Meng JIAQI – Georgina POTA 2-3 (11-5 9-11 6-11 11-8 3-6) Patricia SANTOS – Dora MADARASZ 2-3 (5-11 7-11 12-10 11-7 5-6) Marija GALONJA – Maria FAZEKAS 3-0 (11-7 12-10 11-6) Meng JIAQI – Dora MADARASZ 0-3 (9-11 8-11 7-11)
