Last four group stage matches held tonight: SPG Walter Wels – TTF LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen 1:3 Stella Sport La Romagne – TTC Ostrava 2016 3:0 K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo – G.V. Hennebont T.T. 3:1 Rosklide Bordtennis – Borussia Dusseldorf 0:3 The group stage of the 2017/18 Table Tennis Champions League Men has been concluded tonight December 21st by the last four Round 6 games in groups C and D: SPG Walter Wels – TTF LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen 1:3 Stella Sport La Romagne – TTC Ostrava 2016 3:0 K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo – G.V. Hennebont T.T. 3:1 Rosklide Bordtennis – Borussia Dusseldorf 0:3 Actual ETTU Cup winner and TTCLM newcomer Stella Sport La Romagne secured top spot of Group C followed by 2009 TTCLM runner-up TTF LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen and these two clubs will play in the TTCLM quarter-final sage. Ostrava 2016 continues into the ETTU Cup Men knockout phase while Walter Wels finished at the fourth spot. Regarding Group D ten times champion Borussia enters quarter-finals from the top spot whilst lowest ranked club on the seeding list Rosklide Bordtennis (no. 16 seed) became one of the best 8 TTCLM teams as the second placed Group D side. Poland`s Dekorglas Dzialdowo booked its place for the ETTU Cup quarter-finals thanks to 3:1 win against Hennebont (both teams have equal win-loss record 2-4 but Polish team beat French club twice). Rosklide hosted Borussia in the clash for the top spot of Group D but German side showed one of their best games in the ongoing season. Sweden`s rising star Anton KALLBERG upset ZHAI Yujia paving the way for Borussia`s win. Two table tennis legends met in the second encounter as six times European champion Timo BOLL beat 2009 ECH winner Michael MAZE after full five games. BOLL improved his season`s win-loss record to 8-1. Danish star who returned from his retirement led after third set but German won next two. MAZE showed one of his best ever games in the semi-finals of the 2009 European Championships in Stuttgart overcoming BOLL in seven exciting set. Kristian KARLSSON prevailed against Laurens TROMER in straight games to confirmed Borussia`s win . Actual World no. 14 WONG Chun Ting guided Dzialdowo toward the ETTU Cup quarter-finals. He has defeated both Cedric NUYTINCK in first and Liam PITCHFORD in fourth decisive encounter. Hong Kong`s player has been extended to full distance by Englishman winning crucial game by a narrow margin. PITCHFORD suffered one more defeat against WANG Yang while Quentin ROBINOT has provided unique point for Hennebont beating Pawel FERTIKOWSKI. Ochsenhausen have been without their best player Simon GAUZY but beat Walter Wels 3:1 without any problem. Jakub DYJAS took two points and Daniel ZWICKL added one more. Wels`s Robin DEVOS defeated Joao GERALDO in the opener. Stella Sport beat Ostrava in a style losing just one set but Czech Republic`s side played without two players from their first line-up. 2017/18 TTCLM Round 6 GROUP C SPG Walter Wels – TTF LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen 1:3 Robin DEVOS – Joao GERALDO 3:2 (9:11 1:11 11:6 11:8 11:1) Dominique PLATTNER – Jakub DYJAS 1:3 (11:9 5:11 5:11 10:12) Zsolt PETO – Daniel ZWICKL 1:3 (11:13 10:12 11:8 10:12) Robin DEVOS – Jakub DYJAS 0:3 (5:11 5:11 10:12) Stella Sport La Romagne – TTC Ostrava 2016 3:0 SHIHAO Wei – Ondrej BAJGER 3:0 (11:8 11:6 11:4) CHEN Tian Yuan – Tomas TREGLER 3:1 (14:12 11:7 11:13 11:4) Brice OLLIVIER – Petr KORBEL 3:0 (11:9 11:5 11:7) GROUP D K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo – G.V. Hennebont T.T. 3:1 WONG Chun Ting – Cedric NUYTINCK 3:0 (11:1 11:9 11:5) WANG Yang WANG – Liam PITCHFORD 3:0 (14:12 11:7 11:9) Pawel FERTIKOWSKI – Quentin ROBINOT 1:3 (9:11 11:8 6:11 5:11) WONG Chun Ting – Liam PITCHFORD 3:2 (9:11 11:9 11:9 3:11 12:10) Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – Borussia Dusseldorf 0:3 ZHAI Yujia – Anton KÄLLBERG 2:3 (5:11 8:11 11:9 11:7 12:14) Michael MAZE – Timo BOLL 2:3 (11:13 11:8 11:5 8:11 8:11) Laurens TROMER – Kristian KARLSSON 0:3 (7:11 7:11 9:11)
Saarbrucken first UMMC second in Group B
TTCLM Group A and B Round 6: Saarbrucken UMMC Sporting and Pontose won their games Everything is clear in Group A and Group B of the 2017/18 Table Tennis Champions League Men as Round 6 is over: AS Pontoise Cergy – Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki 3:0 Sporting Clube de Portugal – TTC Fakel Gazprom 3:1 Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – UMMC 2:3 Saarbrucken Tischtennis – Chartres ASTT 3:0 Reigning TTCLM champion Orenburg suffered a very first loss playing without their best three players: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV Jun MIZUTANI and Vladimir SAMSONOV. Sporting beat Russian side 3:1 without any influence on the final standings in Group A: Orenburg stays on the top newcomer Sporting enters quarter-finals as no. 2 while double TTCLM winner Pontoise continues in the ETTU Cup quarter-finals. Last question in the Group B was: who will be the winner? That place belonged to Saarbrucken (5-1 win-loss record) while UMMC (5-1) goes to the knockout phase from the second place. German side tops the group thanks to better win in mutual clashes with Russian side. Saarbrucken had an easy job against Chartres winning in straight games while UMMC beat Eslovs away as both sides didn’t play in their first line-ups. French team will play in the ETTU Cup Men quarter-finals. 2017/18 TTCLM Round 6 GROUP A Sporting Clube de Portugal – TTC Fakel Gazprom 3:1 Quadri ARUNA – Denis IVONIN 3:1 (11:6 3:11 12:10 11:3) Diogo CARVALHO – Alexey LIVENTSOV 1:3 (11:7 8:11 19:21 7:11) Joao MONTEIRO – Fedor KUZMIN 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:8) Quadri ARUNA – Alexey LIVENTSOV 3:1 (11:8 2:11 11:9 11:7) GROUP B Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – UMMC 2:3 Truls MOREGARDH – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (8:11 3:11 11:8 3:11) Robert SVENSSON – Ilya ZHIDKOV 3:0 (11:5 11:7 11:9) Daniel KOSIBA – Maksim KISELEV 0:3 (11:13 10:12 7:11) Truls MOREGARDH – Ilya ZHIDKOV 3:1 (11:2 13:11 8:11 11:2) Robert SVENSSON – Andrej GACINA 2:3 (11:9 9:11 11:7 8:11 8:11) Saarbrucken Tischtennis – Chartres ASTT 3:0 Patrick BAUM – Alexandre ROBINOT 3:2 (5:11 11:1 7:11 11:8 11:9) Bojan TOKIĆ – Romain LORRENTZ 3:0 (11:2 11:5 11:5) Tiago APOLONIA – Vincent PICARD 3:0 (11:4 11:8 11:6)
Cartagena wins Linz reaches knockout phase
Seamaster ECLW Group B Round 6: UCAM Cartagena – Linz AG Froschberg 3:1 The 2017/18 Seamaster European Champions League Women group stage concluded on Wednesday (December 20th) as the number of title contenders narrowed down from 12 to 8 teams. Double ECLW winner Linz AG Froschberg reached quarter-final stage in spite of losing game in Spain against UCAM Cartagena 3:1 Both sides finished with the same 1-3 win-loss record but Austrian champion has a bigger win against Cartagena: 3:0 (9:2). Spanish side won first two games tonight and – 2:0 (6:2) – and Tetyana BILENKO led 2:0 against MO Zhang in the third encounter but Canada`s player managed to reverse the score from 0:2 to 3:2. Matilda EKHOLM provided two points for the host side beating Sofia POLCANOVA and HO Tin Tin respectively. Third Cartagena`s point came from WANG Zhipei who overcame Linda BERGSTROM. 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW Round 6 GROUP B UCAM Cartagena – Linz AG Froschberg 3:1 Matilda Ekholm – Sofia POLCANOVA 3:1 (11:5 8:11 11:7 11:9) WANG Zhipei – Linda BERGSTRÖM 3:1 (3:11 11:4 11:8 11:9) Tetyana BILENKO – ZHANG Mo 2:3 (11:9 11:9 4:11 9:11 12:14) Matilda EKHOLM – HO Tin Tin 3:0 (11:7 11:1 11:2)
FLTT and the China Table Tennis College Europe invites 8 International Umpires
The Luxembourg Table Tennis Federation (FLTT) and the China Table Tennis College Europe (CTTC-E) are jointly organising the 2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals from February 2nd to 4th 2018. They invites 8 International Umpires (IU) to officiate at this event.Blue Badge and Blue Badge in Progress umpires as well as White Badge umpires are welcome. Please submit your nominations to the Luxembourg Table Tennis Federation via email: fltt@pt.lu and to Jean-Marie Linster via email: jemalin@vo.lu of the names and IU numbers of the nominated umpires no later than January 5th 2018. Please use the attached nomination form in Excel – NOT as PDF. This is an open invitation and therefore not all nominated umpires may be accepted. Only nominations submitted by Associations by the deadline will be considered. The names of those IUs accepted will be sent to you by no later than January 10th 2018. All invited umpires must organise their own transportation (air car or train) to Luxembourg as well as travel and medical insurance. The Organiser offers free hospitality in a twin room sharing with another umpire from dinner on February 1st until breakfast on February 5th 2018 as well as transportation from and to Luxembourg Airport. Each umpire will receive a daily allowance of USD 25.00 corresponding in Euro per competition day. Please note that there will be no evaluations for Blue Badge and Blue Badge in Progress umpires. The umpires briefing will take place on February 2nd 2017 at 11:00 a.m.. The referee team will be: Isabelle BEUMIER (BEL) referee and Vincent Blanchard (FRA) deputy referee
Seamaster ECLW: Lille Metropole Szekszard and Saint Quentionis book places in the quarter-finals
Three out of four Round 6 matches held tonight December 19th. Daniela MONTEIRO-DODEAN won two games in the thrilling clash in Saint-Quentin Lille Metropole Szekszard and Saint Quentionis have booked their places in the 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW quarter-finals securing second spots in their respective groups after tonight`s Round 6 matches: CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole – TuS Bad Driburg 3:0 (Group A) Szekszard AC – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly 2:3 (Group C) Saint Quentinois – SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoimpex 3:2 (Group D). CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole again was better than TuS Bad Driburg 3:0 (first match 3:1) in the Round 6 of Group A. Two former European Youth Championships winners in Junior Girls event Bernadette SZOCS (2011 and 2012 gold medalist) and Nina MITTELHAM (2013) have played very tense second encounter. Romania`s player won 3:2 (6:11 11:3 11:6 7:11 11:7) Two more EYCH Junior Girls singles winners have pushed Saint-Quentinois into the knock-out phase. Daniela MONTEIRO-DODEAN (2005 and 2006 winner) got two points against Hodonin while Britt EERLAND (2010 winner) added one more. Both opponents entered Round 6 with a 1-2 win-loss record being leveled after fourth today`s match. Britt EERLAND has defeated Renata STRBIKOVA in the decisive game 3:2 (11:6 13:15 11:4 8:11 11:5) Thanks to World no. 11 CHENG I-Ching Hungarian Szekszard will play in the next stage. Chinese Taipei`s player again won two points against Grand-Quevilly what was enough for the quarter-finals in spite of Szeksard 3:2 loss. Both sides finished group stage with a 1-3 win-loss record but Hungarian team had better victory in France (3:1). 2017/2018 Seamaster ECLW Round 6 GROUP A CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole – TuS Bad Driburg 3:0 XIAO Maria – Sarah DE NUTTE 3:0 (11:8 11:8 15:13) Bernadette SZOCS – Nina MITTELHAM 3:2 (6:11 11:3 11:6 7:11 11:7) Agnes LE LANNIC – Sophia KLEE 3:0 (11:7 11:6 11:9) GROUP C Szekszard AC – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly 2:3 CHENG I-Ching – Barbora BALAZOVA 3:0 (11:8 11:9 12:10) Polina MIHAJLOVA – Galia DVORAK 2:3 (3:11 11:4 11:3 11:13 8:11) Dóra MADARÁSZ -LI Fen 1:3 (9:11 12:10 7:11 5:11) CHENG I-Ching – Galia DVORAK 3:1 (11:5 11:9 9:11 11:5) Polina MIHAJLOVA – Barbora BALAZOVA 1:3 (11:5 4:11 12:14 8:11) GROUP D TT Saint Quentinois – SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoipex 3:2 Daniela MONTEIRO-DODEAN – Renata STRBIKOVA 3:0 (11:4 11:6 12:10) Britt EERLAND – GUO Lin 1:3 (11:8 8:11 9:11 7:11) Aurore LE MANSEC – Natalia PARTYKA 1:3 (11:9 6:11 6:11 7:11) Daniela MONTEIRO-DODEAN – GUO Lin 3:1 (9:11 11:8 11:6 13:11) Britt EERLAND – Renata STRBIKOVA 3:2 (11:6 13:15 11:4 8:11 11:5)
TTCLM Round 6: Great showdown great expectations in Denmark
Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 hosts Borussia Dusseldorf in the Group D clash. BENTSEN: “We hope to play in the TTCLM quarter-finals”. HEISTER: “We want to win our group”. All eight games to be held this Wednesday and Thursday (Dec 20/21st) All eight TTCLM quarter-finalists will be confirmed this Wednesday and Thursday December 20 and 21st after the final round of group stage. Six out of eight teams already booked their places for the knock-out phase while two more will be decided in Group C and Group D. Unique unbeaten side so far reigning TTCLM champion Fakel Gazprom is the only one which secured top spot. Two future quarter-finalists from Group A Sporting and Fakel Gazprom are going to fight one against another in the Round 6. Regardless of final score newcomer from Portugal (3 wins-2 defeats) will finish on the second place while defending champion (5-0) continues as the group`s winner. Double TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy (1-4) hosts Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (1-4) in the battle for the place in ETTU quarter-finals “TTC Fakel-Gazprom regardless of the last match in Lisbon with the Sporting Clube de Portugal had already won first place in Group A and reached the TTCLM play-offs. Therefore we sent in Lisbon the second line-up of our team and gave an opportunity to rest our main players before the Russian Premier League in St. Petersburg. Sporting Clube de Portugal is a strong team and deservedly won the right to play in the quarterfinals of the European Champions League” stated Orenburg`s Team Manager Victor ANDREEV. Two former TTCLM runner-ups UMMC and Saarbrucken enter GROUP B Round 6 with the same win-loss record 4-1 and secured spots for the quarter-final stage. Russian side travels to Sweden to meet Eslovs (0-5) while German club welcomes Chartres (2-3) future ETTU Cup quarter-finalists. “We face a toughest possible task in battle for the top spot in our group. We are in a good shape entering the game with a lot of self-confidence. I hope that we can win supported by our fans” said Saarbrucken`s Coach Slobodan GRUJIC. The head coach of the TTSC UMMC Tatiana Kutergina commented on the upcoming match against 2016 TTCLM runner-up: “We have young and very promising athletes Maksim KISELEV and Ilya ZHIDKOV. They already have experience of participating in the international tournaments besides they will have an example and leader – the most experienced Alexander SHIBAEV. For young players this match will be their baptism by fire I’m sure they will pass it with honor. They always play well in all matches in Sweden they will have chance to showcase their abilities”. The 2009 TTCLM runner-up Ochsenhausen (3-2) can only claim the top spot of Group C if they beat away Walter Wels (1-4) and Stella Sport la Romagne (4-1) lose its home game against TTC Ostrava 2016 (2-3). But actual ETTU Cup winner already booked its place in the knock-out phase while German side has to win in Austria in case of Ostrava`s victory in France. Stella La Romagne`s player Brice ILLIVIER stressed “the first place is far from gained because in this pool everyone can beat everyone” while Coach Fabrice COUTOLLEAU stated: “We are approaching this match as we are whatever happens qualified for the quarter-finals. A first place of the group will however be much better to have a draw more “favorable” and receive the second match” Ochsenhausen`s Coach Dubravko SKORIC is looking forward to meeting Austrian side: “We are looking forward to the last match of a very tough year and group stage of 2017. I hope we can push ourselves one more time to the limit and pass the group. It will not be easy to play against Wels because they are a strong team and especially at home they can be dangerous.” GROUP D provides great showdown in Denmark confronting two contenders for the top spot Roskilde (3-2) and Borussia Dusseldorf (4-1). Hennebont (2-3) hosts Dzialdowo (1-4) with a possibility to reach TTCLM quarter-finals or finish on the bottom. “We are waiting a big match in Roskilde” emphasized Roskilde`s Team Manager Allan BETNSEN. “Like I said before we were before start happy with some good matches now we play against Dusseldorf for the first place in group! We are very happy and have secured quarter-finals at least in ETTU Cup but of course we hope for Champions League. All players are ready and table tennis fans in Roskilde and Denmark look forward to this match. We got Danish television to come and make a small report from the match.” Coach of the ten times TTCLM winner Danny HEISTER explains how he sees the upcoming clash: “On Thursday we will have the first final in this TTCL season. We want to win our group and for this we need to beat Roskilde. We won the first match in Düsseldorf 3:2 and 12:10 in sets. So the mission is for both Roskilde and Düsseldorf clear: The team which will win this battle will win the group. We know the importance of this match. We are totally focused on it.” Borussia`s rising star Anton KÄLLBERG added: “Nobody thought at the beginning of this TTCL season that number 16 seeded Roskilde will fight to end group stage as number one. The team made an excellent job! But the pressure is on the side of Roskilde. They still need to qualify for next round and can be out if they will lose against us and Hennebont will win the match against Dzialdowo. We are prepared for a big fight.” 2017/18 TTCLM Round 6 GROUP A AS Pontoise Cergy – K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (Dec 20 19:30) Sporting Clube De Portugal – TTC Fakel Gazprom (Dec 20 20:00) GROUP B Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – TTSC UMMC (Dec 20 18:30) FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis – Chartres ASTT (Dec 20 19:00) GROUP C SPG
Dutch Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo awaits French Istres Tennis De Table
The 2017 concludes with the Third round of the Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup. Last weekend 16 clubs in each category fought for their place in Fourth Round and the draw was conducted today. In the first leg of the Fourth Round (12th – 14th January) Belgium’s TTC Sokah Hoboken will meet SF SKK Nino Praha from Czech Republic. Unlike Prague’s club who succeeded after two 3:0 wins Belgium’s representative progressed by narow margin 17:15 in games and 3:1 1:3 in matches. Spanish Cajasur Priego TM also recoreded two wins and they will meet French VS Angers TT. Both clubs were undefeted in the previous round. Slovak’s Hontianske Trstany/Dudince faced club from the same country Vydrany and moved forward. In the first leg they will host Austria’s SG Stockerau. In the lower half of the draw are Dutch Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo and French Istres Tennis De Table. Both clubs are undefeated. In The Women’s ETTU Cup in the same time will play Spanish Arteal Tenis De Mesa against French Metz TT. Metz won both legs of the Third Round 3:0 whilst Arteal win 3:1 both times. Russia’s SKNT Luch Vladimir will play against Turkish Tagmet Taganrog. Turkish club was very convincing in the previous Round whilst Russia’s team struggled. Romania’s ACS Dumbravita will play against Spanish Girbau-VIC TT and Hungarian Budaörsi 2I Scwill meet French Etival Clairefontaine.
Registration for European Universities Games 2018 is open
The registration for the European Universities Games 2018 opened on December 15. Between July 15 and 28 next year 4 000 participants from Europe’s leading sport universities will compete across 13 sports in the Portugal’s student city Coimbra. Sports programme of the European Universities Games Coimbra 2018 includes Badminton Basketball 3×3 Basketball Football Futsal Handball Judo Rowing Rugby 7s Table Tennis & Para Table Tennis Tennis Volleyball and Canoe Sprint as demonstrative sport. The European Universities Games are licensed by the European University Sports Association (EUSA). Table Tennis has been a part of EUSA’s sport programme since 2007 with the last Table Tennis event – the European Universities Table Tennis Championship 2017 taking place in Olomouc Czech Republic. ETTU and EUSA officially announced their partnership at this event and we are looking forward to developing the best conditions for Table Tennis in European university sport. You can find more information online at www.eusa.eu and www.eug2018.com.
RENNER: We are aware that we need only three sets
Seamaster ECLW Round 6 will be held this Tuesday and Wednesday (Dec 19-20) as double ECLW winner travels to Spain In all four groups favorites have secured top spots: KTS Tarnobrzeg (Group A) Bursa Buyuksehir (Group B) Dr. CASL (Group C) and TTC Berlin Eastside (Group D). Other participants will fight for the second place in each of four groups which guarantees quarter-final berth. CP LYSSOIS LILLE METROPOLE (1-2 score) hosts TuS Bad Driburg (0-3) in the Group A. French side had a big advantage from their first meeting 3:1 (10:4) while German club needs better victory than this one in order to secure quarter-final berth. Double ECLW winner Linz AG Frschberg is about 90 percents sure for the knockout stage. Austrian side won first encounter against Cartagena 3:0 (9:2). “Of course we are aware that we need only three sets to go up into quarters but we also want to win this game in Cartagena. It will be a strange situation because if loose the first two games like in the last game in LINZ against Bursa we would be under unbelievable pressure. So we hope to win a game or at least three sets in the first two games. After the game our players deserve to make the Christmas holidays. It was a long season already and the time to relax is very short before the preparation for the quarterfinals and for Hungary open has to start” stressed LINZ`s President Günther RENNER: Hungarian Szekszard welcomes ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly determined to defend its advantage from the first meeting – 3:1 (9:6). Actual world no. 12 CHENG I-Cnhing brought two wins in that clash beating both Barbora BALAZOVA and KIM Haeyong. Saint Quentinois and SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex enter the ultimate round of group stage with the four points each. French club won their first game 3:2 but however the winner of the upcoming match will play in the quarter-finals. 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW Round 6 GROUP A: CP LYSSOIS LILLE METROPOLE – TuS Bad Driburg (Dec 19 19:00) GROUP B: UCAM Cartagena TM – Linz AG Froschberg (Dec 20 20:00) GROUP C: Szekszard AC – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly (Dec 19 17:00) GROUP D: TT SAINT QUENTINOIS – SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex (Dec 19 19:30)
FAN & CHEN Takes ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Gold in Astana
China’s FAN Zhendong and CHEN Meng are the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champions after scintillating performances today 17 December 2017 in Astana Kazakhstan. After 12 ITTF World Tour events across the globe the top ranked 16 men’s and women’s players battled for the one million prize money on offer in front of a vocal crowd in the nation’s capital. 20-year-old FAN who had lost the last two years final was a man on a mission cruising through the field to set up a dream final for the fans against Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV who will be the new world number one on 1 January 2018 when the new world ranking comes into place. FAN who lost against OVTCHAROV just last month at the German Open final was not going to let it happen again with a scintillating performance to win 11-7 11-9 11-7 12-10 and lift the ITTF World Tour Grand Final trophy for the first time. FAN who will be the world number two when the new world ranking is released in January stated: “I’m very happy with my victory having played well in the final against Ovtcharov. I lost the last time we played at the German Open so I’m really happy to win against him this time round. After losing in the finals the last two years I was determined to win this trophy so I am very satisfied to finish the year on this high.” It was an all Chinese final in the women’s singles event with the top two ranked players in the world ZHU Yuling and CHEN Meng battling for the biggest cash prize in table tennis. CHEN who will also be the world number one in the new year was too good for her doubles partner winning 11-6 11-3 11-6 12-10 to add the World Tour Grand Final title to her three Platinum World Tour titles she won this year. “Actually I was prepared to play the full seven games against Yuling. We have faced each other previously this year and even though I won that match too it wasn’t an easy win so today I came fully prepared and there’s probably also some luck involved here.” Winners in Lisbon two years ago and the runners up in Doha last year; Japan’s Masataka MORIZONO and Yuya OSHIMA won the men’s doubles title in a dramatic contest where they saved four match points. The Japanese duo eventually emerged successful against Hong Kong’s HO Kwan Kit and WONG Chun Ting by the minimal margin in a tension packed seventh game (11-7 6-11 6-11 12-10 9-11 12-10 12-10). The women’s doubles gold medal match saw a battle between the top two seeds for the title. CHEN & ZHU who faced off in the women’s final joined forces against the top seeds Japanese youngster Hina HAYATA and Mima ITO. The Chinese pair showed their experience running out winners 11-8 11-8 11-8 11-9. The ITTF World Tour will be back bigger and better than ever in 2018 with the first event being held on 18 January 2018.
