The Third Round of the Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup commences tomorrow. The First leg of the knock out phase is on program durnig the weekend all over the Europe. In Men’s ETTU Cup the actions starts in Croatia. STK Starr Varazdin will host SF SKK El Nino Praha and on Friday Hontianske Trstany/Dudince will play against SK Vydrany whilst in France Vaillante Sports Angers TT will meet Arteal Tenis De Mesa and Istres Tennis de Table will play against another Spanish representative – DKV Borges Vall. On Saturday SG Stockerau plays agains Irun Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa and Drumchapel Glasgow hosts Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo. On Sunday Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois will meet TTC Sokah Hoboken and Cajasur Priego TM will play against Logis Auderghem. In Women’s ETTU Cup there will be three matches on Friday: TTC Kazan vs. ACS Dumbravita Metz TT vs. Team Grace and ETIVAL CLAIREFONTAINE ASRTT vs. Hotel Patria Chica Museo Priego TM. On Saturday: Arteal Tenis de Mesa vs.TTC Villach CTT BALAGUER – VILLART LOGISTIC vs. Budaorsi 2i Sport Club TMK-TAGMET TAGANROG vs. Dozy Den Helder / Noordkop and Tigem Spor Club vs. SKNT Luch Vladimir. Only Women’s match on Sunday is GIRBAU-VIC TT vs. TTC Novi Sad.
2017 World Table Tennis Day Celebrations Film Finishes Second at Milano International FICTS Festival
The 2017 World Table Tennis Day Celebrations film that was produced by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has finished second place at the Milano International FICTS Festival on Tuesday 21 November 2017 in Milano Italy. With 972 films submitted the ITTF’s two video productions Mission 226 Guinea Bissau and 2017 World Table Tennis Day Celebrations were two of the 19 shortlisted films for the “Sport and Society” category together with other contestants including National TV stations such as RAI (Italy) and ARD (Germany). Creator and producer for both film ITTF Digital Coordinator Joachim DAVY shared “It’s truly exciting! It’s a great honor to be shortlisted amongst other renown networks to compete for the award and I’m really happy that the 2017 World Table Tennis Day Celebrations was able to finish second at the awards night.” “It is a pleasure to be honored with the FICTS award. This time for the World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) compilation film which should encourage more people and countries to take part of in 2018. The WTTD will be a key instrument for the upcoming ITTF Foundation to spread table tennis globally in an inclusive way promoting the values of our sport.” added ITTF Development Director Leandro OLVECH. The 2017 World Table Tennis Day Celebrations film that won second at the Festival featured how the World came together to celebrate 2017 World Table Tennis Day on 6th April 2017 in 93 countries across the globe to rejoice the sport of table tennis. The worldwide celebrations can be seen here: https://youtu.be/8HLTcr4TEgs The second shortlisted film Mission 226 Guinea Bissau documentary was produced as part of ITTF’s Pingsider series that brings insights into table tennis special features and behind-the-scenes. The film was created to commemorate the induction of Guinea Bissau into the ITTF Family as the 226th and final member association meaning that table tennis has built its presence in all corners of the globe to be truly “Table Tennis for ALL”. The video can be watched here and is available with English French Arabic and Spanish subtitles: https://youtu.be/ZZO10mjSYms.
TTCLM Round 4: Two upsets in same night
No. 11 seed Ostrava beat no. 3 Ochsenhausen 3:0 no. 16 Roskilde overcomes no. 6 Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:1 Two games and two shocking results for the favorites in the Round 4 games of the 2017/18 Table Tennis Champions League held tonight November 22nd. Actual no. 3 seed TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen couldn’t extend its unbeaten run to four games playing in Czech Republic. TTC Ostrava 2016 (no. 11 seed) upset the 2009 TTCLM runner-up 3:0 as all three encounters were stretched to full distance. The lower-ranked team in the ongoing season Roskilde Bordtennis (no. 16) beat the odds by overcoming no. 6 Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:1. Ostrava`s players defeated all three opponents ranked higher than them on the ITTF World Ranking list. Panagiotis GIONIS (actual no. 32) beat Hugo CALDERANO (no. 18) Tomas TREGLER (no. 115) created biggest upset against Simon GAUZY (no. 8) while Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC (no. 122) prevailed against Jakub DIYAS (no. 61). Decisive moment was TREGLER`s win against 2016 European Championships runner-up as he managed to reverse the score from 0:2 to 3:2. Current world no. 124 ZHAI Yujia was a hero of Group D match held in Denmark. Roskilde`s player beat both his opponents in straight games first Kenta MATSUDAIRA (no. 9) in the opener than WANG Yang (no. 67) in the concluding clash. Former individual European champion Michael MAZE added one more points for the host side by beating WANG. Jiri VRABLIK (no. 154) took unique point for Polish side against Laurens TROMER (no. 220). 2017/18 TTCLM Round 4 Group C TTC Ostrava 2016 – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3:0 Panagiotis GIONIS – Hugo CALDERANO 3:2 (11:9 8:11 11:8 10:12 11:5) Tomas TREGLER – Simon GAUZY 3:2 (12:14 8:11 11:9 12:10 11:9) Alexandar KARAKASEVIC – Jakub DYJAS 3:2 (3:11 11:9 12:10 9:11 11:7) Group D Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:1 ZHAI Yujia – Kenta MATSUDAIRA 3:0 (11:9 11:7 11:5) Michael MAZE – WANG Yang 3:2 (5:11 6:11 13:11 11:9 11:6) Laurens TROMER – Jiri VRABLIK 2:3 (5:11 11:8 11:13 11:1 8:11) ZHAI Yujia – WANG Yang 3:0 (11:4 11:3 11:8)
ITTF Announces Top 16 for Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
The ITTF has announced the 2017 ITTF World Tour Standings for the top 16 Men’s & Women’s players on the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour who have now qualified for the US$1 000 000 Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals to be held in Astana Kazakhstan from 14-17 December 2017. The Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals is the season-ending finale for the ITTF World Tour where only the top 15 Men plus 1 host nation representative and top 16 Women as well as the top 8 Men’s and Women’s doubles pairs who have earned the most World Tour Standing points on the 2017 World Tour can qualify for. Athletes must also play a minimum of five World Tour events to qualify for the Singles events and doubles pairs must play at least four events together from the twelve event of the 2017 ITTF World Tour. With the conclusion of the Swedish Open the last ITTF World Tour event of the year the list of qualifiers for the Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events are finalized. Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV who has won four World Tour titles this year will head the top 15 Men’s seeding to fight for the prestigious ITTF World Tour Grand Finals title. Kazakhstan’s top star Kirill GERASSIMENKO will carry the local hopes in Astana. Chinese Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan and Japan’s Yuya OSHIMA secured the last two tickets to Astana after their outing in Stockholm for their chance for the title. Having won three World Tour Platinum titles in 2017 to become the most successful Women’s player on tour China’s CHEN Meng leads the top 16 Women’s Singles name list to Astana with Chinese Taipei’s CHENG I-Ching and Japan’s Hitomi SATO reserving the last two tickets available in Sweden. Japanese teenagers Mima ITO and Hina HAYATA topped the Women’s Doubles list after their Swedish Open victories over 2017 World Championships finalists CHEN Meng and ZHU Yuling. While their male counterparts Jin UEDA and Maharu YOSHIMURA lead the top 8 Men’s pairs in Astana. The world’s top table tennis stars will now be in full force getting prepared for the US$1 000 000 Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals from 14-17 December 2017 as well as the Astana 2017 ITTF Star Awards to celebrate their achievement throughout the year on 14 December 2017 at the Rixos President Hotel in Astana Kazakhstan.
Three clubs enter TTCLM Round 4 unbeaten
Orenburg Sarbrucken and Ochsenhausen have 3-0 score each. Ochsenhausen`s Simon GAUZY (5-0) leads in the individual scores The 2017/18 Table Tennis Champions League Men continues this Wednesday November 22nd with Round 4 games. There are three clubs unbeaten so far: reigning champion and four times winner TTC Fakel Gazprom Orenburg 2009 runner-up TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and 2012 semi-finalist Saarbrucken. Ochsenhausen`s no. 1 Simon GAUZY actual World no.8 holds the best individual score after first three rounds. Frenchman won all his five encounters (5-0) followed by two Orenburg`s players Jun MIZUTANI (4-0) Vladimir SAMSONOV (3-0) and two members of Saarbrucken Tiago APOLONIA (3-0) and Patrick FRANZISKA (3-0). Group A brings a do-or-die clash for double TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy (actual score 1-2). Marcos FREITAS travels to his homeland Portugal to face TTCLM newcomer Sporting (2-1). Portugal`s side upset French club in the opening round 3:1 thanks to Joao MONTEIRO who provided two wins beating Can AKUZZU and Marcos FREITAS in the decider. In other Group A game Bogoria (0-3) hosts Orenburg (3-0). Defending champion is very close to its 8th consecutive quarter-final. GROUP A (individual scores) Fakel Gazprom: OVTCHAROV 2-1 MIZUTANI 4-0 SAMSONOV 3-0 Sporting: ARUNA 1-3 MONTEIRO 4-1 CARVALHO 2-1 AS Pontoise Cergy: FREITAS 2-2 AKKUZU 1-2 STOYANOV 1-2 Bogoria Grodzisk: YOSHIDA 0-1 SIRUCEK 0-4 GORAK 0-3 HAN 1-1 Group B leader Saarbrucken (3-0) opposes 2016 TTCLM runner-up Eslovs (0-3) in Sweden playing for its fourth consecutive win. Swedish team will fight for the very first victory in the ongoing season. Two former runner-ups Chartres (1-2) and UMMC (2-1) will meet in France in the possibly decisive clash for the second spot in this group. Russian side got big advantage in the opening round 3:0 (9:2) in case that both sides finished group stage with same score. GROUP B (individual scores) Saarbrucken: APOLONIA 3-0 FRANZISKA 3-0 TOKIC 2-1 BAUM 1-0 UMMC: GACINA 2-1 YOSHIMURA 2-0 SHIBAEV 2-3 VLASOV 1-1 Chartres: GARDOS 2-2 LORENTZ 0-3 A. ROBINOT 0-1 GERELL 1-2 Eslovs: SVENSSON 0-4 XU 3-2 MOREGARDH 1-2 KOSIBA 0-1 Ochsenhausen (3-0) is determined to stay unbeaten in Group C playing in Ostrava (1-2) while host side aims its second win. German club beat Czech Republic`s team 3:1 in the opening round of the 2017/18 season. Stela Sport La Romagne and SPG Walter Wels will meet in Austria after very tense and exciting clash in France two months ago. The 2016/17 ETTU Cup Men winner beat Austrians 3:2 in the Round 1 thanks to CHEN Tianyuan who secured two points for his side. GROUP C (individual scores) TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen: GAUZY 5-0 CALDERANO 2-0 GERALDO 1-1 DYJAS 0-1 MURAMATSU 1-0 Stella Sport La Romagne: SHIAHO 3-2 CHEN 3-1 CRISAN 0-2 OLLIVIER 0-1 Ostrava 2016: TREGLER 2-1 GIONIS 1-3 KARAKASEVIC 2-2 SPG Walter Wels: PETO 0-4 CHO 2-3 DEVOS 1-2 Group D is unique one without undefeated teams. TTCLM record holders with ten titles Borussia Dusseldorf is fully motivated to beat Hennebont in France being upset by the same opponent in the Round 1 at home. French club won that clash 3:2 in spite of facing Timo BOLL in his best shape. One more unexpected result was seen in the Round 1 when Roskilde defeated away Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:2 hence Polish side will seek revenge this time. GROUP D (individual scores) Borussia: BOLL 3-1 FEGERL 0-3 KARLSSON 3-2 KALLBERG 2-1 Hennebont: Q. ROBINOT 2-2 PITCHFORD 4-1 NUYTINCK 2-2 Dekorglass Dzialdowo: MATSUDAIRA 2-0 VRABLIK 2-2 WANG 1-4 WONG 2-2 Roskilde: ZHAI 2-3 MAZE 1-4 TROMER 1-2 2017/18 TTCLM Round 4 GROUP A Sporting Clube De Portugal – AS Pontoise Cergy (Nov 23 20:00 CET) K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki – TTC Fakel Gazprom (Nov 24 18:30 CET) GROUP B Chartres ASTT -TTSC UMMC (Nov 24 19:00 CET) Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis (Nov 24 19:30 CET) GROUP C TTC Ostrava 2016 – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen (Nov 22 18:00 CET) SPG Walter Wels – Stella Sport La Romagne (Nov 23 19:00 CET) GROUP D Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (Nov 22 19:00 CET) G.V. Hennebont T.T. – Borussia Düsseldorf (Nov 24 20:00 CET)
Portugal and Austria in the same Group
ITTF European Championships Team Events Stage 1 draw ITTF European Championships Team Events Stage 1 draw took place in Stockholm today during the Swedish Open. The opening stage will be held in period between 2018 and 2019. Top 18 teams are in A section. In each Men’s and Women’s Event there are 6 groups with three teams. In B groups there are 21 men’s teams and 17 Women’s. 2018-1019 European Championships Men Draw Stage 1 – A Group A 1: Portugal Austria Hungary. Grooup A 2: Slovenia Romania Belgium. Group A 3: Sweden Spain Denmark. Group A 4: Croatia Poland Turkey. Group A 5: Ukraine Slovakia Belarus. Group A 6: Greece Russia Luxembourg. Draw Stage 1 – B Group B 1: Czech Republic Bulgaria Cyprus Iceland. Grooup B 2: Italy Israel Norway Kosovo. Group B 3: Netherlands Estonia Montenegro. Group B 4: Lithuania Ireland Ayerbaijan San Marino. Group B5: England Serbia Bosnia and Herzegovina. Group B 6: Finland Switzerland Scotland. 2018-1019 European Championships Women Draw Stage 1 – A Group A 1: Germany Luxembourg Azerbaijan. Grooup A 2: Netherlands Croatia Italy. Group A 3: Russia Sweden Belarus. Group A 4: Hungary Czech Republic Spain. Group A 5: Austria Portugal Switzerland. Group A 6: Poland Ukraine Slovenia. Draw Stage 1 – B Group B 1: Serbia Bulgaria Scotland. Grooup B 2: Turkey Senmark Estonia Kosovo. Group B 3: England Greece Norway. Group B 4: Lithuania Israel Finland Iceland. Group B5: Belgium Slovakia Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dates Stage 1 A groups and B groups 27th February 2018 1v3 1v3 2v4 (for B groups with 4 teams) 27th March 2018 2v1 2v1 4v3 22nd May 2018 3v2 3v2 1v4 2nd October 2018 3v1 3v1 4v2 20th November 2018 1v2 1v2 3v4 4th December 2018 2v3 2v3 4v1 The winner of the previous European Championships (Team Events) Germany and Romania and the host for the final stage of the Championships will not take part in stage 1 and will proceed directly to the final stage of the Championships.
ETTU invites Associations to apply to host the 2019 and 2020 events
In February 2017 the 1st STAG European Under 21 Championships was successfully hosted by the Table Tennis Federation of Russia in the Olympic city of Sochi. With participants from 30 Associations Chantal MANTZ of Germany and Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia were the first individual champions. Preparations are well advanced for the 2nd edition the Belgosstrakh European Under 21 Championships organised by the Belarus Table Tennis Federation at Minsk in March 2018. The European Table Tennis Union is now inviting Associations to apply to host the 2019 and 2020 events. Associations wishing to stage the 2019 EUROPEAN UNDER 21 CHAMPIONSHIPS and 2020 EUROPEAN UNDER 21 CHAMPIONSHIPS are kindly requested to send their initial applications to the ETTU Secretariat to arrive not later than Friday 2nd March 2018. Further information is available from ETTU Secretary General Richard SCRUTON.
ITTF European Championships Team Events Stage 1 draw live on ETTU TV
ETTU is pleased to confirm the ITTF European Championships Team Events Stage 1 draw will take place in Stockholm (Eriksdalshallen venue of the Swedish Open) on Saturday 18th November starting at 1300 CET. The draw will be streamed on ETTU TV ( www.ettu.org ) We have received representations to reconsider the date of Stage 1 round 4 matches. We have reconsidered and decided that round 4 matches shall be played on 2nd October 2018. Dates Stage 1 A groups and B groups 27th February 2018 1v3 1v3 2v4 (for B groups with 4 teams) 27th March 2018 2v1 2v1 4v3 22nd May 2018 3v2 3v2 1v4 2nd October 2018 3v1 3v1 4v2 20th November 2018 1v2 1v2 3v4 4th December 2018 2v3 2v3 4v1
2017 Star Awards Male & Female Table Tennis Star Nominees Announced
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is excited to announce the nominees for the 2017 Male & Female Table Tennis Stars & Star Point with the winners to be crowned at the 2017 ITTF Star Awards in Astana Kazakhstan on 14th December 2017. The 2017 ITTF Star Awards which will be in its fifth edition will be held at the Astana’s famous and prestigious Rixos Hotel to celebrate the world’s best table tennis players’ achievements in 2017. The nominees for the Male Table Tennis Star presented by DHS as nominated by the ITTF Athletes’ Commission: Ma Long (CHN): 2017 World Champion 2017 Qatar & Japan Open Champion 2016 World Tour Grand Finals Champion Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER): 2017 Men’s World Cup Champion 2017 Indian Bulgaria China & German Open Champion 2017 European Team Champion Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN): 2017 Czech Open Champion youngest ever World Tour Single’s Champion at 14-years-old youngest World Championships Quarterfinalist Timo Boll (GER): 2017 Men’s World Cup Silver Medalist 2017 Korean Open Champion 2017 European Team Champion Upon the nomination Male Table Tennis Star nominee Dimintrij Ovtcharov shared: “After the best year of my career it is perfect to cap it off with a nomination for the ITTF Star Awards! I hope to add another trophy to my cabinet from a truly year to remember in Astana.” The nominees Female Table Tennis Star presented by Nittaku as nominated by the ITTF Athletes’ Commission: Ding Ning (CHN): 2017 World Champion 2017 Women’s Doubles World Champion 2017 China Open Champion Zhu Yuling (CHN): 2017 Women’s World Cup Champion 2017 World Championships Silver Medalist 2016 World Tour Grand Finals Champion Miu Hirano (JPN): 2017 Asian Champion 2017 World Championships Bronze Medalist Cheng I-Ching (TPE): 2017 World Championships Mixed Doubles Silver Medalist 2017 Women’s World Cup Bronze Medalist Female Table Tennis Star nominee Zhu Yuling shared upon her first ever ITTF Star Awards nomination:” I’m very happy to be nominated I have imagined about it in the past and now it’s finally my chance. The World Cup title is a victory against myself and a small step towards the Grand Slam. But it’s in the past now there’s more challenges ahead in the future and I will take them down one by one.” 2017 saw a lot of amazing shots and rallies but only five made the shortlist for Star Point of the year. Check out the cream of the crop here: https://youtu.be/7Q7iAM0I5j0 Fans can now vote for their star player of 2017 here. Voting will end on 24th November 2017. Fans’ voting results will be combined with the judging outcome by an expert panel which will include their peers and the media to determine the Table Tennis Stars of 2017! In addition to the Male & Female Table Tennis Stars and Table Tennis Star Point five other awards will be handed in Astana: Male Para Table Tennis Star presented by Tinsue Female Para Table Tennis Star presented by Stag International Table Tennis Star Coach presented by Butterfly Table Tennis Breakthrough Star Table Tennis Fair Play Star The nominees for these awards will be announced in the coming weeks.
Darko JORGIC reached semis in U21 and main draw in Sweden
Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC reached the semifinal of the U 21 Men’s Singles Event and booked his place in the main draw of the Men’s main event at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm. In the Group stage he made the first upset by beating top player in his group Japan’s Mizuki OIKAWA (6-11 11-7 12-10 11-8 11-8). He also accounted for Bogdan SINGEORZAN of Romania (11-7 11-3 11-5 11-9) to top the group. In the first preliminary round of the Men’s Singles event JORGIC overcame Frenchman Romain LORENTZ (9-11 11-6 11-6 11-7 12-10) before he beat LIANG Jingkun of China (11-8 4-11 8-11 11-9 11-5 13-11). In his opening match of the day he had been beaten at the semi-final stage of the Under 21 Men’s Singles event by Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang (14-12 18-16 11-5). “I used my backhand serve and just kept trying; I don’t like playing in the morning! Against Lam Siu Hang he played well but I wasn’t really prepared. It was a case of just start again. In the fifth game against Romain I had it in my head that the match score was three-two!” said Darko JORGIC. Pavel SIRUCEK of Czech Republic WANG Yang of Slovakia Jonathan GROTH and ZHAI Yujia of Denmark Jens LUNDQVIST of Sweden and Benedikt DUDA of Germany also progressed to the Main Draw that starts tomorrow. In Women’s Singles Event tomorrow will also play HU Melek of Turkey YU Fu of Portugal Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria and LI Qian of Poland.
