ETTU is pleased to open the application process for the 2024 edition of the “Stages for Coaches: Learn from the Best” program. This mentorship initiative led by the ETTU Coaching Committee is designed to foster the professional growth of young European coaches by providing an opportunity to learn directly from the leading coaches across Europe in their respective workplaces. ETTU will financially support 4 coaches (2 men and 2 women) during a one-week stage. This stage may take place at one of Europe’s top training centres or during an ETTU Development Camp (To learn more about the location of these facilities please consult: Network of European Training Centres and Eurotalents Development Camps calendar). During their stay the selected coaches will engage in observational learning gaining insights from the everyday practices of their assigned mentor or centre. They will also participate in assisting with various tasks and duties as required. This program specifically targets young coaches at the beginning of their coaching careers or former players looking to transition into coaching. Each Member Association is invited to submit two applications: one from a male candidate and one from a female candidate. Applicants should be prepared for active engagement and demonstrate an open-minded attitude towards learning and collaboration. The scheduling and placement of participants will be determined through discussions with potential hosting sites taking into consideration the applicants’ coaching experience language preferences and areas of expertise. The final selection of the candidates will be done by: ETTU Coaching Committee. Miguel Vicens ETTU Vice President. Galia Dvorak ETTU Deputy Secretary General – Development Manager. ETTU will support each coach for a stage of 6 days for a total amount of 80€ per person per day. The travel expenses and the difference between the final price of the accommodation and the ETTU subsidy will be covered by the applicant or Member Association. The applications must contain a CV of the applicant and a short motivation letter (one page). Please send your applications before Monday 22nd April to: Galia Dvorak ETTU Deputy Secretary General – Development Manager projects@ettu.org Ana Ivosevic ETTU Administration Officer ana.ivosevic@ettu.org Application Deadline Monday 22nd April 2024 Announcement of Selected Applications Monday 29th April 2024 Implementation May- December 2024
Lubomír Jančařík and Hana Matelová Czechia singles champions
Lubomír JANČAŘÍK and Hana MATELOVÁ are the Czech singles champions. The Czech championship took place in Prague and both Lubomír JANČAŘÍK and Hana MATELOVÁ were thrilled to secure the singles titles. While it marked the eighth title for the Czech women’s number one it was Lubomír jančařík’s first singles title in his career. Both players were top-seeded at the tournament and faced their toughest opponents in the final. Hana MATELOVÁ defeated Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ 4:3 saving a match point in the fifth set. “It’s my eighth singles title and I’m truly proud of myself. Winning championships against competitors like Renáta ŠTRBÍKOVÁ Iveta VACENOVSKÁ or Dana ČECHOVÁ means a lot to me. Although I didn’t start well in this year’s final saving a match point at 1:3 was a turning point and I believed I could win ” said Hana MATELOVÁ. Last year Lubomír JANČAŘÍK lost in the final to Pavel ŠIRUČEK but this year he defeated the same player 4:1. He expressed his joy about his first singles title saying: “I was not nervous; I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. Winning the national championship was my goal just like winning every tournament or match. I think Pavel ŠIRUČEK didn’t perform as well here in Prague as he did last year and I took advantage of that ” said Lubomír JANČAŘÍK. In the doubles events Martin ŠÍP and Štěpán BRHEL won the men’s doubles title while Jana VAŠENDOVÁ and Klára HRABICOVÁ claimed the women’s doubles title. The mixed doubles pair who will represent Czechia in the World Olympic Qualification in three weeks Jan VALENTA and Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ won with great confidence. Finals results: Men’s singles: Lubomír JANČAŘÍK (Jura Morez TT) – Pavel ŠIRUČEK (HB Ostrov) 4:1 (-5 8 9 7 12) Women’s singles: Hana MATELOVÁ (ASRTT Etival) – Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ (HB Ostrov) 4:3 (-5 -9 4 -3 10 6 7) Men’s doubles: Štěpán BRHEL (SKST Hodonín) Martin ŠÍP (SK DDM Kotlářka Praha) – Vít KADLEC (TJ Ostrava KST) Adam ŠTALZER (SKST Havířov) 3:2 (-8 7 -6 10 10) Women’s doubles: Klára HRABICOVÁ (SKST Havířov) Jana VAŠENDOVÁ (MH stolní tenis Ostrava) – Kristýna ŠTEFCOVÁ (MSK Břeclav) Gabriela ŠTĚPÁNOVÁ (SKST Havířov) 3:1 (13 -10 9 6) Mixed doubles: Jan VALENTA (SKST Havířov) Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ (HB Ostrov) – Martin ŠÍP (SK DDM Kotlářka Praha) Veronika POLÁKOVÁ (HB Ostrov) 3:0 (3 6 8).
The Hungarian National Championship: Titles for Ádám SZUDI and Dora MADARÁSZ
The Hungarian National Table Tennis Championship which brought excitement that hadn’t been seen for the past 40 years took place over three days with 350 matches played across five categories. The defending champion secured gold in all five categories making Nándor ECSEKI the most successful player of the tournament with two golds and one bronze closely followed by Ádám SZUDI and Dóra MADARÁSZ each earning two first-place finishes. There were some refreshing exceptions such as the silver medal won by the pair Dávid MOLNÁR and Dávid SZÁNTOSI and the bronze medals won by the pairs Balázs LEI Botond VARGA and Sophie BARCSAI Nóra DOHOCZKI. However overall the younger players posed more of a threat than a real danger to the current top players. In the women’s competition Dóra MADARÁSZ and Bernadett BÁLINT dominated. MADARÁSZ entered two categories and secured gold in both becoming a four-time mixed doubles champion (twice with Dániel KOSIBA and now twice with Nándor ECSEKI) and a six-time singles Hungarian champion. BÁLINT participated in three finals marking her best national championship performance to date. In addition to her singles and mixed doubles silver she claimed women’s doubles gold her third win in this category and her second with Mercédesz NAGYVÁRADI. “I’m delighted to have won in both categories especially defending my title in singles and mixed doubles. I aimed to play freely with the goal of enjoying the game. I hope the upcoming Olympic qualifiers will go just as well ” said MADARÁSZ. In the men’s competition two players stood out: Nándor ECSEKI and Ádám SZUDI. ECSEKI once again demonstrated his prowess in doubles clinching gold in both men’s doubles with SZUDI and mixed doubles with MADARÁSZ. Despite facing some tough matches there was no doubt that ECSEKI would secure both golds with his current partner and the singles bronze he earned was an added bonus. SZUDI also claimed two of the brightest medals: he won doubles with Ecseki and secured the top spot in the men’s singles defeating the previous year’s champion Majoros Bence in a match filled with spectacular points. This victory marks his fifth singles and fourth doubles championship. ” Bence MAJOROS and I are very familiar with each other so we couldn’t surprise each other which was evident during the match. I was unwell during the first two days of the championship and wasn’t completely healthy even during the final so I’m even happier than usual to have finished with two golds just like last year ” revealed SZUDI. Men’s Singles. Semi-final SZUDI–SZITA 4:0 (5 1 4 4) MAJOROS–ECSEKI 4:1 (–9 9 6 8 8) Final SZUDI–MAJOROS 4:1 (–9 2 13 7 3) SZUDI Ádám (SPO Rouen) MAJOROS Bence (Chartres TT) SZITA Márton (Hügiéne Bt.) and ECSEKI Nándor (SPG Walter Wels) Doubles Semi-final ECSEKI SZUDI–LEI VARGA 3:2 (7 –8 –10 2 5) MOLNÁR D SZÁNTOSI–HUZSVÁR KATUS 3:0 (10 11 4) Final ECSEKI SZUDI–MOLNÁR D SZÁNTOSI 3:0 (8 2 5) ECSEKI Nándor SZUDI Ádám (SPG Walter Wels SPO Rouen) MOLNÁR Dávid Szántosi Dávid (PEAC Szarvasi ASE) LEI Balázs VARGA Botond (Ambrus Table Tennis Academy High Life SE) and HUZSVÁR Erik KATUS Krisztián (Celldömölki VVSE TTC Lugau) Women’s Singles Semi-final MADARÁSZ–HARTBRICH 4:0 (6 4 7 5) BÁLINT–IMRE 4:1 (7 –6 5 7 8) Final MADARÁSZ–BÁLINT 4:0 (5 6 9 6) MADARÁSZ Dóra (Budaörsi SC) BÁLINT Bernadett (Győri AC) HARTBRICH Leonie (SV Böblingen) and IMRE Leila (Budapesti Erdért SE) Doubles Semi-final BÁLINT NAGYVÁRADI–DARI FEJŐS 3:0 (3 10 3) HARTBRICH SZVITACS–BARCSAI DOHOCZKI 3:2 (1 8 –6 –9 10) Final BÁLINT NAGYVÁRADI–HARTBRICH SZVITACS 3:0 (12 5 12) BÁLINT Bernadett NAGYVÁRADI Mercédesz (Győri AC Budapesti Erdért SE) HARTBRICH Leonie SZVITACS Alexa (SV Böblingen Győri AC) DARI Helga FEJŐS Anna (Budaörsi SC Kiskunmajsai AC) and BARCSAI Sophie DOHOCZKI Nóra (Győri AC Budaörsi SC) Mixed doubles Semi-final ECSEKI madarász–Molnár I BALOGH 3:1 (9 9 –9 3) KISHEGYI BÁLINT–andrás Nagyváradi 3:2 (–10 –4 5 7 9) Final ECSEKI MADARÁSZ–kishegyi Bálint 3:0 (3 11 4) ECSEKI Nándor MADARÁSZ Dóra (SPG Walter Wels Budaörsi SC) KISHEGYI Ákos BÁLINT Bernadett (Városi SE Dunakeszi Győri AC) MOLNÁR István BALOGH Ágnes (SV EBE St. Urban Békési IAA) and ANDRÁS Csaba NAGYVÁRADI Mercédesz (TTC Bad Homburg Budapesti Erdért SE)
82nd Danish Championships in Fredericia: Martin Buch ANDERSEN clinched first title
Denmark welcomed a new king around New Year’s and yesterday Danish table tennis crowned a new king as well as 23-year-old Martin BUCH ANDERSEN clinched the Danish championship title in men’s singles for the first time. It marked his inaugural final and medal in men’s singles having previously faced three quarterfinal defeats. In the final he defeated Tobias RASMUSSEN 4-2. Both finalists encountered significant challenges in the semifinals where they narrowly escaped match points. Martin BUCH overcame Allan BENTSEN 11-8 8-11 11-7 10-12 6-11 13-11 11-8 after BENTSEN had a match point in the sixth game. Tobias RASMUSSEN survived a match point when the score was 9-10 in the seventh game. In the ensuing rally he faced defensive troubles but managed to secure victory with a fortunate edge ball winning 12-10 in the seventh game 6-11 14-12 7-11 7-11 11-6 11-7 12-10. 20-year-old Jocefina HAAGENSEN clinched the women’s singles title for the third consecutive time. In the final she triumphed 4-3 against former Croatian champion Eldijana BENTSEN marking BENTSEN’S debut individual Danish championship. BENTSEN acquired Danish citizenship just five days before the registration deadline for the championships. In mixed doubles she secured the title alongside her husband Allan BENTSEN who claimed his record-breaking 59th Danish championship. The men’s singles finalists Tobias RASMUSSEN and Martin BUCH ANDERSEN teamed up in men’s doubles and secured victory for the second consecutive time. In women’s doubles Pernille Refstrup AGERHOLM and Izabell NØRLEM emerged victorious. A total of 72 players participated in the 82nd Danish championships. Notably Carsten EGEHOLT participated for the 45th consecutive time while Mogens SONNICHSEN marked his 43rd consecutive appearance. Final Results: Men’s Singles: Martin Buch Andersen (Virum) vs. Tobias Rasmussen (Hvidovre) 11-5 15-17 11-8 8-11 11-6 11-9 Women’s Singles: Jocefina Haagensen (Hvidovre) vs. Eldijana Bentsen (Roskilde) 11-9 4-11 12-10 4-11 10-12 11-8 11-7 Men’s Doubles: Tobias Rasmussen/Martin Buch Andersen (Virum) vs. Oliver Skouboe Berntsen/Johan Engberg Havsteen (Hvidovre/Amager) 11-8 10-12 11-2 11-9 Women’s Doubles: Pernille Refstrup Agerholm/Izabell Nørlem (Viby/Sisu-MBK) vs. Pia Toelhøj (Hillerød) and Mille Lyngså Stoffregen (Silkeborg) 11-5 7-11 6-11 11-8 11-6 Mixed Doubles: Eldijana Bentsen/Allan Bentsen (Roskilde) vs. Izabel Nørlem/Carsten Egeholt (Sisu/MBK/B75) 11-9 11-9 11-8
Scottish National Championship: Titles for Gavin RUMGAY and Faye LEGGETT
The Senior Scottish National Championship 2024 was held earlier this month with Gavin RUMGAY and Faye LEGGETT clinching the titles in their respective Men’s and Women’s Singles events. Men’s singles Winner – Gavin RUMGAY R/UP – Colin DALGLEISH SF – Calum MORRISON Gavin YUAN Ladies’ singles Winner – Faye LEGGETT R/UP – Lucy ELLIOTT SF – Alisa KHALID Joy DANIELS Men’s Doubles Winners – Calum MORRISON and Colin DALGLEISH R/UP – Danny BAJWA and Martin JOHNSON Women’s doubles Winners – Rebecca PLAISTOW and Lara STIRLING R/UP – Lucy ELLIOTT & Alisa KHALID Mixed doubles Winners – Danny BAJWA and Lucy ELLIOTT R/UP – Colin DALGLEISH and Rebecca PLAISTOW
Titles for Deni KOZUL and Sara TOKIC in Slovenia
The winners of their respective Men’s and Women’s Singles titles at the Slovenia’s National Championships are Deni KOŽUL and Sara TOKIĆ. Men’s Singles Deni KOŽUL (Log) Mitja HORVAT (Sob) Brin Vovk PETROVSKI (Sav) and Tomaž PELCAR (Kema – Murexin) Women’s Singles Sara TOKIĆ (Vrt) Katarina STRAŽAR (Men) Lea PAULIN (Arr) and Lara OPEKA (K-S) Men’s Doubles Brin Vovk PETROVSKI – Miha PODOBNIK (Sav) Darko JAMŠEK – Andraž NOVAK (Int – K-S) Žiga Kristijan ŽIGON – Tilen CVETKO (Int – Muta) and Gregor ZAFOŠTNIK – Aljaž GODEC (Sob – Int) Women’s Doubles Ana TOFANT – Sara TOKIĆ (Men – Vrt) Lara OPEKA – Tjaša NOVAK (K-S) Blažka HARKAI – Ana KOVAČEC (Kema – Murexin) and Lea PAULIN – Katarina STRAŽAR (Arr – Men) Mixed Doubles Deni KOŽUL – Nina ZUPANČIČ (Log) Andraž NOVAK – Lara OPEKA (K-S) Miha PODOBNIK – Katarina STRAŽAR (Sav – Men) and Damjan ZELKO – Tjaša NOVAK (Kema – Murexin – K-S)
Tanja HELLE and Milo de BOER clinched the titles in Netherlands for a first time
On the final day of the NK Table Tennis in Zwolle Tanja HELLE and Milo de BOER clinched their respective titles in singles in Dutch Championships. In the quarter-finals Shuohan MEN Dobrila JORGUSESKA Tanja HELLE and Emine ERNST all managed to qualify for the semi-finals with 4-0 victories. In the semis it was Tanja HELLE who blocked Emine ERNST’S path to winning a third consecutive title. With scores of 14-12 11-3 11-9 and 11-4 Tanja secured the win. The semi-final between Shuohan MEN and Dobrila JORGUSESKA went to six games with three of them decided in Shuohan’s favor. For Shuohan this final was her chance to win an NK title for the fourth time. Tanja HELLE had not won an NK singles title before but had already won De Masters twice. Until the final Tanja had only lost two games and that proved to be the case after the final. With scores of 11-5 11-4 11-9 and 11-4 Tanja crowned herself Dutch champion 2024. A big surprise came in the quarterfinal match between reigning champion Barry BERBEN and Brent RONDE. After a 3-1 lead in games for Barry Brent managed to equalize. In the seventh and decisive game the 16-year-old kept his cool and won 11-7. Besides Brent Gabrielius CAMARA Milo de BOER and Laurens TROMER managed to qualify for the last four. Brent RONDE’S winning streak came to an end in the semi-finals against Milo de BOER who was too strong with a 4-0 victory. Laurens TROMER managed to qualify for the final by defeating the number one-seeded Gabrielius CAMARA 4-2. In the final two-time Dutch champion Laurens TROMER got off to a strong start winning the first game 11-1 against Milo de Boer. Milo then continued to improve and won three games in a row. In game 5 Milo had three match points which he failed to capitalize on and Laurens came back into the match. In the all-deciding seventh game it was again Milo who had the chance to win the match at 10-6. Finally at 11-7 redemption came and Milo de BOER took his first singles title. With this he follows in the footsteps of his father and coach who became Dutch champion in 2010 and 2021.
Swiss Championships: Barish MOULLET and Fanny DOUTAZ crowned champions
Over the weekend of March 23rd and 24th 2024 the Grünfeld Sports Center in Rapperswil-Jona hosted the 90th Swiss Championships. In the spotlight were 114 of the country’s most talented players offering spectators a top-notch spectacle where passion and athletic excellence took center stage. Once again this year the final saw an electrifying duel between Barish MOULLET and Elias HARDMEIER. MOULLET was determined to reclaim the title from his rival but his path to the final was not without obstacles: in epic encounters against Elia SCHMID in the quarterfinals which ended 4-3 (11-9 11-5 8-11 11-5 8-11 4-11 11-7) and in the semifinals against Yanick TAFFÉ which also ended 4-3 (9-11 11-9 5-11 16-14 11-8 9-11 11-3) MOULLET had to repeatedly prove his endurance. However even more intense was the rematch in the final against Elias HARDMEIER. Almost the entire course of last year’s edition was repeated: Barish MOULLET quickly took the lead and won the first three sets convincingly (11-3 11-6 11-9). However Elias HARDMEIER showed extraordinary resilience and responded to every challenge with unwavering determination even saving match points. He won the next games (16-14 11-8 11-8) and forced the match into a decisive seventh game. In the final game the two protagonists delivered an intensely breathtaking spectacle and a showdown that matched their exceptional level. After over an hour of play and with the score at 7-10 against him Barish MOULLET finally managed to turn the tide and claim the title of Swiss Singles Champion for the second time in his career. The final score was thus 4-3 (11-3 11-6 11-9 14-16 8-11 8-11 13-11). In the women’s competition all eyes were on Rachel MORET who was expected to secure her tenth title. However reality had a surprise in store this year. Until the final MORET sailed smoothly through the main draw without dropping a single set. But when she faced Fanny DOUTAZ in the final things took an unexpected turn. DOUTAZ brilliantly took the first game and continued to play strongly ultimately leading 3-1 in sets. However MORET managed to capitalize on the opportunities and took the game to the decisive seventh and final set. When Fanny DOUTAZ trailed by two points her coach Michel MARTINEZ called a timeout – this turned out to be a stroke of luck as DOUTAZ subsequently managed to turn the situation around and once again take the lead. In this thrilling situation Rachel MORET also decided to take her timeout to strategically prepare for the final few rallies. The final rallies were back and forth and to the surprise of most Fanny DOUTAZ ultimately won the last rally crowning herself Swiss champion with a final score of 4-3 (11-8 6-11 13-11 11-5 1-11 6-11 11-8). Thus DOUTAZ broke MORET’S dominance who had secured the title since 2016 (with the exception of 2022 due to her participation in the WTT Smash). The dynamic duo of TTC Rio-Star Muttenz consisting of Cédric TSCHANZ and Pedro OSIRO who clinched the first place last year faced the pair of Barish MOULLET/Gaël VENDÉ the 2020 champions in the final. It goes without saying that the encounter of these top pairs captivated the attention of all spectators. The Neuchâtel duo finally won 3-2 (11-7 4-11 11-6 11-13 11-6) with the tension reaching its peak in the final game. The relentless duo of DOUTAZ/MORET crushed all competition in this event. Even in the final opponents TULLII/MAURER could not withstand enough resistance despite winning the first set. The game ended with a 3-1 victory (6-11 11-8 11-8 11-5). There is no doubt that the pairing of Rachel MORET and Fanny DOUTAZ will remain unbeatable for a long time to come. The defending champions Rachel MORET and Nicolas CHAMPOD aimed to mark their names on the tournament’s winner’s list for the fifth time. They faced the Geneva duo of Fanny DOUTAZ and Yoan REBETEZ. Despite their experience and merits MORET and CHAMPOD were challenged by tough opponents who cleverly seized their chances to secure victory. The game ended with a narrow score of 3-0 (11-8 11-9 11-9) in favor of DOUTAZ/REBETEZ sealing Fanny DOUTAZ’S hat-trick in this edition – a remarkable achievement that will go down in the history of the Swiss Championships.
Defending champions LIU and LEVENKO triumph in Bruck
The defending champions had reason to celebrate at the National Championships in Bruck/Mur: Andreas LEVENKO emerged victorious in the final against Simon PFEFFER with a 4-3 win while LIU Yuan secured gold in the women’s singles with a 4-1 victory over Karoline MISCHEK. Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK emerged as the most successful medalist triumphing in mixed doubles with Anastasia STERNER in doubles with Andre KASES and also claiming bronze in singles. In the women’s doubles Nicole GALITSCHITSCH and talent Nina SKERBINZ surprised. Andreas LEVENKO jubilantly secured his second national champion title but had to go the full distance twice: in the quarterfinals the ÖTTV team player narrowly escaped defeat against LIU Zhenlong after trailing 2-3 clinching the seventh set with a close 12-10 victory. The final against Simon PFEFFER was even more dramatic. The Vorarlberg native fought back from a 2-3 deficit to force a decider leading 5-2 but ultimately succumbed to a 9-11 defeat. “Today I learned once again that determination is key ” breathed Andreas LEVENKO after clinching his second title. In the absence of Sofia POLCANOVA—who is preparing for the WTT Champions Tournament in Korea (27-31.3.) in China—LIU Yuan successfully defended her title in the women’s singles. The Linz native defeated Karoline MISCHEK 4-1 in the final just like last year. Prior to that the 38-year-old eliminated Anastasia STERNER with the same score. “I mainly focused on the player from Linz. The journey to gold was tough ” said LIU after claiming her fourth overall title. STERNER in addition to her bronze in singles celebrated mixed doubles gold with Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK. In the women’s doubles she and Molei FANG (NÖ) settled for silver after a 1-3 defeat against Nicole GaLitschitsch (St)/Nina SKERBINZ (NÖ). “For me this title is the highlight of my career ” beamed the local alongside 14-year-old Nina SKERBINZ. Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK won two golds and one bronze. Prior to the mixed doubles title he claimed his first gold in doubles with Andre KASES (B). His Wels clubmate Petr HODINA secured bronze in doubles with Linz’s LIU Zhenlong and at 15 became Austria’s youngest male national championship medalist. National Championships in Bruck/Mur Women’s Singles Final: Liu Yuan (OÖ) – Karoline Mischek (OÖ) 4:1 (6 5 3 -8 6) Semifinals (all semifinal losers win bronze): Karoline Mischek (OÖ) – Selina Leitner (S) 4:0 (1 2 6 12) Liu Yuan (OÖ) – Anastasia Sterner (OÖ) 4:1 (1 1 -9 9 7) Men’s Singles Final: Andreas Levenko (OÖ) – Simon Pfeffer (V) 4:3 (-8 6 12 -7 8 -9 9) Semifinals: Andreas Levenko (OÖ) – Alexander Chen (NÖ) 4:2 (8 -5 7 6 -6 7) Simon Pfeffer (V) – Maciej Kolodziejczyk (OÖ) 4:3 (8 -7 8 -5 6 -9 6) Women’s Doubles Final: Nicole Galitschitsch (St)/Nina Skerbinz (NÖ) – Anastasia Sterner (OÖ)/Fang Molei (NÖ) 3:1 (5 10 -11 9) Semifinals: Anastasia Sterner (OÖ)/Fang Molei (NÖ) – Ines Diendorfer (OÖ)/Karoline Mischek (NÖ) 3:0 Nicole Galitschitsch (St)/Nina Skerbinz (NÖ) – Liu Yuan/Celine Panholzer (OÖ) 3:2 Men’s Doubles Final: Maciej Kolodziejczyk (OÖ)/Andre Pierre Kases (B) – Simon Pfeffer (V)/Michael Trink (S) 3:0 (5 5 8) Semifinals: Kolodziejczyk (OÖ)/Andre Kases (B) – Mathias Habesohn/Alexander Chen (NÖ) 3:1 Simon Pfeffer (V)/Michael Trink (S) – Petr Hodina/Liu Zhenlong (OÖ) 3:0 Mixed Doubles Final: Anastasia Sterner/Maciej Kolodziejczyk (OÖ) – Celine Panholzer (OÖ)/Andrea Pierre Kases (B) 3:2 (-11 7 -6 7 8) Semifinals: Anastasia Sterner/Maciej Kolodziejczyk (OÖ) – Molei Fang/Alexander Chen (NÖ) 3:0 Celine Panholzer (OÖ)/Andrea Pierre Kases (B) – Nina Skerbinz/Patrick Skerbinz (NÖ) 3:0
Familiar winners at the Finnish Championships: Gold for Benedek OLÁH and Marina DONNER
Benedek OLÁH and Marina DONNER retained their singles titles at the Finnish Championships held in Tampere. It was OLÁH’S 12th first-place finish and DONNER’S fourth consecutive victory. In the men’s singles final Rio Olympian defeated Alex NAUMI 4-1 (11-5 11-7 11-9 5-11 11-3). Taking bronze were father and son – Mika and Aleksi RÄSÄNEN. “I didn’t feel any pressure to play and I felt sharp. I managed to return Alex’s serves well and knew what he was attempting overall. It depends a lot on the juniors how long I can continue standing on that highest podium. I’ll play for as long as my body holds up ” 32-year-old OLÁH said. In the women’s singles final Ramona BETZ gave Marina DONNER a tough time but the experienced Åland resident’s routine secured the title. Eventually DONNER won 4-1 (11-9 7-11 11-8 1—9 11-9). “Both matches of the final day (semifinal 4-3 against Jannika OKSANEN) were tough. My tactic was to serve short and then attack aggressively myself. I’m really pleased with my two titles even though we couldn’t repeat the victory in the mixed doubles ” DONNER (41) smiled. Finnish Championships’ medalists Men’s singles Benedek OLÁH SeSi Alex NAUMI KoKa Aleksi RÄSÄNEN PT Espoo ja Mika Räsänen PT Espoo Women’s singles Marina DONNER HIK Ramona BETZ LiPi Maria GIRLEA PT Jyväskylä ja Jannika Oksanen PT 75 Men’s doubles Benedek OLÁH / Toni SOINE SeSi / PT Espoo Aleksi RÄSÄNEN / Sam KHOSRAVI PT Espoo / Pars Lassi LEHTOLA / Arttu PIHKALA PT Espoo ja Alex NAUMI / Samuli SOINE KoKa / TIP-70 Women’s doubles Marina DONNER / Maria GIRLEA HIK / PT Jyväskylä Ella KELLOW / Mia KELLOW OPT-86 / TIP-70 Polina LEVKINA / Eleonoora ROOSIOKS PT Espoo ja Anne STENBERG / Oksana RUOTSALAINEN PT 75 Mixed doubles Sam KHOSRAVI / Ramona BETZ Pars / LiPi Arttu PIHKALA / Ella KELLOW PT Espoo / OPT-86 Johan PETTERSSON / Marina DONNER HIK ja Samuli SOINE / Jaimielee ENRIQUEZ TIP-70