Japan’s Hokuto KORIYAMA knows how it feels to win in Finland. The Japanese clinched his third consecutive men´s singles title on Sunday in Lohja. KORIYMA knocked his countryman Takumi ICHINOSE 4-2. ICHINOSE challenged the champion with two sets but finally left-handed KORIYMA showed who is who. KORIYAMA’S performance describes well the level of Japan’s table tennis at the moment. He is ranked 32rd in the latest Japan ranking and is not even near the best team of his country. In many other countries he would be at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Benedek OLÁH´s dream of home victory was passed once again. Sunday’s first match against Japanese Takumi ICHINOSE forced OLÁH into the only defeat of the competition. OLÁH finally third at the tournament gave his full recognition to ICHINOSE. – In French main league nobody has read my serves as well. The winner of women´s singles was Avane MORITA from Japan. Norwegian MA Wenting got only two sets in the final. The third was Japan’s Miko TOKUNAGA. Men’s singles final Hokuto KORIYAMA Japan – Takumi ICHNINOSE Japan 1-6 12-14 11-9 12-10 11-7 Women’s singles final Ayane MORITA Japan – MA Wenting Norway 11-7 9-11 11-9 8-11 11-8 11-8 Complete results: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1neBiarEMT75Sky3RqjIVQTM95BZiCF5L
China steals the show on epic final day in Bendigo!
The 2018 ITTF World Junior Table Tennis Championships very much belonged to China after the nation’s players dominated the final day in Bendigo Australia from start to finish. Today’s individual prizes (Girls’ and Boys’ Singles Girls’ and Boys’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles) follow gold medals in Wednesday’s Teams events thus completing a clean sweep of trophies throughout the tournament. A breath-taking battle between the top two seeds: the Girls’ Singles final more than lived up to its billing and undoubtedly provided the day’s most enthralling final. SHI Xunyao (CHN) and QIAN Tianyi (CHN) both came into the contest off the back of convincing semi-final victories the former beating Yumeno SOMA (JPN) 4-0 and the latter dropping just one game to SU Pei-Ling (TPE). Once pitted against one another in the final neither player gave an inch in a match that went the full distance. After surrendering a 1-0 lead to then trail 2-1 and 3-2 it had seemed as though QIAN would be ending the day empty-handed. However she managed to keep her cool when it mattered most clinching the final two games to come out ultimately on top after a rollercoaster ride of an encounter: 11-8 5-11 9-11 11-5 9-11 11-9 11-8. If the Girls’ Singles contest went right to the wire the same could not be said for both Boys’ finals as XU Haidong (CHN) saw off Yukiya UDA (JPN) 4-1 to seal glory in the Boys’ Singles having partnered XIANG Peng earlier to the Boys’ Doubles title with a straight games victory over Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN (RUS). However that did not mean there was any less fiery intensity to these matches with each individual game decided by fine margins: XU staved off the threat of a potential comeback when UDA took the third game by battling his way to win 13-11 11-4 8-11 11-9 11-8. Meanwhile in the Doubles XU and XIANG came from behind within the first game to grasp a crucial early foothold in the match. Despite the best efforts of Russia’s dynamic duo GREBNEV and KATSMAN including an audacious yet perfectly executed ‘Behind The Back’ shot from the former China’s Boys never looked back and saw out the victory 11-9 11-8 11-3. The star of the show in Wednesday’s Junior Girls’ Teams triumph just four days later SHI Xunyao (CHN) took centre-stage once more appearing in three finals on Sunday. Her rock-solid partnership with HUANG Fanzhen made gold in the Girls’ Doubles all but a formality as they saw off Miyu NAGASAKI and Satsuki ODO (JPN) 3-1 in the semi-finals before defeating Miyuu KIHARA and Yumeno SOMA (JPN) in straight games: 11-7 11-8 11-6. Just moments earlier SHI also tasted success in the Mixed Doubles alongside XU Yingbin sealing a 3-2 victory in an all-Chinese final against YU Heyi and QIAN Tianyi: 11-8 3-11 11-5 9-11 11-5. Irvin BERTRAND and Leo DE NODREST (FRA) were impressive in overcoming Yukiya UDA and Shunsuke TOGAMI (JPN) to reach the Boys’ Doubles semi-finals before they were ultimately outfought and thought by GREBNEV and KATSMAN. Can anyone break up the current dominance of China at next year’s ITTF World Junior Table Tennis Championships? The globe’s most promising upcoming talents will all be headed to Bangkok (THA) between 24 November and 1 December looking to give their budding careers lift-off for potential future greatness. Next week it will be Table Tennis’ established stars to battle it out for the big end-of-year titles at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. Make sure you don’t miss out on the action or the 2018 ITTF Star Awards by following on ITTF.com tv.ITTF.com and ITTF social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter Weibo Youtube.
Silver for Russia’s Maksim Grebnev and Lev Katsman
2018 World Junior Table Tennis Championships Russia’s Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN clinched silver in the Junior Boys Doubles Event at the 2018 World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Australia’s Bendigo. Romania’s Cristian PLETEA won bronze in Boys Singles whilst Irvin BERTRAND and Leo DE NODREST of France also won bronze. Top seeded pairings XIANG Peng and XU Haidong of China had beaten Russia’s Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN (11-9 11-8 11-3) at the final hurdle. However by reaching the final they already exceeded expectations; they had commenced play as the no.14 seeds. Previously in the semifinal GREBNEV and KATSMAN beat Irvin BERTRAND and Leo DE NODREST (6-11 8-11 6:11). In the Boys’ Singles semi-final contest XU Haidong the no.3 seed accounted for Romania’s Cristian PLETEA the no.5 seed (11-5 11-3 11-8 11-6).
Three medals in singles and doubles for Europe in Bendigo
2018 World Junior Championships At the 2018 World Junior Championships in Bendigo Europe secured three more medals. In the Junior Boys Singles Event Romania’s Cristian PLETEA reached the semifinal as well as two parings – Irvin BERTRAND and Leo DE NODREST of France and Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN of Russia. On His way to the semis Cristian overcame China’s YU Heyi in the quarters in straight games (10-12 11-13 9-11 7-11). Previously he beat LI Hsin-Yang of Taipei (6-11 8-11 4-11 3-11) and India’s Jeet CHANDRA (8-11 5-11 8-11 8-11) both in straight games again. For Europe at least one silver and bronze are guaranteed. Irvin BERTRAND and Leo DE NODREST will meet Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN in semis. In quarterfinal French pairings overcame Japan’s Shunsuke TOGAMi and Yukiya UDA (9-11 9-11 11-6 4-11). In two opening rounds they were better than China’s XU Yingbin and YU Heyi (12-10 14-12 11-6) and Stefan Peko and Jakub YELENIKA of Slovakia (11-8 11-7 11-9). Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN beat Romania’s pairings Cristian PLETEA and Rares SIPOS in full five games (11-6 7-11 11-9 7-11 11-8) USA’s Sharon ALGUETI and Kanak JHA (11-6 12-14 11-13 11-5 7-11) Brazil’s Guilherme TEODORO and Rafael TORINO (6-11 14-12 13-11 8-11 5-11).
Benedek OLÁH aiming the title again
29th Finlandia Open The 29th Finlandia Open is underway at the Kisakallio Sports Institute in Lohja. Team competition started on Thursday and was completed on Friday when Russia and India &Venezuela mixed team met in the men’s final and the Japan 1 & 2 in the women’s final. The mixed team Raj MONDAL (India) and Cecilio CORREA (Venezuela) fought vaguely but the Russians took a 2-0 win. Petr FEDOTOV defeated MONDALI and Nikita ARTEMENKO right after CORREA. Both matches ended 3-1. Bronze was captured by Japan 1 and Russia 3. In women Saki SEYAMA did it again at this time together with Ayane MORITAN. Seyama won the opening match against Natsumi NAKAHATAN 3-1 but Morita was forced to take full five sets with Miko TOKUNAGA. France and Russia 3 took the bronze medals. Finlandia Open’s specialty in singles is progressive knockout system which has gathered 100 men and over 70 women to Kisakallio. Benedek OLÁH tries to win Finlandia Open very hard. Benedek opened his matches with a clean 4-0 win over Sweden’s Anton ANDERSSON and in the second Andriy GREBENIUK of Ukraine felt the same fate. The goal is to have a better ranking and take a place in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. – The last game was not easy because it seems like everyone wants to win me. Against the first seeded you can play freely and so all the ones seem to be doing Oláh said. Anastasia BURKOVA – seeded 27th – in women’s singles started with bye and then defeated Spain’s Andrea PEREZ 4-1. The third round became a “bomb” when Burkova was beating second seeded Iranian Neda Shahsava 4-0. Burkova is a Russian who has been living in Finland for two years because of studies and can take part in the Finnish Championships in the spring. Kisakallio is still popular among players and coach as the venues accommodation and food are all in the same complex. Progressive knockout system guarantees a lot of games for everyone as all positions from the first to the last are solved.
Good opening leg for guests in ETTU Cup
In the opening leg of the Men’ ETTU Cup guests were more successful. Logis Auderghem TT suffered in Auderghem against TTC Sokah Hoboken Cajasur Priego TM lost in Spain against Istres Tennis de Table whilst in Women’s ETTU Cup CP Lyssois Lille Métropole proved too strong for TTV Lybrae Heerlen. Logis Auderghem TT had a poor start against TTC Sokah Hoboken. Ludovic BIERNY and Alexy VAN DONGEN both lost against Rajko GOMMERS and Jeremy PETIOT in straight games. In third match Jasper MERCKX went full distance against ZHANG Dong Ying and managed to narrow the gap but PETIOT sealed the match win with the victory over BIERNY. On the other side Cajasur Priego TM only had a good start against Istres Tennis de Table. Carlos MACHADO beat Paul GAUZY before Samuel WALKER leveled the score with the victory over HAN Qiyao. WU Zhang Jiaji continued in the same rhythm with the victory over Andre SILVA. WALKER added another point to the score line by beating MACHADO. Fortune Kyiv overcame DeBoer Taverzo in thrilling full distance match. PARK Jeongwoo recorded both wins for hosts but Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO Grigory VLASOV and Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA all contibuted to guest’s win. Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa failed to take advantage on the home soil against Chartres ASTT. Vítor ISCHIY and Alexandre ROBINOT prevailed against Daniel KOSIBA and Hampus SODERLUND before Endika DIEZ narowed the gap with the victory over Romain LORENTZ. However ROBINOT beat KOSIBA in the last duel and secured great advantage before the return leg. In Dutch Heerlen MEN Shuohan Elena TIMINA and Rachel GERARTS could not stop Agnes LE LANNIC Tamolwan KHETKHUAN and Sanja KORAK. TTV Lybrae won only three games in three matches. Tecnigen Linares lost against ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly in Spain 1:3. The back bone of the French club’s success was Galia DVORAK with two wins over Roxana ISTRATE and Oranan PARANANG. PARANANG BEAT Tian Yuan in the opening match . The very first host team who managed to break the spell and to feel the joy of victory was TMK-TAGMET Taganrog. They overcame Arteal Tenis de Mesa in straight matches. In winning line up were PROKHOROVA FETIUKHONA and SABITOVA whilst Spanih club was reperesent by IAMANDI GARNOVA and GONZALES. Kazan secured opening leg victory over Moravsky Krumlov in Czech Republic. Hosts had a good start after Mitsuki YOSHIDA overcame Anna BLAZHKO but after that the course of the match went opposite direction. Ekaterina CHERNYAVSKAYA lost against Antonina SAVELYEVA Barbora KAPOUNOVA suffered by the hands of Daria SHADRINA. In the fourth match YOSHIDA lost against. SAVELYEVA.
Angers and Bogoria reach TTCLM quarter-finals reigning champion secures top spot in Group A
TTCLM Round 6: Ostrava – Sporting 1:3 Borussia – Pontoise 3:1 Roskilde – Angers 1:3 Saarbrucken – Bogoria 2:3 The 2018/19 TTCLM group stage has been concluded by the four Round 6 games as Angers (France) and Bogoria (Poland) completed the list of eight participants for the knockout phase. Other quarter-finalists are following: 11-time TTCLM winner and actual champion Borussia Dusseldorf (Germany) two-time winner AS Pontoise Cergy (France) the 2012 runner-up UMMC (Russia) Walter Wels (Austria) four-time champion Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (Russia) and TTCLM debutant Post SV Muhlhausen (Germany). Borussia beat Pontoise 3:1 in the battle for the top spot of Group A as Timo BOLL won both his games against Can AKKUZU and Mattias FALCK. Third win came from Egypt’s Omar ASSAR who overcame former Borussia’s player Patrick BAUM after full five games. Two members of Sweden’s National Team and two doubles partners met in the second match as Mattias FALCK defeated Kristian KARLSSON. Group C had super thrilling ending involving three teams in the battle for the top two places. And it belonged to the guest’s side Angers and Bogoria. French team beat Roskilde 3:1 thanks to Jon PERSSON who won both his encounters in straight games (vs. Michael MAZE and ZHAI Yujia). Regarding clash held in Saarbrucken team work prevailed as each of Bogoria’s players won one point: Panagiotis GIONIS Pavel SIRUCEK and YOSHIDA Kaii who beat Darko JORGIC in the fifth match. TTCLM Round 6 GROUP A TTC Ostrava 2016 – Sporting Clube De Portugal 1:3 Šimon BELIK – Diogo CARVALHO 0:3 (7:11 4:11 7:11) Tomas TREGLER – Quadri ARUNA 3:1 (11:9 4:11 11:9 11:2) Tomas KOLDAS – Bode ABIODUN 1:3 (12:14 11:9 8:11 7:11) Šimon BELIK – Quadri ARUNA 0:3 (10:12 9:11 7:11) Borussia Düsseldorf – AS Pontoise Cergy 3:1 Timo BOLL – Can AKKUZU 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:7) Kristian KARLSSON – Mattias FALCK 1:3 (6:11 11:6 8:11 7:11) Omar ASSAR – Patrick BAUM 3:2 (7:11 11:7 11:9 4:11 11:8) Timo BOLL – Mattias FALCK 3:1 (11:6 11:1 13:15 11:9) GROUP C Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – Vaillante Sports Angers TT 1:3 ZHAI Yujia – Andréa LANDRIEU 3:0 (11:7 11:8 11:4) Michael MAZE – Jon PERSSON 0:3 (8:11 3:11 9:11) Tamas LAKATOS – Joao GERALDO 2:3 (12:10 7:11 7:11 11:4 8:11) ZHAI Yujia – Jon PERSSON 0:3 (5:11 8:11 13:15) FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis – K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki 2:3 Patrick FRANZISKA – YOSHIDA Kaii 3:2 (2:11 4:11 11:6 11:9 11:9) Darko JORGIC – Panagiotis GIONIS 1:3 (6:11 11:6 6:11 12:14) Tomas POLANSKY – Pavel SIRUCEK 0:3 (5:11 3:11 8:11) Patrick FRANZISKA – Marek BADOWSKI 3:0 (11:9 11:7 11:5) Darko JORGIC – YOSHIDA Kaii 1:3 (11:9 8:11 7:11 11:13)
Nittaku extends advertising contract across ITTF digital platforms until 2020
A fast-growing online fan base with ever-increasing levels of engagement the ITTF’s digital platforms have received a further boost following the extension of the ITTF’s contract with Nittaku until 2020. The partnership sees Nittaku advertising on both English and Chinese language versions of ITTF’s website and sponsoring the Nittaku ITTF Monthly Pongcast and the annual ITTF Star Awards Female Table Tennis Star. “This partnership highlights the growing importance of innovative offerings where connecting fans to brands goes beyond just event sponsorship. By combining a range of digital properties into one long-term portfolio until 2020 this new agreement also ensures better and more effective cross-promotion on the ITTF’s online platforms.” Kimberly Koh ITTF Head of Sponsorship “We are very happy to sign this digital-focused sponsorship extension with the ITTF. The Nittaku ITTF Monthly Pongcast is getting especially popular for table tennis fans across the world by providing a monthly digest of the sport’s key stories on the international stage.” Hideki Chiba Nittaku Deputy General Manager 2018 has been a big year for the ITTF’s digital properties with the current social media fan base weighing in at over 2.8 million followers. The Chinese market continues to go from strength to strength with approximately 1.7 million fans on Sina Weibo and 11 million views on Zhibo TV whilst there has been an upturn in followers too from other key territories in Asia Europe and the Americas across the ITTF’s Facebook Instagram Twitter and Youtube channels. Approximately 14 million people every month are consuming videos on the ITTF’s social channels amidst increased subscribers to ITTV the official online streaming platform of the ITTF.
TTCLM: Historic moment for Mühlhausen and Walter Wels
Two quarter-finalist decided tonight December 6th after four matches in two groups Austria’s SPG Walter Wels and Germany’s Post SV Mühlhausen made history as they reach TTCLM quarter-finals for the very first time. Both clubs won their matches after full five games: Walter Wels – Stella Sport La Romagne 3:2 Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – Post SV Mühlhausen 2:3. Two Russian teams have concluded group stage by comfortable wins UMMC vs. Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:0 Fakel Gazprom Orenburg – GV Hennebont 3:1. Both sides face knockout phase as the winners of their respective groups. The 2012 TTCLM runner-up UMMC has displayed its strongest line-up against actual ETTU Cup winner from Poland. FANG Bo beat WANG Yang in the opener Alexander SHIBAEV upset strong Hong Kong’s player WONG Chun Ting after full five games while Jonathan GROTH overcame Jiri VRABLIK in straight games. Korea’s PARK Ganghyeon was key man of Walter Wels as he beat both Daniel GORAK and CHEN Tian Yuan in straight sets. The 21-old Slovenian Deni KOZUL secured historic win for his side in the fifth encounter against GORAK. TTCLM newcomer Muhlhausen has been extended to full distance by the 2016 runner-up Eslovs. Lubomir JANCARIK has provided two points for German club first one in the opener against Truls MOREGARD and second against FUZHOU Zhang in the decisive fifth clash. Daniel HABESOHN had 1-1 score as he beat FUZHOU and lost to MOREGARD. TTCLM Round 6 GROUP B TTSC UMMC – K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:0 FANG Bo – WANG Yang 3:1 (11:6 9:11 11:4 11:7) Aleksandr SHIBAEV – WONG Chun Ting 3:2 (2:11 9:11 11:8 11:6 11:5) Jonathan GROTH – Jiri VRABLIK 3:0 (11:6 11:3 13:11) SPG Walter Wels – Stella Sport La Romagne 3:2 PARK Ganghyeon – Daniel GORAK 3:0 (11:7 11:8 11:9) Deni KOZUL – CHEN Tian Yuan 0:3 (8:11 6:11 7:11) Adam SZUDI – Adrian CRISAN 0:3 (9:11 10:12 11:13) PARK Ganghyeon – CHEN Tian Yuan 3:0 (11:8 11:9 11:7) Deni KOZUL – Daniel GORAK 3:0 (11:7 11:4 11:8) GROUP D TTC Fakel Gazprom – G.V. Hennebont T.T. 3:1 YAN An – Sasha GILLEN 3:0 (11:8 11:5 11:3) Alexey LIVENTSOV – Georgios STAMATOUROS 3:0 (11:4 11:3 11:5) Denis IVONIN – Cedric NUYTINCK 2:3 (11:7 11:8 9:11 3:11 9:11) YAN An – Georgios STAMATOUROS 3:0 (11:6 11:5 11:2) Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – Post SV Mühlhausen 2:3 Truls MOREGARD – Lubomir JANCARIK 1:3 (13:11 1:11 5:11 8:11) FUZHOU Zhang – Daniel HABESOHN 0:3 (9:11 7:11 11:13) Robert SVENSSON – Ovidiu IONESCU 3:2 (8:11 11:9 9:11 11:7 11:3) Truls MOREGARD – Daniel HABESOHN 3:1 (11:9 11:6 9:11 11:8) FUZHOU Zhang – Lubomir JANCARIK 2:3 (7:11 11:7 11:3 9:11 3:11)
China defends first crowns at the 2018 World Junior Championships winning both Girls’ and Boys’ Teams titles
It was a winning Wednesday for China on Day 4 of the 2018 World Junior Championships as they secured the competition’s first titles on offer here in Bendigo Australia. Defending their titles in both Girls’ and Boys’ Teams categories China never seriously looked like surrendering them as they put in two dominant displays over their combative Japanese opponents. Over the course of the evening they lost just one match between them and were always able to raise the bar when it mattered most. SHI Xunyao proved to be the star performer for the Girls winning both of her matches 3-0 while QIAN Tianyi set the tone with a hard-fought opening match victory. Meanwhile China’s Boys’ Team enjoyed a more straightforward passage to the crown winning in consecutive matches: Yu Heyi Xu Yingbin and XIANG Peng all emerging victorious from their respective duels. Having impressed in their semi-final wins over Russia (Girls) and Chinese Taipei (Boys) respectively hopes were high in the Japanese camp of reclaiming the titles they had lifted in the 2016 World Junior Championships. Two matches down in the Girls’ final Miyuu KIHARA handed her team a lifeline beating HUANG Fanzhen 3-2 but the sparks were only temporary as SHI Xunyao extinguished any hopes of a turnaround in the next match defeating Miyu NAGASAKI. In the Boys’ final Japan put up a fight far more often than the scoreline would suggest as individual games regularly went down to the wire epitomised by the final match in which Shunsuke TOGAMI fell 10-12 9-11 9-11 to XIANG Peng. Stay tuned for the all the action on ITTF.com tv.ITTF.com and ITTF’s social media channels: Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube.
