Germany’s Timo BOLL added seventh title to his European Championships record. The winner of six titles at the singles event (Zagreb 2002 Belgrade 2007 Saint-Petersburg 2008 Ostrava 2010 Gdansk-Sopot 2011 and Herning 2012) Timo BOLL clinched gold in Alicante at the LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships. In the final he overcame Ovidiu IONESCU of Romania (6:11 11:7 11:9 11:6 11:5). Bronze went to Patrick FRANZISKA of Germany and Sweden’s Kristian KARLSSON.   Last time Timo was champion in Singles in 2012 but admitted he still feels the fire.   “I am still nervous I still have desire to win and to play. That is good thing. I enjoy the game. Success is important but if you do not feel the joy then is time to quit. I think I will stay more for a while. I am feeling good ” said Timo.   BOLL recovered from the injury and came back after the break.   “I am surprised that I win this Championships ” said BOLL.” I was also shocked in the final. IONESCU is very clever player. He came well prepared he is fast and he hits hard the ball. Also the level of his self-confidence was fantastic.”   In the semi final Timo made a remarkable recovery against his teammate Patrick FRANZISKA (8:11 14:12 9:11 8:11 11:9 11:5 11:7). He was three games to one in reverse before he recovered to win the match. At the Championships where he faced pressure so many times in the semis he was in the most difficult position but again he found his way to the victory.   “I gave too many easy balls by being passive. At the beginning I let Patrick be more aggressive and he took over the control. With his strong service and first ball it was very dangerous position. I was not enough self-confident just to wait for his mistakes. That is why I had to change the tactics and to attack more ” said BOLL.   Seeded only at the position no. 26 in Alicante Ovidiu IONESCU beat Sweden’s Kristian KARLSSON no. 9 seed on his way to the final (10:12 6:11 11:13 9:11 9:11). His remarkable achievement did not make him less humble than the previous days when he overcame Vladimir SAMSONOV and title defender Emmanuel LEBESSON.   “I am so honored to play among such big stars here. I did not believe something like this will happened but now I believe in everything ” said IONESCU.   His dream came true but he got rid of few nightmares in the process.   “Ten days ago Kristian KARLSSON was my nightmare. In ten matches he beat me seven times. And then 10 days ago I beat him in the League. Everything changed. Before that I had knew I am done if I see him in the draw but then I finally made a break through ” said IONECSU. “In the semis his backhand which is usual lethal was not that strong as usual. He is more aggressive usually. I seized the opportunity…It was first semi final of the European Championships for both of us so I guess we both were very nervous.”

LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships   Qian of Poland clinched the gold medal in Women’s Singles Event at the 2018 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships. In the final she overcame Margaryta PESOTSKA of Ukraine (11:8 12:10 6:11 6:11 2:11 2:11). Katarzyna GRZYBOWSKA-FRANC of Poland and Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria won bronze medals.   LI Qian who won bronze medal in Singles in 2011 showed no mercy in the ultimate stage. Silver and bronze medals winner in Singles at the European Championships in 2009 Stuttgart and 2011 Gdańsk–Sopot and bronze medal winner in team’s event in Ekaterinburg 2015 PESOTSKA could not find the game for her adversary.   “It was difficult because no one plays like PESOTSKA. I beat her already at the Olympic Qualifications in Sweden and it was the close match as well. I was under pressure because we had to play under expedite rule but now I am so happy ’ sad LI.   LI admitted she needed a long time to recover her game after she gave birth four and a half years ago.   “I made a two years break and could not find my game. Finally everything comes together ” said LI.   Margaryta PESOTSKA overcame Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria in the semi final (11:7 14:16 10:12 13:11 4:11 5:11). After the rough start she managed to finish the match in superb style.   “I have played against Sofia long time ago and I did not know which tactics to use. It was very difficult; whatever I tried – it failed. She is so fast and she puts all the ball on the table. After first game when I started to understand what is going on there I stopped playing on her backhand. Not that her forehand was much weaker but her backhand was astonishing. Sofia is so quick; you do not have time to think ” said Margaryta PESOTSKA.   LI Qian overcame Katarzyna GRZYBOWSKA-FRANC of Poland (13:11 11:6 11;6 10:12 12:10).   “I had very tough matches yesterday against Bernadette SZOCS and Polina MIKHAILOVA so I was very tired and nervous. It is never easy to play against teammates. We know each other so well. There is noting new you can do to help yourself ” said LI who had won bronze medal at the world Championships in Suzhou 2015.

LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF Europan Championships   Daniel HABESOHN and Robert GARDOS won the title together in 2012 and once again they are at the top of the Europe. In Alicante at the LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships in the final of the Men’s Doubles Event they overcame Mattias FALCK and Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden (11:9 6:11 11:4 11:9 11:9). Patrick FRANZISKA of Germany and Jonathan GROTH of Denmark champions from Budapest lost in the semi final. Ruwen FILUS and Ricardo WALTHER of Germany also had to settle with bronze.   In the final Daniel HABESOHN and Robert GARDOS were hardly in danger. It was their fourth final in five competitions.   “It is great feeling to win the title again. Especially since we lost in the first round last time in Budapest. This time we did not take any risks. Robert came from Spain to work with me for a week. We had a very good preparations and it paid off “ said HABESOHN.   It has been a long tournament.   “This time Daniel was tired but we did not want to repeat what happened in 2015. Then I had an excuse and we lost after failed to take advantage of math ball. It was wrong thinking. Before this final we just said ‘we have to win’. There were no excuses ” said GARDOS.   Against FALCK and KARLSSON Austria’s pairings had lost recently.   “We lost against them in World Tour but in the final we had advantage ” said HABESOHN.   Mattias FALCK and Kristian KARLSSON won the third medal at the Continental Championships in Doubles. In Herning in 2012 they were runners up and in Budapest 2016 they won bronze.  

LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships   Newly crowned champions in Women’s Doubles Event at the LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships are Nina MITTELHAM and Kristin LANG of Germany. In the final they overcame Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria and Yana NOSKOVA of Russia (10:12 11:8 11:6 4:11 11:9 7:11 12:14). Bronze medal winners are are Matilda EKHOLM of Sweden and Georgina POTA of Hungary and Luxembourg’s pairings NI Xia Lian and Sarah DE NUTTE.   Kristin LANG is unbeaten at the European Championships. She clinched the title with Sabine WINTER in 2016 made a break due the family maters and came back strong to collect another gold with young Nina MITTELHAM.   “The chances were 50/50 but we seized the opportunity. Final match was very difficult and we were forced to change our tactics few times. We had to be aggressive and to took control from the very beginning otherwise NOSKOVA and POLCANOVA were unbeatable ” said LANG.   NOSKOVA and POLCANOVA managed to recover and to level the match three times but eventually the close finish went on Germany’s account.   “We are so sad ” said POLCANOVA who win silver in Mixed Doubles and bronze in Singles.   On their way to the highest step at the medal rostrum German combination overcame no. two seeds Elizabeta SAMARA and Bernadette SZOCS of Romania whilst NOSKOVA and POLCANOVA beat top seeded POTA and EKHOLM.  

LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships   Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria secured the third medal at the LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships in Spanish Alicante. After silver in Mixed Doubles Event with Stefan FEGERL and a place in the final of the Women’s Doubles Event she progressed to the penultimate stage of the Singles Event.   In quarterfinal Sofia overcame Petrissa SOLJA of Germany (10:12 11:6 11:9 11:8 11:7).   “It is always difficult to play against Peti. She beat me many times before but after our last encounter I felt I can finally turn around the tables. At6 the World Championships I finally overcame her and tear down the barrier ” explained POLCANOVA.   The opening game went on SOLJA’s account but then Sofia took the control.   “She is very dangerous and she put me under severe pressure but I did not let her play her game. I contr4oled the situation.”   Two years ago POLCANOVA reached only the Round of 32 at the European Championships in Budapest.   “I improved my game a lot in past two years. I overcame very difficult time of my life. My father Mihail died from cancer and it took me time to heal the wounds. Now I came back and I came even stronger. Those three medals I dedicate to my father ” said POLCANOVA.   In the semis Austria’s player will meet Margaryta PESOTSKA of Ukraine who succeeded against HAN Ying of Germany (10:12 9:11 9:11 1:4 11:13).   “It is so hard to play against her defense style. I had to change the rhythm the tactics constantly in order to find the right way to beat her. Every ball was important ” said PESOTSKA.   In other penultimate match will play Katarzyna GRZYBOWSKA-FRANC of Poland who accounted for Sabine WINTER of Germany (11:3 11:8 11:8 11:8).   “I was very focused. I did not think about anything except about next ball. I did not even look at the scoreboard ” said GRZYBOWSKA-FRANC.   GRZYBOWSKA-FRANC will have another heavy task in the semis. She qwill meet her compatriot LI Qian. In the last quarterfinal match LI overcame Bernadette SZOCS (9:11 6;11 16:14 6:11 7:11).   Timo BOLL needed only four games to secure his place in the semi final of the Men’s Singles Event in the match against Daniel HABESOHN (11:3 11:4 11:4 11:9) whilst Patrick FRANZISKA need one more to overcame his compatriot Benedikt DUDA (11:7 11:3 7;11 11:5 11:9).   “It is getting better and better as the tournament progresses. After close matches in previous two rounds I felt much better and my confidence is at the higher level ” said BOLL.   FRANZISKA had a tough task to play against teammate but he faced no problems.   “We know each other very well but I was very confident. The key was to attack more and not to let DUDA be very active ” said Patrick. “Now I am looking forward my match against Timo BOLL.”   In other semi final Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden will meet the player who made one of the biggest upset at the Championships – Ovidiu IONESCU of Romania. Ovidiu overcame Vladimir SAMSONOV in full seven game thriller (11:7 8:11 10:12 15:13 13:11 6:11 11:9).    “I am so grateful and happy that I had the opportunity to play among the stars such are Timo BOLL Dimitrij OVTCHAROV…and to beat SAMSONOV 11:9 in seventh game in the match for medal that is tremendous ” said IONESCU.” I do not feel I deserve to win. KI guess the turning point was in the fifth game when I got lucky on some points.” Marcos FREITAS of Portugal lost against Kristian (8:11 11:5 9:11 5:11 12:10 11:6 8:11).     Photos: ETTU Flickr ETTU_official –    Live Streaming: The event will be streamed on ettu.tv    Live Scoring: Live scoring can be followed here    

LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships Kristian KARLSSON and Mattias FALCK of Sweden will play against Daniel HABESOHN and Robert GARDOS of Austria in the final of the Men’s Doubles Event at the LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships.   In the semi final FALCK an KARLSSON overcame Ruwen FILUS and Ricardo WALTHER of Germany (7:11 6:11 9:11 8:11).   “We were very confident in our play and read their game very well. We missed only few balls. We controlled their spins well ” said Mattias who changed his family name from KARLSSON after he got married.   They will meet Austria’s pairings and they looking forward to it.   “HABESOHN and GARDOS already beat us before in 2012 so we have an extra motive here ” said Kristian.   HABESOHN and GARDOS in the semis overcame reigning champions Patrick FRANZISKA of Germany and Jonathan GROTH of Denmark (11:8 11:8 8:11 11:8 6:11 13:11 2:11)   “It was very difficult at the beginning because we did not know how to play against them. We had never meet before and we needed time to read their game. Eventually after being down three games to one we learned what we have to do ” said GARDOS.   They learned their lesson well- decisive game finished at 11:2.   “We were mentally much stronger. Our confidence rose and they were very weak in that part. We easily sealed the match” said GARDOS.     Photos: ETTU Flickr ETTU_official –    Live Streaming: The event will be streamed on ettu.tv    Live Scoring: Live scoring can be followed here    

LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships   In the final of the Women’s Doubles Event at the LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships in Alicante tomorrow Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria and Yana NOSKOVA of Russia will meet Nina MITTELHAM and Kristin LANG of Germany.   In the penultimate round Nina and Kristin overcame Sarah DE NUTTE and NI Xia Lian of Luxembourg (11:8 8:11 5:11 6:11 11:6 10:12).   “It has only been our second tournament together. We played at the World Championships before the birth of my daughter and then we had one-year break “explained LANG.” It was very difficult to play today. NI is very experienced and Nina never had played against her in singles.”   They expect that the final will be close game.   “POLCANOVA is the top seed here in singles and they just eliminated very good pairings. We know it is going to be difficult.”   POLCANOVA and NOSKOVA beat Matilda EKHOLM of Sweden and Georgina POTA of Hungary (11:9 11:1 6;11 11:6 6:11 2:11 8:11).   “We were three games to one in reverse before we recovered. It was the same as yesterday when we were 0:3 down. In fourth game today we had to change something. We played more aggressive and regained then control ” explained POLCANOVA.   They play together for few months.   “We had never played at the Championships just at the tournaments. Unfortunately mostly against Asian’s players so we never get enough far to see how good we are ” said NOSKOVA.   Photos: ETTU Flickr ETTU_official –    Live Streaming: The event will be streamed on ettu.tv    Live Scoring: Live scoring can be followed here