ETTU Cup First leg of the quarterfinal ETTU Cup concluded this weekend with few very close matches especially in the Women’s Cup. In Men’s ETTU Cup Chartres ASTT took away the points in Austria from SG Stockerau. Par GERELL and Robert GARDOS both beat CHEN Weixing whilst Adam PATTANTYUS was the only player to score for host’s club. He beat Romain LORETZ. SF SKK El Nino Praha also suffered defeat at the home soil. K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo’s WANG Yang proved too strong for David REITSPIES and Antonin GAVLAS. Vaillante Sports Angers TT showed no mercy against TTC Ostrava 2016. Jens LUNDQVIST Jon PERSSON and Andréa LANDRIEU beat strong line up with Alexandar KARAKAŠEVIĆ Panagiotis GIONIS and Tomas TREGLER. Istres Tennis de Table prevailed in all-French duel against AS Pontoise Cergy. Benjamin BROSSIER and PING Li both beat Marcos FREITAS. In Women’s ETTU Cup Metz TT secured home victory but they cannot be too relaxed next week. SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex lost in decisive fifth match. Same stands for the duel between ETIVAL CLAIREFONTAINE ASRTT and ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly which ended in favor for guests. Before return leg Grand-Quevilly has slight advantage. TMK-TAGMET TAGANROG needed four matches to overcame TuS Bad Driburg. The all/Spanish duel GIRBAU-VIC TT vs. UCAM Cartagena TM went in favor of VIC. The match was very interesting since two clubs are great rivals for more then quarter of the century.
Silver and bronze for Romania’s juniors
2018 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin Romania’s teams clinched silver medal at the Junior Girls’ Team event and bronze at the Boys’ Team event at the 2018 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin. In the final of the Girl’s event against China after Shi Xunyao had beaten Andreea HUDUSAN (11-6 11-4 11-6) Andreea DRAGOMAN extended HUANG Fanzhen the full five games distance (13-11 11-8 5-11 9-11 11-4) before SUN Yizhen overcame Tania PLAIAN to end matters (15-13 13-11 11-6). China secured the title without the loss of a single individual match. Round earlier Romania beat Croatia with Andrea PAVLOVIC Marta VUKELIC and Klara BARDAC before they overcame Poland with Katarzyna WEGRZYN Anna WEGRZYN and Agata ZAKRZEWSKA. China also clinched gold in Boys’ event. They overcame Japan in the final after YU Heyi XU Yingbin and CAO Yantao overcame Romani in the semis. Rares SIPOS beat YU Heyi the player who two days earlier had won the Junior Boys’ Singles event in three straight games (11-8 11-7 11-8). XU Yingbin levelled matters by beating Cristian PLETEA (11-8 11-8 11-9) before CAO Yantao accounted for Dragos Florin OPREA (11-5 11-6 11-8). YU Heyi returned to the table to secure the victory but he came mightily close to defeat; in a contest where each game was on a knife-edge he beat Cristian PLETEA by the very minimal two point margin in the deciding fifth game (12-10 8-11 11-9 10-12 11-9). Earlier in the opening round the Rares SIPOS Cristian PLETEA and Dragos Florin OPREA had recorded a three-nil success in opposition to the Austrian combination of Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK Thomas ZILLER and Jonas PLOMBERGER.
The battle in ETTU Cup continues with the Champions League clubs
The quarterfinal phase of the Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup will bring the clubs from the Table Tennis Champions League Men and Seamaster European Champions League Women’s Event on the stage. The club’s which concluded the Group stage of the Event at the position no. three joined the ETTU Cup Fourth Stage winners. This weekend’s first leg quarterfinal starts on Friday with three matches. SG Stockerau welcomes French Chartres ASTT in Austria whilst Czech’s SF SKK El Nino Praha awaits K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo in Men’s ETTU. In Women’s there will be only one match tomorrow – French Metz TT will meet SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex. The remaining two matches in Men’s ETTU Cup will be played on Saturday: Vaillante Sports Angers TT will meet TTC Ostrava 2016 and Istres Tennis de Table will play against AS Pontoise Cergy. In women’s: TMK-TAGMET TAGANROG will meet TuS Bad Driburg and GIRBAU-VIC TT will play against UCAM Cartagena TM. The last match of the weekend is scheduled for Sunday when ETIVAL CLAIREFONTAINE ASRTT meets ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly.
Madeira Island welcoms European coaches and young players
ETTU NA’s Assistance Program 2018 Seminar and Training Camp in Madeira Island (Funchal February 11th-17th 2018) Madeira Island Table Tennis welcomed experienced coach Neven CEGNAR. Between 11th and 17th February 2018 he will organize a Seminar for a group of 30 coaches representing the 28 clubs of this Island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Before the the presentation filled with important topics about the work and development of young talents a group of 30 young players U12 to U15 participated in a Training Camp under the coordination of this master coach. The dynamic was very intensive as well as the enthusiasm of Marcos FREITAS (n. 12 in the World Ranking) who works there aiming new goals on the national and international level. Sessions are held in Funchal City in Bartolomeu Perestrelo Sport Hall with 16 tables and a lot of learning.”
First Director of UMMC Alexander ZAKHAROV passes away at 65
ETTU President Ronald KRAMER has expressed his condolences to UMMC and ZAKHAROV`s family Alexander ZAKHAROV passed away at the age of 65 stated Russian club UMMC. He was founder of Verkhnaya Pyshma`s club and its longtime Director as well as widely recognized table tennis contributor. ETTU President Ronald KRAMER has expressed his condolences to UMMC and ZAKHAROV`s family”: “A very sad day for table tennis in Russia and in Europe. Alexander ZAHAROV held an ETTU badge of honor and has been an important driving force behind the successes of table tennis in Yekaterinburg. I personally will miss him for his charm his friendship and dedication. A great loss.”
Borussia vs. Ochsenhausen game without secrets
Two opponents from the 2009 TTCLM final also met one another in the last year`s quarter-final After all-German TTCLM quarter-finals finished last weekend in the next two months (14-16 March – 4-6 April) will see all-German semi-finals! TTF Liebher Ochsenhausen eliminated Saarbrucken in the very tense and close quarter-final clash which provided them new challenge and chance for revenge bearing in mind that Borussia Dusseldorf beat them in the exciting last season`s quarter-finals (5:4 on aggregate score). Other semi-final pair is composed by two Group A clubs reigning champion Fakel Gazrom and the TTCLM newcomer Sporting Clube De Portugal. “It was a very tight game to make the semi-finals clear” stated Borussia`s Coach Danny HEISTER after second leg defeat 3:2 by UMMC (German side won 3:0 1st leg). “Anton has not brought his performance and conceded a clear defeat. Then it was really pressure on Timo (BOLL) but he mastered really well and with his victory got the missing point. Kristian (KARLSSON) also played really well made very good setbacks which made me very happy. With Stefan (FEGERL) I had hoped that he gets his performance from the training there he liked me a lot. In the last game Timo unfortunately had to give up and could not finish playing. I hope he gets fit for Sunday. I`m just so happy that we`ve reached the TTCLM semi-final”. After Andrej GACINA`s win over Anton KALLBERG in the opener Timo BOLL has defeated Alexander SHIBAEV who played excellent having 2:1 lead. After that it was clear that ten-time TTCLM champion secured its place among the best four clubs. Ochsenhausen and Saarbrucken played two very exciting games. Dubravko SKORIC`s side won 5:4 on aggregate score thanks to second leg win 3:1 (1st leg 2:3). They played without their best player Simon GAUZY who is still not fully recover after an injury. “Compliments to all our players for this great team performance and the confident play. But also a compliment to the coaching staff! Everything was fine this time. We deserve it after all our efforts and injuries this season” stressed Ochsenhausen`s President Kristijan PEJINOVIC and added: “I’m confident that we will show our real face in the semi-finals but it will certainly depend on whether Simon GAUZY is in good shape by then.” Two teams met also in the 2008/9 TTCLM finals. Borussia won 5:3 on aggregate score (2:3 3:0). German clubs in the second quarter-final leg of 2017/18 TTCLM FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 1:3 (1st leg 3:2) Tiago APOLONIA – Jakub DYJAS 2:3 (8:11 11:6 9:11 14:12 9:11) Patrick FRANZISKA – Hugo CALDERANO 3:2 (7:11 11:6 11:9 6:11 11:6) Patrick BAUM – Yuto MURAMATSU 1:3 (4:11 7:11 12:10 8:11) Bojan TOKIC – Hugo CALDERANO 2:3 (12:10 5:11 5:11 12:10 8:11) Borussia Düsseldorf – TTSC UMMC 2:3 (1st leg 3:0) Anton KALLBERG – Andrej GACINA 0:3 (4:11 4:11 6:11) Timo BOLL – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:2 (8:11 11:7 8:11 11:6 11:8) Kristian KARLSSON – Mahary YOSHIMURA 3:0 (11:7 11:7 13:11) Stefan FEGERL – Alexander SHIBAEV 0:3 (6:11 4:11 4:11) Timo BOLL – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (11:4 0:11 0:11 0:11)
Ryu Seungmin & Galia Dvorak to Mentor Table Tennis Youth Olympians at Buenos Aires 2018
Olympic Champion RYU Seungmin (KOR) and three-time Olympian Galia DVORAK (ESP) have been announced as the Table Tennis Athlete Role Model (ARMs) for the upcoming third Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires Argentina. RYU and DVORAK will be heading to Buenos Aires in October to support inspire and mentor young table tennis athletes through educational activities and workshops at the Games to offer advice on areas such as skills development healthy lifestyle and future careers. RYU made history after winning his Olympic Men’s Singles Gold at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Greece and moved on to claim a bronze and a silver Olympic medal in the team events in Beijing 2008 & London 2012 respectively. The three time Olympic medallist who is also a member of the IOC Athlete’s Commission shared “I’m very honoured to be appointed as an athlete role model. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity and I will put all my effort to share my experience with my young athletes. As an IOC member and Olympian I will do my best to give them inspirations.” “I am thrilled about being an athlete role model for the Youth Olympic Games and to be taking part in this amazing and inspiring programme ” stated DVORAK after the announcement. “I am looking forward to participate in the planned activities and to share my experiences with the goal of inspiring the young athletes to be the best they can both on and off the field of play. In the same way I believe that this experience and the contact with the young athletes will be a very enriching experience for me and I am sure that I will learn a lot from them.” Both DVORAK and RYU will be accessible to the athletes both in the Youth Olympic Village and in the competition venue to share their experiences and inspire young athletes to be the best they can both on and off the field of play. The Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Table Tennis event in the Tecnópolis Park from 6-18 October 2018. The event will feature 32 boys and 32 girls who will battle for the 3 Gold medals available at the Games: Boy’s Singles Girls’ Singles Mixed International Teams event which will consist of one boy and one girl who have qualified for the singles event.
Ryu Seungmin & Galia Dvorak to Mentor Table Tennis Youth Olympians at Buenos Aires 2018
Olympic Champion RYU Seungmin (KOR) and three-time Olympian Galia DVORAK (ESP) have been announced as the Table Tennis Athlete Role Model (ARMs) for the upcoming third Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires Argentina. RYU and DVORAK will be heading to Buenos Aires in October to support inspire and mentor young table tennis athletes through educational activities and workshops at the Games to offer advice on areas such as skills development healthy lifestyle and future careers. RYU made history after winning his Olympic Men’s Singles Gold at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Greece and moved on to claim a bronze and a silver Olympic medal in the team events in Beijing 2008 & London 2012 respectively. The three time Olympic medallist who is also a member of the IOC Athlete’s Commission shared “I’m very honoured to be appointed as an athlete role model. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity and I will put all my effort to share my experience with my young athletes. As an IOC member and Olympian I will do my best to give them inspirations.” “I am thrilled about being an athlete role model for the Youth Olympic Games and to be taking part in this amazing and inspiring programme ” stated DVORAK after the announcement. “I am looking forward to participate in the planned activities and to share my experiences with the goal of inspiring the young athletes to be the best they can both on and off the field of play. In the same way I believe that this experience and the contact with the young athletes will be a very enriching experience for me and I am sure that I will learn a lot from them.” Both DVORAK and RYU will be accessible to the athletes both in the Youth Olympic Village and in the competition venue to share their experiences and inspire young athletes to be the best they can both on and off the field of play. The Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Table Tennis event in the Tecnópolis Park from 6-18 October 2018. The event will feature 32 boys and 32 girls who will battle for the 3 Gold medals available at the Games: Boy’s Singles Girls’ Singles Mixed International Teams event which will consist of one boy and one girl who have qualified for the singles event.
Italina Cup for Apuania Carrara Tennistavolo
From the left side: Mihai Bobocica Mattia Crotti Sadi Ismailov Alessandro Merciadri (president) Lorencio Lupulesku Claudio Volpi (coach) Renato Di Napoli (Italian Table Tennis Federation’s President) Apuania Carrara Tennistavolo won 2018 Italy Cup. It was both physically and mentally very demanding task with 5 matches in three days: “We managed to win this trophy with respect for the opponents and determination and so we are very happy of the final success. That it’s the summary for having diligently done step by step a lot of small details. We have been good at managing the critical phases.” Said coach Claudio VOLPI. President Alessandro MERCIADRI added “A new trophy gives us even more prestige in our society founded in 1968 and the city”. This victory is addition to the trophy won in Italian Championship 2017 the third one in the history of the club from the city of Carrara (the others two had been won in 2013 and in 2014).
Italina Cup for Apuania Carrara Tennistavolo
From the left side: Mihai Bobocica Mattia Crotti Sadi Ismailov Alessandro Merciadri (president) Lorencio Lupulesku Claudio Volpi (coach) Renato Di Napoli (Italian Table Tennis Federation’s President) Apuania Carrara Tennistavolo won 2018 Italy Cup. It was both physically and mentally very demanding task with 5 matches in three days: “We managed to win this trophy with respect for the opponents and determination and so we are very happy of the final success. That it’s the summary for having diligently done step by step a lot of small details. We have been good at managing the critical phases.” Said coach Claudio VOLPI. President Alessandro MERCIADRI added “A new trophy gives us even more prestige in our society founded in 1968 and the city”. This victory is addition to the trophy won in Italian Championship 2017 the third one in the history of the club from the city of Carrara (the others two had been won in 2013 and in 2014).
