Israel hosted the seminar as a part of the ETTU National Associations’ Assistance Program. The lecturer was ETTU Development Manager Neven Cegnar. 4 day professional table tennis seminar gathered experience coaches and active members of table tennis community in Israel; 30 Coaches participated. Some of the topics were “Types of exercises in table tennis training with young players” “The theory of “New approach” of learning new technical elements in table tennis” “Changes of TT rules in 21st of century (7) and their consequences on the development of table tennis techniques and tactics” “Individuality of table tennis players in performance of technical – tactical elements” “Main criteria for determining the level of tolerance in performance of technical – tactical elements”…
Seamaster joins aboard brand new ITTF Challenge Series!
Exciting times are ahead for the ITTF Challenge Series in 2019 and Seamaster will be an integral part of it all after agreeing to become title sponsor of the revamped competition. The two-year deal means that Seamaster is expanding its involvement in professional table tennis as the International Shipping Business Company already sponsors the ITTF World Tour. They now join DHS (official ball sponsor) as an ITTF Challenge Series partner until 2020. The news arrives as the latest confirmation of how the ITTF Challenge Series – one of table tennis’ fastest-growing competitions – is set to make a significant impact in the sport starting next year. Introduced in 2017 to give extra opportunities for upcoming players to challenge themselves and earn international recognition and experience from 2019 the tournament will be split into two tiers: ITTF Challenge Plus and ITTF Challenge. The brand new ITTF Challenge Plus series – consisting of six events per year – will offer players higher world ranking points increased prize money and most importantly greater exposure to elite table tennis competition enabling them to raise their game and reach the next level in their careers. Furthermore the more flexible requirements of the ITTF Challenge Series will allow a higher number of cities to get on board and stage an international table tennis event. “As table tennis continues to enjoy significant growth around the world Seamaster is very proud and excited to be strengthening its connection with the sport by sponsoring the ITTF Challenge Series ” said Frank JI Seamaster Chairman “DHS will continue to provide table tennis balls and other equipment for the expanded ITTF Challenge Series. We believe that the high quality and consistent performance of the balls will contribute significantly to furthering innovation in table tennis technology ” added LOU Shihe DHS General Manager “2019 is set to be a ground-breaking year for table tennis with the ITTF Challenge Series offering unprecedented opportunities to players host organisers and naturally sponsors too so we are delighted that Seamaster is joining us on this exciting new venture ” said Matthew POUND ITTF Marketing Director. Seamaster is a leading International Shipping Business Company based in Shanghai China. Seamaster is a strategic ITTF partner currently sponsoring the 2017-2020 World Tour. Shanghai Double Happiness (DHS) is a table tennis equipment manufacturer based in Shanghai China. Among other events DHS currently provides the official ball to the 2017-2020 World Tour 2017-2020 World Cups 2018 Youth Olympic Games and 2020 Olympic Games.
Dr. CASL wants to improve its shape
Reigning ECLW champion is going to face Metz TT this Friday November 23rd in the ECLW Round 5 ECLW Round 5 will be held from Thursday to Sunday November 22-25th as reigning champion Dr. CASL will host actual ETTU Cup Women winner Metz TT this Friday. Croatian side will play for its fourth consecutive win while French team has 1-1 win-loss record in the Group A so far. Dr. CASL has been extended to full distance in the first encounter held in France four weeks ago. “Our last two games in Metz and Budaorsi we didn’t play on our usual level but we managed to win in spite of it. This Friday our players must deliver their 100 % in order to win this game and secure top spot in our group before the quarter-finals. Any other outcome will put us in very difficult situation on our way to another ECLW title. However only you count are victories and it’s important to succeeded it even you play far from your best. That will make our goals easier during the decisive months April and May when we have to be in our best shape fighting in all four competitions: ECLW Central-European Super League Croatian Super League and domestic Cup. Through the current games we are going to adjust our shape to reach its peak when it be required from us bearing in mind that we need to play 45 games during the season what is really exhausting” stated Dr. CASL’s president Martin-Tino CASL. Former four-times ECLW winner TTC Berlin Eastside hosts Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT in the Group B. German side (3-0 win-loss record) has secured its place in the knockout stage while French team (1-1) still fights for it. Berlin beat Clairefontaine 3:0 four weeks ago. Two more favourites are determined to conclude their group stage with 4-0 win-loss record: two-times ECLW champion Linz AG Froschberg vs. TT Saint Quentinois and two-times runner-up KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg – SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoimpex. ECLW Round 5 GROUP A: Dr. CASL – Metz TT (Nov 23 18:00 CET) GROUP B: TTC Berlin Eastside – Etival Clairefontaine ASRTT (Nov 23 18:00 CET) GROUP C: Linz AG Froschberg – TT Saint Quentinois (Nov 25 16:00 CET) GROUP D: KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg – SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoimpex (Nov 22 17:30 CET)
Final nominees announced for 2018 ITTF Star Awards
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) annonced today the nominees for the 2018 Male & Female Para Table Tennis Stars Breakthrough Star and Star Coach awards. The winners will be crowned at the 2018 ITTF Star Awards on 12 December at the Grand Hyatt in Incheon Korea Republic. Now in its sixth edition the ITTF Star Awards represent the most prestigious individual prizes and a celebration of the best players’ and coaches’ international achievements over the course of 2018 as well as their popularity gained among table tennis fans around the world. The nominees for the Male Para Table Tennis Star award presented by Tinsue: Fabien Lamirault (FRA): 2018 Class 2 World Champion; 2018 Slovenian Open Bronze Medallist. Jordi Morales (ESP): 2018 Class 7 World Champion; 2018 Spanish Open Runner-up. Florian Van Acker (BEL): 2018 Class 11 World Champion; 2018 Slovenian Open Runner-up. Click here to view the Male Para Table Tennis Star candidates! The nominees for the Female Para Table Tennis Star award presented by Stag: Seo Suyeon (KOR): 2018 Class 2 World Champion. Xue Juan (CHN): 2018 Class 3 World Champion; 2018 Asian Para Games Class 3 Champion. Kelly Van Zon (NED): 2018 Class 7 World Champion; 2018 Slovenian Spanish and Lignano Master Open Champion; completed 35 months as World no. 1. Click here to view the Female Para Table Tennis Star candidates! The nominees for the Breakthrough Star award presented by Monday Club: Manika Batra (IND): 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist; 2018 Asian Games Medallist. Bernadette Szocs (ROU): 2018 European Top 16 Cup Champion (after winning last year’s European Team Championships); significant jump in the World Ranking and Romania’s no. 1 Player. Jang Woojin (KOR): First ever ITTF World Tour Triple Champion at the 2018 Korea Open winning the Men’s Singles Men’s Doubles & Mixed Doubles titles. Click here to view the Breakthrough Star candidates! The nominees for the Star Coach award presented by Butterfly: Massimo Costantini (ITA): led the Indian national team to record-breaking results at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2018 Asian Games. Ulf “Tickan” Carlsson (SWE): led the Swedish national team to the Bronze Medal at the 2018 World Team Championships. Jörg Rosskopf (GER): coached Timo Boll to his 7th European Championships title; coached Timo Boll and Dimitrij Ovtcharov on their journeys to World no. 1 in 2018. Click here to view the Star Coach candidates! Meanwhile voting has now closed for the Star Male & Female Player and Star Point awards the winners of which will also be announced on 12 December at the Grand Hyatt in Incheon.
Portugal suffered against Austria on home soil
ITTF-European Championships Teams European champions from 2015 Austria overcame Continental champions from 2014 Portugal tonight. The best ranked team in A groups in the first phase of the ITTF-European Championships Teams suffered defeat on home soil for a second time in this competition against same adversary. Daniel HABESOHN was the backbone of the guests’ success with two victories over Diogo CARVALHO and Andre SILVA. Robert GARDOS beat João GERALDO whilst Marcos FREITAS was the only Portugal’s player to win. He beat Stefan FEGERL In A2 Slovenia prevailed against Romania much easier comparing to their previous encounter when match went full distance. Darko JORGIC overcame Cristian PLETEA Deni KOZUL and Jan ZIBRAT went the same direction against Ovidu IONESCU and Hunor SZOCS to record 3:0 victory. One Group lower Sweden got even with Spain. They lost previous duel 2:3 but now they won 3:0. Kristian KARLSSON Mattias FALCK and Jon PERSSON overcame Jesus CANTERO Alvaro Robles and Carlos MACHADO. In A6 Greece beat Russia 3:0 after they lost they lost firs match in Round two. This time Panagiotis GIONIS overcame Denis IVONIN Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS beat Saadi ISMAILOV and Kostas KONSTANTINOPOULOS overcame Maxim GREBNEV 3:0. In Group A5 Ukraine recorded first victory. The no. one seed in that Group beat Slovakia in straight matches in Kiev. In the opening match KOU Lei overcame Alexander VALUCH and Yevhen Prychepa and Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO followed his path against Lubomir PISTEJ and WANG Jianjun. Croatia prevailed against Poland 3:1. Tomislav PUCAR lost opening encounter against WANG Zeng Yi but beat Jakub DYJAS whilst Frane KOJIC and Filip CIPIN overcame DYJAS and Marek BADOWSKI. Leading team in B3 sealed their first position at the standings with the victory over Estonia. Ewout OOSTWOUDER Laurens TROMER and Rajko GOMMERS succeeded against Maksim VUHKA Alexey SMIRNOV and Aleksandr LUSIN. Serbia created another upset by beating England again. Tom JARVIS overcame Ivor KATIC and that was the only victory. Zolt PETE overcame Pol DRINKHALL and JARVIS whilst Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC beat Sam WALKER. Czech’s Republic Lubomir JANCARIK Pavel SIRUCEK and Tomas TREGLER overcame Bulgaria’s TODOROV Teodor ALEXANDKOV and Petyo Ivelinov KRASTEV in straight matches. Italy’s Leonardo MUTTI Mateo MUTTI and Daniele PINTO overcame Israel’s Jonatan SCHUSTERMANN Michael TAUBER and Aviv BEN ARI 3:0. Finland overcame Switzerland after five matches. Soine SAMULI overcame Cedric TSCHANZ but lost against Lionel WEBER Benedek OLÁH overcame LIONEL Weber Alex NAUMI suffered by the hands of Lars POSCH and in the decisive match Miikka O´CONNOR overcame TSCHANZ. Lithuania beat Ireland. Ryan FARRELL posted opening match win against Rimas LESIV for guests but after that Alfredas UDRA and Matias SKUCAS beat Sasha GILLEN and Thomas EARLEY. In the fourth match Rimas LESIV overcame Sasha GILLEN. In B2 Norway with Borgar HAUG Eskil LINDHOLM and Sondre BERNER beat Kosovo’s Fatih KARABAXHAKU Kreshnik MAHMUTI and Baton CITAKU. In Group B4 in Baku San Marino beat Azerbaijan in straight matches. That is first win for San Marino whilst Azerbaijan is yet to post the victory. For San Marino played Mattia BERARDI Federico GIARDI and Mattias MONGIUSTI.
Hungary overcame Czech Republic again
ITTF-European Championships Teams No. one team on duty in Women’s A Groups Germany overcame Luxembourg in Bad Homburg. Petrissa SOLA succeeded against Sarah MEYER Kristin LANG beat Sarrah DE NUTTE and Chantal MANTZ beat Danielle KONSBRUCK. The top seeded team in Group A3 posted first victory in fifth round. Russia overcame Sweden in Moscow in straight matches. Mariia TAILAKOVA overcame Filippa BERGAND Valeria SCHERBATYKH beat Christina KALLBERG and Yana NOSKOVA prevailed against Jennifer JONSSON. In A4 Hungary overcame Czech Republic again 3:1. Georgina POTA overcame Karin ADAMKOVA but Hana MATELOVA leveled against Dora MADARASZ. However Szandra PERGEL and Georgina POTA brought hosts to safe harbor. Poland avenged their defeat against Ukraine from March. Now they succeeded 3:1. Natalia BAJOR won two matches against Anastasiya DYMYTRENKO and Veronika HUD. Tetyana BILENKO won only point for guests against Katarzyna WEGRZYN. Natalia PARTYKA overcame Solomiya BRATEYKO. Netherlands overcame Croatia in straight matches. Britt EERLAND LI Jie and Kim VERMAAS overcame TIAN Yuan Ivana MALOBABIC and Mateja JEGER. Portugal created upset and overcame Austria 3:1 as guest. Sofia POLCANOVA recorded only win over Celia SILVA but lost fourth match against SHAO Jieni. Sophia KELLERMANN and Karoline MISCHEK could not stop Jieni SHAO and Leila OLIVEIRA. In Women’s B1 Group Serbia concluded first phase unbeaten. In Nis they overcame Bulgaria. Izabela LUPULESKU Sabina ŠURJAN and Aneta MAKSUTI recorded victories against Ivet ILIEVA Maria YOVKOVA and Kalina HRISTOVA. In B4 Lithuania is at the top of the standings with four out of four wins. Vitalija VENCKUTE Ugne BASKUTYTE and Egle STUCKYTIE proved to be too strong for Israel’s team today. But Vital KARLIN Karina ADAMSKY and Sinai ITAZHAKI did not go without great fight. It was 3:2. Turkey was stretched to full distance before they prevailed against Denmark. Sibel ALTINKAYA won two matches against Sophie WALLOE and Stefanie CHRISTENSE. Özge YILMAZ lost against CHRISTENSEN but won the decisive match against Sophie WALLOE Betül Nur KAHRAMAN suffered by the hands of Mie SKOV. England’s Tin Tin HO beat Aikaterini TOLIOU Maria TSAPTSINOS overcame Giorgia ZAVITSANOU and Charlotte BARDSLEY prevailed against Konstantina PARIDI to give England fourth win in the Group B3. Belgium lost against Slovakia again this time on home soil. Lisa LUNG was the only player to score. She beat Natacha GRIGEZOVA. Barbora BALAZOVA and Eva ODOROVA led the team to the victory despite opening match defeat.
Germany wants to conclude the first phase unbeaten
ITTF-European Championships Teams Germany is looking to maintain their unbeaten status in the first phase in the Women’s Singles Event at the ITTF-European Championships Teams. On Tuesday they will host Luxembourg. Luxembourg already suffered against leader 3:1 whilst German team beat Azerbaijan twice as well. In Group A2 Netherlands also recorded three victories; over Croatia and Italy twice. However the match in Italy went full distance so we can expect thrilling game again. In A3 Russia the leader is wounded. Despite their seeding they failed to post single victory so far. They lost against Belarus twice and against Sweden. Now they await Sweden. This is not last match Nordic team. They will meet Belarus in the last round. In Group A4 Hungary was also caught on the wrong foot at the beginning of the phase. They lost against Spain opening match. Hungary recovered to beat them in October and added another victory over Czech Republic in away match. Now Czech Republic team comes to Hungary. Austria is unbeaten in A5 and they will meet Portugal who suffered against hosts already in March. In A6 Poland is looking for an opportunity to level the score against Ukraine who beat them in March. In B1 Serbia has an easy task to repeat the success against Bulgaria after they recorded three victories already. In B2 Turkey is also unbeaten and they will meet Denmark. In B3 England hosts Greece. They already beat Norway twice and Greece once. In B4 Lithuania will host Israel. So far leader is unbeaten. In B5 Slovakia beat top seeded Belgium and now they are will meet them as guests. Belgium beat Bosnia and Herzegovina twice.
Portugal seeking for avenge in Vila Nova de Gaia
ITTF European Championships Teams Penultimate round of the first phase of ITTF European Championships Teams will set up Continent on fire this Tuesday. Ahead of Portugal in A1 Group of the Men’s Event is very important match. They suffered against Austria in the opening round 3:0 and in their last match in the Group the win comes as important task. They overcame Hungary twice whilst Austria suffered against Hungary and they will them again in December. In Group A2 Slovenia is unbeaten although they had very tough encounter against Romania in previous occasion. Romania stretched them to full distance at home but they are yet to post a victory in the competition. Now they will play in Murska Sobota before Romania concludes the competition against Belgium next month. In Group A3 Sweden suffered by the hands of Spanish players now they will have a chance to avenge that defeat. Spain the only unbeaten team in the group comes to Soderhamn. Sweden beat Denmark twice Spain once and they will meet in the last round. In Group A4 Croatia will meet Poland. Croatia beat them in the opening round in straight matches. The match will be played in Osijek. Ukraine will have last chance to post a victory in first phase. They will meet Slovakia the team that has beat them already. They also lost both their encounters against Belarus. In Group A6 Greece will meet Russia after two victories over Luxembourg. In March Russia overcame Greece 3:2 at home soil. So far Russia is unbeaten. In B1 Group Czech Republic will meet Bulgaria they already prevailed against Bulgaria and twice against Cyprus. In B2 Italy will play against Israel Norway against Kosovo. Italy is the leader at the standing with 4 wins. In B3 Netherlands ahs all three wins and now they will meet Estonia. Same unbeaten status has Lithuania in B4 and they are yet to lose a singles match. Ireland will try to stop them. In other match in the same group Azerbaijan will play against San Marino. In B5 England will look to avenge they surprised defeat against Serbia in May. Serbia is unbeaten whilst England beside one defeat has two wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina. In B6 Finland will meet Switzerland the team who already beat them in March. Swiss team is undefeated.
Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa secured victory over Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois
Men’s ETTU Cup In the opening leg of the Men’s ETTU Cup Spanish Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa beat Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois in four matches. Key player was Swede Hampus SODERLUND with two victories over Romain RUIZ and Stephane OUAICHE Endika DIEZ overcame Adrien MATTENET whilst the only point for guest won Stephane OUAICHE in the duel against Daniel KOSIBA. Dutch DeBoer Taverzo secured home victory against SF SKK El Nino Praha from Czech Republic. PARK Jeongwoo secured two point Jakub FOLWARSKI added another to the record. Dmitrij PROKOPCOV gave guest consolation with one win over David MC BEATH Belgium’s TTC Sokah Hoboken overcame SK Vydrany Rajko GOMMERS won two points Olav KOSOLOSKY also succeeded whilst on the other side Samuel NOVOTA was in charge for one win for guests.
Silver for Russia’s Polina MIKHAILOVA in Minsk
2018 ITTF Challenge Belgosstrakh Belarus Open Russia’s Polina MIKHAILOVA’s fantastic run at the 2018 ITTF Challenge Belgosstrakh Belarus Open was halted today in the final of the Women’s Singles Event. At the final hurdle she suffered by the hands of Saki SHIBATA (11-4 11-7 12-10 11-7). Japan’s player already won tournament in Minsk two years back. In semifinal Russian defender beat Miyuu KIHARA in five games (8-11 11-7 11-6 11-4 11-9) In the semifinal of the Men’s Singles Event Romania’s Cristian PLETEA lost against unseeded Japanese opponent Shunsuke TOGAMI (15-13 11-3 11-8 12-10) and there were similar scenes in the other semi-final as no.4 seed Lubomir PISTEJ exited to Chinese qualifier ZHAO Zihao (8-11 11-3 9-11 11-6 11-4 9-11 11-9). Later ZHAO Zihao clinched the trophy; he accounted for Japan’s Shunsuke TOGAMI 4-2 (11-13 11-6 11-5 11-8 10-12 11-4) to leave his first ITTF Challenge Series event with two titles to his name having prevailed in the Under 21 Men’s Singles one day earlier. Satsuki ODO and Saki SHIBATA came away with their second Women’s Doubles trophy of the month after posting a thunderous 3-0 win against top seeded opponents Barbora BALAZOVA and Hana MATELOVA of the Slovak Republic and Czech Republic (11-3 11-4 11-7). At the final hurdle of the Men’s Doubles tournament Kakeru SONE and Yuta TANAKA saw off Ukraine’s KOU Lei and Croatia’s WEI Shihao (11-7 11-9 13-15 11-7) to reserve their place at the top of the podium
