ECLW quarter-finals: Dr. CASL – Etival Clairefontaine 1:3 (1st leg 3:0) Reigning ECLW champion Dr. CASL reached 2018/19 semi-finals in spite of losing today’s (January 27) second “home” leg against Etival Clairefontaine 3:1. Actually both games were held on the soil of French club according to the agreement between two clubs and Croatian side won first encounter 3:0. Everything was clear after the opener as NI Xia Lian beat Camelia IACOB in straight games. That point secured Dr. CASL place among the best four clubs in the ongoing season. In the rest of the match SHAO Jieni won two games against LI Jie and Ni Xia Lian while Maria DOLGIKH overcame Hong Kong’s DOO Hoi Kem after full five games. ECLW quarter-finals Second leg Dr. CASL – Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT 1:3 NI Xia Lian – Camelia IACOB 3:0 (12:10 11:7 11:8) LI Jie – SHAO Jieni 2:3 (9:11 11:6 11:6 10:12 8:11) DOO Hoi Kem – Maria DOLGIKH 2:3 (9:11 6:11 11:9 11:8 8:11) NI Xia Lian – SHAO Jieni 1:3 (6:11 5:11 11:8 7:11) First leg Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT – Dr. CASL 0:3 SHAO Jieni – LI Jie 0:3 (10:12 5:11 9:11) Maria DOLGIKH – YU Fu 0:3 (3:11 4:11 7:11) Hana MATELOVA – DOO Hoi Kem 0:3 (4:11 8:11 8:11)
Tarnobrzeg wins in Portugal
ECLW quarter-finals 1st leg: Sporting – Tarnobrzeg 1:3 Two-time ECLW runner-up and actual no. 2 seed KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg from Poland beat Sporting Clube de Portugal 3:1 in the first quarter-final game held in Lisbon. Second leg will take a place on February 11th in the Polish city of Tarnobrzeg. This clash involved last three out of four individual European champions LI Qian (gold medal 2018) Elizabeta SAMARA (2015) and LI Fen (2013) but 2013 bronze medalist HAN Ying had the biggest impact on the final outcome. One of the best defenders in the ECLW in last couple of years secured two points for Polish champion as she overcame both LI Fen and Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO. Second match was crucial bearing in mind that host side had a chance for 2-0 lead. After Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO win against Elizabeta SAMARA LI Fen led 2-1 against HAN Ying but guest managed to win that encounter. ECLW quarter-finals 1st leg Sporting Clube de Portugal – KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg 1:3 Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO – Elizabeta SAMARA 3:1 (9:11 11:5 12:10 11:2) LI Fen – HAN Ying 2:3 (6:11 14:12 11:9 7:11 6:11) Zhenqi BARTHEL APOLONIA – LI Qian 0:3 (2:11 9:11 2:11) Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO – HAN Ying 0:3 (7:11 9:11 8:11)
TMK-TAGMET Taganrog won by narow margin
ETTU Cup quarterfinal first leg TMK-TAGMET Taganrog overcame two matches to one defecit to beat Spanish UCAM Cartagena in Admiral Arena in Russia. In Men’s ETTU Cup Cajasur Priego TM suffered at home against Sporting Clube De Portugal. Yulia PROKHOROVA beat Victoria LEBEDEVA in straight games to open first leg encounter but Maria XIAO leveled. She beat Margarita FETUKHINA. Silvia ERDELYI DE SOUZA gave hosts the lead after she accounted for Valentina SABITOVA. However PROKHOROVA and FETUKHINA showd no mercy and overcame Maria and Victoria. Cajasur Priego TM will have very difficult task in February against Sporting Clube De Portugal. At home soil only Andre SILVA scored agaist Diogo CARVALHO. Quadri ARUNA won both his matches and Bode ABIODUN aded another victory to the score. TMK-TAGMET Taganrog – UCAM Cartagena TM 3:2 Yulia PROKHOROVA – Victoria LEBEDEVA 3:0 (14:12 11:5 11:4) Margarita FETUKHINA – Maria XIAO 1:3 (8:11 11:9 11:13 2:11) Valentina SABITOVA – Silvia ERDELYI DE SOUZA 0:3 (8:11 3:11 3:11) Yulia PROKHOROVA – Maria XIAO 3:1 (11:7 7:11 11:6 11:8) Margarita FETUKHINA – Victoria LEBEDEVA 3:1 (11:3 9:11 11:6 12:10) Cajasur Priego TM – Sporting Clube De Portugal 1:3 Carlos MACHADO – Bode ABIODUN 2:3 (11:7 11:9 9:11 8:11 9:11) HAN Qiyao – Quadri ARUNA 2:3 (11:13 11:8 12:10 2:11 7:11) Andre SILVA – Diogo CARVALHO 3:0 (14:12 11:8 11:9) Carlos MACHADO – Quadri ARUNA 1:3 (3:11 11:5 7:11 6:11)
TTCLM quarter-finals: Angers and UMMC won away
TTCLM quarter-finals 1st leg: Walter Wels – Angers 0:3 Muhlhausen – UMMC 2:3 Vaillante Sports Angers and TTSC UMMC have secured advantage in the first leg of the 2018/19 TTCLM quarter-finals playing their matches away. French club beat SPG Walters Wels 3:0 while Russian team overcame Post SV Muhlhausen 3:2. Angers is very close to the biggest achievement in its history as they never played TTCLM semi-finals before. Jens LUDQVIST beat Deni KOZUL in four games of the opener while other two games have been decided in straight sets: Joao GERALDO prevailed against Adam SZUDI and Andrea LANDRIEU defeated Dominique PLATTNER. The 2012 TTCLM runner-up UMMC was successful in Muhlhausen thanks to Andrej GACINA who won both his encounters against Daniel HABESOHN and Lubomir JANCARIK. Chinese player in Russian team FANG Bo former world Top 10 player defeated JANCARIK but lost to HABESOHN in the very exciting fourth clash (Austrian reversed the score in late third game from 8-10 to 12-10). Actual 2018 ITTF European Championships runner-up Ovidiu IONESCU prevailed against 2018 Europe Top 16 Cup bronze medallist Jonathan GROTH after full five games. TTCLM quarter-finals 1stleg SPG Walter Wels – Vaillante Sports Angers 0:3 Deni KOZUL – Jens LUNDQVIST 1:3 (9:11 11:7 6:11 4:11) Adam SZUDI – Joao GERALDO 0:3 (8:11 9:11 5:11) Dominique PLATTNER – Andrea LANDRIEU 0:3 (6:11 2:11 4:11) Post SV Muhlhausen – TTSC UMMC 2:3 Daniel HABESOHN – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (6:11 6:11 11:8 8:11) Lubomir JANCARIK – FANG Bo 1:3 (11:9 3:11 10:12 13:15) Ovidiu IONESCU – Jonathan GROTH 3:2 (8:11 11:9 4:11 11:7 11:1) Daniel HABESOHN – FANG Bo 3:1 (7:11 11:7 12:10 11:6) Lubomir JANCARIK – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (6:11 11:9 3:11 7:11)
Hodonin upset four-time ECLW champion
2018/19 ECLW quarter-finals 1st leg: Hodonin – Berlin 3:1 Etival Clairefontaine – Dr. CASL 0:3 Metz – Linz 2:3 Czech Republic’s SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin caused big upset in the first quarter-final leg of the 2018/19 ECLW as they beat at home former four-time winner TTC Berlin Eastside 3:1. Reigning ECLW champion Dr. CASL swept away Etival Clairefontaine 3:0 and all three encounters were decided in straight games so just miracle can prevent them to reach the semi-final. Former two-time ECLW champion Linz AG Frochberg and actual ETTU Cup winner Metz TT showed another close game between them as Austrian side secured 3:2 advantage for the second leg. China’s GUO Ruichen secured two points for Hodinin against Georgina POTA and SHAN Xiaona who lost both her games first one to Iveta VACENOVSKA. Youngest Berlin’s player Nina MITTELHAM provided unique point for her side as she beat Natalia PARTYKA in the third match. Dr. CASL recorded superb win 3:0 with all three encounters in straight games: LI Jie vs. SHAO Jieni YU Fu vs. Maria DOLGIKH DOO Hoi Kem vs. Hana MATELOVA. Second leg will be held in the same hall this Sunday (January 27) as two clubs earlier agreed about it. Hong Kong’s SOO Wai Yam Minnie was key player of Linz in the game held in Metz. She beat both DING Yaping (in the opener) and Adina DIACONU (fifth match) while Sofia POLCANOVA overcame DIACONU in the second game. After fourth clash teams have been levelled as Carole GRUNDISCH and DING Yaping prevailed against Linda BERGSTROM and Sofia POLCANOVA respectively. 2018/19 ECLW quarter-finals 1st leg SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin – TTC Berlin Eastside 3:1 GUO Ruichen – Georgina POTA 3:1 (6:11 12:10 11:9 13:11) Iveta VACENOVSKA – SHAN Xiaona 3:1 (11:8 11:5 3:11 11:5) Natalia PARTYKA – Nina MITTELHAM 1:3 (7:11 15:13 12:14 4:11) GUO Ruichen – SHAN Xiaona 3:1 (7:11 8:11 11:9 11:4 11:8) Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT – Dr. CASL 0:3 SHAO Jieni – LI Jie 0:3 (10:12 5:11 9:11) Maria DOLGIKH – YU Fu 0:3 (3:11 4:11 7:11) Hana MATELOVA – DOO Hoi Kem 0:3 (4:11 8:11 8:11) Metz TT – Linz AG Froschberg 2:3 DING Yaping – SOO Wai Yam Minnie 1:3 (11:7 9:11 3:11 7:11) Adina DIACONU – Sofia POLCANOVA 0:3 (11:13 4:11 13:15) Carole GRUNDISCH – Linda BERGSTROM 3:1 (11:8 11:4 13:15 11:7) DING Yaping – Sofia POLCANOVA 3:0 (11:7 11:9 11:5) Adina DIACONU – SOO Wai Yam Minnie 0:3 (8:11 6:11 9:11)
Budaorsi 2i Sport Club and FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis won opening matches
ETTU Cup quarterfinals In the first leg of the quarterfinal of the Women’s ETTU Cup after fierce fight Hungary’s Budaorsi 2i Sport Club beat TTC Kazan in five matches with four of them concluded in five games. In men’s ETTU Cup quarterfinal FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis needed one match less to overcame Chartres ASTT. Szandra PERGEL gave host team a dream start after she beat Anna BLAZHKO in five games but Antonina SAVELYEVA leveled the score after victory over Maria FAZEKAS. Just after Petra LOVAS gave host another boost and 2:1 lead against Ekaterina OKHOTNIKOVA SAVELYEVA secured second point for guests. PERGEL suffered but FAZEKAS beat BLAZHKO for overall victory. At home FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis showed no mercy against Chartres ASTT. The backbone of hosts’ success was Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC who overcame Vitor ISHIY in three games but faced a lot of pressure against Alexandre ROBINOT. ROBINOT also forced Cristian PLETEA to go full distance but it was Romain LORENTZ who won the only point for French side. Budaorsi 2i Sport Club – TTC Kazan 3:2 Szandra PERGEL – Anna BLAZHKO 3:2 (9:11 11:7 8:11 11:7 11:6) Maria FAZEKAS – Antonina SAVELYEVA 2:3 (14:12 6:11 11:7 11:13 10:12) Petra LOVAS – Ekaterina OKHOTNIKOVA 3:2 (11:8 8:11 5:11 11:9 11:7) Szandra PERGEL – Antonina SAVELYEVA 2:3 (11:6 11:13 5:11 11:7 9:11) Maria FAZEKAS – Anna BLAZHKO 3:1 (11:6 11:6 8:11 11:8) FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis – Chartres ASTT 3:1 Darko JORGIC – Vitor ISHIY 3:0 (11:6 11:3 11:6) Cristian PLETEA – Alexandre ROBINOT 3:2 (19:17 8:11 11:9 9:11 11:9) Tomas POLANSKY – Romain LORENTZ 1:3 (11:9 9:11 9:11 9:11) Darko JORGIC – Alexandre ROBINOT 3:2 (12:10 5:11 9:11 11:3 14:12)
The next level the precedent and legacy of the Liebherr 2018 World Championships
Representatives from the University of Halmstad the Swedish Table Tennis Association Halmstad Table Tennis Club and the Municipality of Halmstad at the signing ceremony (Photo: Peter Johansson) Preceding and throughout the Liebherr 2018 World Championships the motto was “to the next level”; now some nine months after medals were presented and the curtain closed the principle of “to the next level” continues in earnest. Successful collaboration between the Swedish Table Tennis Association and Halmstad University has facilitated an agreement being signed between the two organisations involving elite sport being combined with academic study; the two parties will develop international elite coach education aimed at coaches from all over the world who have ambitions to work at national team level. Alongside Mattias Nilsson Deputy Head of the Academy of Health and Welfare at Halmstad University Petra Sörling member of the ITTF Executive Committee was delighted to sign the documents in her capacity as President of the Swedish Table Tennis Association. “We are very happy to continue our co-operation with the University of Halmstad Halmstad Municipality and Halmstad Table Tennis Club; for us this is the true legacy after the World Championships. We have a need to sharpen our education programmes we are excited about the opportunity to create cutting-edge education at international level together.” Petra Sörling. Importantly for the Halmstad University it is part of a long term and conscious strategy to seek co-operation between the business and sports sectors alike; a policy which has been developed following the appointment of Urban Johnson Professor of Psychology at Halmstad University. “The dialogue with the Swedish Table Tennis Association and Halmstad Municipality has been very positive and we’re very pleased with the agreement. For us this means that we further strengthen our sports profile and become even more attractive as an institution for current and potential students ” said Urban Johnson. Notably Halmstad Table Tennis Club provides the practice environment for students with table tennis as a sport on the Professional Sports Career and Work Life programme at Halmstad University. Eventually the students will be able to take coaching roles; a situation applauded by Ola Magnusson Department Head Sports and Leisure Halmstad Municipality. “We are very pleased that an additional elite environment is being established in Halmstad and that the co-operation between Halmstad Municipality Halmstad University and national sports associations is being further developed. The positive effects are many; the elite environment in table tennis makes it possible for table tennis playing children and youth to play in the highest league in their home town and it promotes the development of the local club to name ” stated Ola Magnusson. Positive responses it is the very same reaction from Mikael Andersson High Performance Director of the Swedish Table Tennis Association and Thomas Buza and Secretary-General at the Swedish Table Tennis Association. “It feels great that all conditions are in place and that we can now start develop this high level coach education. Swedish table tennis needs more and better educated coaches and we truly believe that this will increase the status of the coaching profession in general. The international perspective makes it even more exciting! We hope for a really close co-operation with both the International Table Tennis Federation and the European Table Tennis Union. Good networking possibilities and intentions for exchanges are also available with the Shanghai University of Sports and China Table Tennis College.” Notably the University of Halmstad played a major role in the promotion and organization of the 2018 ITTF Sports Science Congress which was held in the two days prior to the Championships.
Rachel MORET: I would like to take my revenge
CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux (February 2nd and 3rd) On the first weekend of February the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup will be held for the second consecutive time in Montreux. Host nation representative Rachel MORET tells us what her expectations are for the tournament and this year 2019. What are your goals for this year ? “The Individual World Championships in April is one of my objectives for this season. Whether it’s singles or doubles I hope to go as far as I can. In May we also have the qualifications for the European Team Championships ” reminded MORET. Looking for Olympic Games what do you need to do? “There will be European and then global qualifications. All the dates are not yet known but it normally starts around June 2019 and ends in April 2020. There is still a long way to go!” What is your goal for CCB Europe Top 16 Cup? “To give everything I could during the game and not have any regrets after it. And of course to try to qualify for the second round!” Who do you want to play against? “The level is high; I know that the first round will necessarily be very difficult. I had a good game against EKHOLM two years ago at the Swiss Open I would like to take my revenge.” What would you do if you won the Top 16? “Wow! I haven’t thought about it. Already passing the first round would be nice. But I know that I will necessarily celebrate the title with my friends and family and the people who help me everyday ” said Rachel MORET. In men’s singles will play: Timo BOLL (Germany) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) Mattias FALCK (Sweden) Liam PITCHFORD (England) Vladimir SAMSONOV (Belarus) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) Simon GAUZY (France) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) Tiago APOLONIA (Portugal) KOU Lei (Ukraine) Ovidiu IONESCU (Romania) Panagiotis GIONIS (Greece) Lionel WEBER (Switzerland). Women’s Event: Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) LI Jie (Netherlands) Petrissa SOLJA (Germany) Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) LI Qian (Poland) Georgina POTA (Hungary) Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia) NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) Natalia PARTYKA (Poland) Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic) Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) Rachel MORET (Switzerland). Tickets are available here.
ECLW: Dr. CASL plays both games away
ECLW quarter-finals 1st leg January 25-26 First quarter-final leg of the 2018/19 will be held this Friday and Saturday (Jan 25-26) but one second game is scheduled for Sunday (Jan 27) too according agreement between French club ETIVAL Clairefontaine ASRTT and reigning ECLW champion Dr. CASL. President of Croatian club Martin-Tino CASL explains why they are going to play twice abroad: “As unique Champions League winner from Croatia in all sports we are forced to play both legs abroad! We decided to play both games on their soil as Sports Union of the city of Zagreb didn’t cover their debt to us for the organization of international games. Regarding the upcoming games I can say that Etival is good team as well as all the others participants of the ECLW quarter-finals. I hope we are able to win after two away legs if not we don’t deserve to go further.” In spite of this circumstances Dr. CASL is considered as a clear favourite against French side. Croatian team left Group A with 4-0 win-loss record while Etival had 2-2 in Group B. Four-time ECLW winner TTC Berlin Eastside (4-0) Group B winner faces Czech Republic SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin (3-1) second placed Group D team. “We play against Berlin who has in their team four top European players so of course they are big favourite in the quarterfinals to go through. But we will do our best and I think that we aren’t without chance and it can be very close matches ” stated Hodonin’s coach Jaroslav MIKESKA. Actual ETTU Cup winner Metz TT and former two-time ECLW winner Linz play each other third time in last four seasons. Austrian team won previous two meetings both in the quarter-final stage. First one in 2015/16 has been decided by just one-point difference – 5:5 in matches (19:19 sets 347:346 points) while the second one in 2016/17 Linz won 6-2 on aggregate. “It has always been exciting games and always with a happy ending for our team. Especially unforgettable was our clash decided by only single point” stated Linz president Gunther RENNER. President of Metz TT Phillipe BORDES expects full hall against Austrian team: “As usually Metz TT begins to be known for our fighting spirit and. … spectators! Maybe the people who come to support our team will be the “fourth” player! In any case the first leg in Metz will be a big clash. Respect to this great team of LINZ and their strong players”! Sporting finished second in the Group C with a 2-2 win-loss record after dramatic away win over TT Saint Quentinois 3:2 in the ultimate group stage round. Now they will meet no.2 seed and two-time ECLW runner-up Tarnobrzeg. “This is our debut year at ECLW. We expect two very difficult games but in which the objective will be to keep us in the test” stated Sporting’s coach Marco RODRIGUES. 2018/19 ECLW quarter-finals 1st leg SKST STAVOIMPEX Hodonin – TTC Berlin Eastside (Jan 25 18:00 CET) ETIVAL Clairefontaine ASRTT – Dr. CASL (Jan 25 19:30 CET) Metz TT – Linz AG Froschberg (Jan 25 19:30 CET) Sporting Clube de Portugal – KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg (Jan 26 18:00)
TTCLM: Timo BOLL secures win for Borussia
Reigning TTCLM champion beat away Bogoria 3:1 in the 1st quarter-final leg Reigning TTCLM champion Borussia Dusseldorf left Polish city of Grodzisk Mazowiecki with a convincing 3:1 win in the first quarter-final leg thanks to Timo BOLL who secured two points as well as to young Sweden’s player Anton KALLBERG the winner of the third encounter decided in late fifth set. Kaii YOSHIDA provided early lead to the host side as he beat Kristian KARLSSON in straight games of the opener. BOLL responded in the same manner recording convincing victory against Pavel SIRUCEK. Anton KALLBERG did an excellent job for his team as he defeated former Borussia’s player Panagiotis GIONIS after full five games turning the score from 0-2 to 3-2. He decided to attack at 2-2 (7-7) when he collected three points in a row by his sharp forehand. BOLL proved to be one of favourites at the upcoming 2019 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux by his superb win against YOSHIDA. Current world no.5 won 13 points in a row in late second and early third set. Host led 6:2 in the second game but he lost it 11:6. Second leg will be held on February 7th in Dusseldorf. 2018/19 TTCLM quarter-finals 1st leg K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazoiecki – Borussia Dusseldorf 1:3 Kaii YOSHIDA – Kristian KARLSSON 3:0 (11:5 11:3 12:10) Pavel SIRUCEK – Timo BOLL 0:3 (9:11 6:11 6:11) Panagiotis GIONIS – Anton KALLBERG 2:3 (11:6 11:8 7:11 4:11 8:11) Kaii YOSHIDA – Timo BOLL 0:3 (5:11 6:11 6:11)
