Group D: TTC Berlin Eastside – SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoimpex 3:1. Group B: Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyespor – Linz AG Froschberg 3:2. Group C: Dr. CASL – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly 3:1 Reigning champion TTC Berlin Eastside defeated Czech Republic`s SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoimpex 3:1 in the Round 1 of the 2017/18 Seamaster European Champions League Women. German side clear favorite in this clash couldn’t count on all their first line-up players but managed to win. SHAN Xiaona provided two points as he beat both Renata STRBIKOVA and Natalia PARTYKA. Georgina POTA got one more win for the host side by beating PARTYKA in straight games. Katerina PENKAVOVA won unique game for Hodonin against Berlin`s coach-player Irina PALINA. Top seeded team of Group B Bursa beat two times ECLW winner Linz after full five games. Austrian team showed that it has a good future after LIU Jia`s era. On the other side Turkish club needed good team work to win as each of their players got one point: LEE Ho Ching vs. ZNAG Mo (3:1) Yana NOSKOVA vs. HO Tin-Tin (3:2) and HU Melek vs. ZHANG Mo in the decisive fifth encounter. Sofia POLCANOVA showed that is able to lead this Linz`s squad. Young member of Austrian National Team managed to defeat both leading Bursa`s players. First she upset actual European champion in Women`s Singles HU Melek in the second clash then she overcame LEE Ho Ching. Dr. CASL had successful return to ECLW beating in Zagreb last year`s quarter-finalist ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly 3:1. Croatian club presented its strong line-up composed of actual World no. 24 LI Jie no. 32 DOO Hoi Kem and no. 39 YU Fu. DOO had impressive debut in Dr. CASL`s jersey winning both her matches against Galia DVORAK and KIM Hayeong who brought unique point to the guest side. KIM defeated actual European championships bronze medalist LI Jie in full five sets. Third win for the domestic team was created by YU Fu who overcame Barbora BALAZOVA in straight games. 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW Round 1 GROUP B Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyespor – Linz AG Froschberg 3:2 LEE Ho Ching – ZHANG Mo 3:1 (11:7 11:7 5:11 11:3) HU Melek – Sofia POLCANOVA 1:3 (11:9 9:11 6:11 5:11) Yana NOSKOVA – HO Tin-Tin 3:2 (12:14 5:11 11:6 11:7 11:8) LEE Ho Ching – Sofia POLCANOVA 0:3 (9:11 7:11 3:11) HU Melek – ZHANG Mo 3:1 (11:9 11:4 4:11 11:5) GROUP D TTC Berlin Eastside – SKST Mart Hodonin-Stavoimpex 3:1 SHAN Xiaona – Reanata STRBIKOVA 3:1 (12:14 14:12 11:9 11:7) Georgina POTA – Natalia PARTYKA 3:0 (11:8 11:8 11:5) Irina PALINA – Katerina PENKAVOVA 1:3 (7:11 5:11 13:11 8:11) SHAN Xiaona – Natalia PARTYKA 3:2 (8:11 11:9 10:12 11:3 11:8) GROUP C Dr. CASL – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly 3:1 DOO Hoi Kem – Galia DVORAK 3:1 (11:7 13:15 13:11 11:9) LI Jie – KIM Hayeong 2:3 (5:11 11:6 7:11 11:4 7:11) FU Yu – Barbora BALAZOVA 3:0 (12:10 11:7 11:5) DOO Hoi Kem – KIM Hayeong 3:2 (11:7 14:12 5:11 9:11 11:8)
New singles European champions crowned in Lasko
First part of the European Para Championships organized by Paralympic Committee of Slovenia in Lasko is concluded. The champions in singles categories are crowned and after day off the competition will continue with Team’s Events. Women Singles Class 1-2: winner Nadejda PUSHPASHEVA (Russia) silver Dorota BUCLAW (Poland) bronze Isabelle LAFAYE (France) and Giada ROSSI (Italy). Women Singles Class 3: winner Anna-Carin AHLQUIST (Sweden) silver Andela MUZINIC (Croatia) bronze Hatice DUMAN (Turkey) and Helena DRETAR (Croatia). Women Singles Class 4 – 5: Borislava PERIC RANKOVIC silver Sandra MIKOLASCHEK (Germany) bronze Nada MATIC (Serbia) and Susan GILROY (GBR). Women Singles Class 6: winner Raisa CHEBANIKA (Russia) silver Katarzyna MARSZAL (Poland) bronze Antonina KHODZYNSKAYA (Ukraine) and Maryna LYTOVCHENKO (Ukraine) Women Singles Class 7: winner Victoriya SAFONOVA (Russia) silver Kubra KORKUT (Russia) bronze Ulija SHISHKINA (Russia) and Kelly VAN ZON (Netherlands). Women Singles Class 8: winner Aida DAHLEN (Norway) silver Juliane WOLF (Germany) bronze Elena LITVENKO (Russia) Zsofia ARLOY (Hungary). Women Singles Class 9: winner Neslihan KAVAS (Turkey) silver Karolina PEK (Poland) bronze Olga KOMLEVA GORSHKALEVA (Russia). Women’s Singles Class 10: winner Natalia PARTYKA (Poland) silver Sophie Amanda WALLOE (Denmark) bronze Merve DEMIR (Turkey) and Umran ERTIS (Turkey). Women Singles Class 11: winner Natalya KOSMINA (Ukraine) silver Elena PROKOFEVA (Russia) bronze Krystyna LYSIAK (Poland) Anzhelika KOSACHEVA (Russia). Men Singles Class 1: winner Paul DAVIES (GBR) silver Thomas MATTHEWS (GBR) bronze Robert DAVIS (GBR) Federico FALCO (Italy) Men Singles Class 2: winner Colin JUDGE (Ireland) silver Rafal CZUPER (Poland) bronze Martin LUDROVSKY (Slovakia) Jiri SUCHNEK (Czech Republic). Men Singles Class 3: winner Thomas SCHMIDBERGER (Germany) Florian MERRIEN (France) bronze Thomas BRUCHLE (Germany) Carl Alexander Mattias OHGREN (Sweden) Mens Singles Class 4: winner Maxime THOMAS (France) silver Abdullah OZTURK (Turkey) bronze Rafal LIS (Poland) Nesim TURAN (Turkey). Men Singles Class 5: winner Ali OZTURK (Turkey) silver Nicolas SAVANT-AIRA (France) bronze Mitar PALIKUCA (Serbia) Tommy URHAUG (Norway). Men Singles Class 6: winner Alvaro VALERA (Spain) Paul David WETHERILL (GBR) bronze Pavao JOZIC (Croatia) Bobi SIMION (Romania). Man Singles Class 7: winner Mykhaylo POPOV (Ukraine) silver Maksym NIKOLENKO (Ukraine) bronze Jean-Paul MONTANUS (Netherlands) William John BAYLEY (GBR) Men Singles Class 8: winner Victor DIDUK (Ukraine) silver Ivan MAI (Ukraine) bronze Ross William WILSON (GBR) Linus KARLSSON (Sweden). You can follow the results here
Night of upset in Group D: Hennebont wins in Germany Roskilde celebrates in Poland
Four Round 1 matches were held tonight (Sep 29th) in the TTCLM: Saarbrücken – Eslovs 3:0 Stella Sport La Romagne – Walter Wels 3:2 Dzialdowo – Roskilde 2:3 Borussia Dusseldorf – Hennebont 2:3 Two big surprises have happened in the Group D Round 1 of the 2017/18 Table Tennis Champions League Men created by no. 9 and no. 16 seeds Hennebont and Rosklide who won their matches away both 3:2. French club upset TTCLM record holder ten times winner Borussia Dusseldorf (no. 2 seed) while Danish side overcame TTCLM newcomer from Poland Dekorglass Dzialdowo (no. 6). The best Borussia`s players for years Timo BOLL (actual World no. 6) did his job by beating both Quentin ROBINOT (no. 85) and Liam PITCHFORD (no. 60) but guests showed good team work in spite of playing without their best ranked player CHEN Chein-An (no. 45). PITCHFORD defeated Stefan FEGERL (no. 34) Cedric NUYTINCK (no. 72) upset Kristian KARLSON (no. 24) in full five games of the third clash. BOLL overcame English player in straight games to level the score hence FEGERL and ROBINOT faced one another to decide the winner. The 2009 European Junior champion ROBINOT showed his best TTCLM game especially in the late fourth set to beat Austrian in four games. World no. 12 Kenta MATSUDAIRA like BOLL secured two points for his side (against ZHAI Yujia and Michael MAZE) but Dekorglass Dzialdowo lost its very first TTCLM match. The lowest ranked TTCLM participant Roskilde created big upset. The 2012 European champion Michael MAZE had successful TTCLM comeback. He provided first point for his side defeating Jiri VRABLIK and managed to extend MATSUDAIRA to full distance. World no. 216 Laurens TROMER from Netherlands beat no. 68 WANG Yang in straight games and it was probably crucial moment in the game. Because ZHAI`s win against VRABLIK in the fifth clash was expected. Saarbrucken easily beat Eslovs 3:0 in Group B game. Crucial moment was Patrick FRANZISKA`s victory against Chinese XU Hui one of the best TTCLM players in last few seasons. In other two matches Tiago APOLONIA and Bojan TOKIC defeated Robert SVENSSON and Truls MOREGARDH respectively. Group C brought very intense clash between actual ETTU Cup winner Stella Sport La Romagne and SPG Walter Wels. French side won first two encounters and Adrian CRISAN led 2:1 against Robin DEVOS but guest player managed to win. In the fourth clash CHO Seungmin overcame WEI Shihao after full five games – 2:3 (9:11 11:7 10:12 13:11 8:11).CHEN Tianyuan became a hero of host team defeating Zsolt PETO in the decisive match. Earlier in the second game CHEN prevailed against CHO Seungmin. 2017/18 TTCLM Round 1 GROUP B FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis – Eslovs Ai Bordtennis 3:0 Tiago APOLONIA – Robert SVENSSON 3:1 (11:9 11:6 13:15 11:4) Patrick FRANZISKA – XU Hui 3:1 (9:11 11:5 11:7 11:4) Bojan TOKIC – Truls MOREGARDH 3:0 (11:7 11:9 11:6) GROUP C Stella Sport La Romagne – SPG Walter Wels 3:2 WEI Shihao – Zsolt PETO 3:1 (8:11 11:9 14:12 11:5) CHEN Tianyuan – CHO Seungmin 3:2 (16:18 11:7 9:11 11:7 11:8) Adrian CRISAN – Robin DEVOS 2:3 (11:8 10:12 11:4 8:11 8:11) WEI Shihao – CHO Seungmin 2:3 (9:11 11:7 10:12 13:11 8:11) CHEN Tianyuan – Zsolt PETO 3:0 (11:5 11:2 11:4) GROUP D K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo – Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 2:3 Kenta MATSUDAIRA – ZHAI Yujia 3:0 (11:6 11:9 11:9) Jiri VRABLIK – Michael MAZE 0:3 (6:11 7:11 5:11) WANG Yang – Laurens TROMER 0:3 (10:12 4:11 4:11) Kenta MATSUDAIRA – Michael MAZE 3:2 (9:11 4:11 11:9 11:6 11:3) Jiri VRABLIK – ZHAI Yujia 2:3 (11:8 5:11 12:10 7:11 7:11) Borussia DüsseldorF – G.V. Hennebont TT 2:3 Timo BOLL – Quentin ROBINOT 3:1 (7:11 11:6 11:1 11:2) Stefan FEGERL – Liam PITCHFORD 0:3 (6:11 14:16 7:11) Kristian KARLSSON – Cedric NUYTINCK 2:3 (11:4 11:4 8:11 9:11 10:12) Timo BOLL – Liam PITCHFORD 3:0 (11:5 11:3 13:11) Stefan FEGERL – Quentin ROBINOT 1:3 (8:11 8:11 11:4 8:11)
2017/18 Seamaster ECLW: Top seed makes confident start in Poland
Round 1 of Group A: KTS Tarnobrzeg – TuS Bad Driburg 3:0 Top-seeded KTS Tarnobrzeg confidently opened the 2017/18 Seamaster European Champions League Women as they beat at home German club TuS Bad Driburg 3:0. Polish champion showed his new line-up with 2015 European champion Elizabeta SAMARA from Romania as team`s no. 2. Host players won all matches in straight games against three young opponents. World no. 9 HAN Ying beat 20-year-old Nina MITTELHAM Elizabeta SAMARA defeated Sarah DE NUTTE (24-year-old) whilst LI Qian overcame Sophia KLEE (14) one of youngest ever participant in the Seamaster ECLW. 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW Round 1 KTS Tarnobrzeg – TuS Bad Driburg 3:0 HAN Ying – Nina MITTELHAM 3:0 (11:5 11:6 11:8) Elizabeta SAMARA – Sarah DE NUTTE 3:0 (11:7 11:7 11:7) LI Qian – Sophia KLEE 3:0 (11:1 11:2 11:2)
Dr. CASL returns to the Seamaster ECLW: Extended roster for big ambitions
Croatian champion will play in five different competitions this season having first Seamaster ECLW game this Sunday (Oct 1st 18:00 CET) in Zagreb against French side ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly Croatian champion Dr. CASL returns to the Seamaster European Champions League Women with biggest possible ambitions. This club from well known table tennis city of Zagreb has lifted three trophies last season. Two domestic – Croatian League and Cup and one international – Mediterranean Cup. But 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW makes super motivation in each member of Dr. CASL. “We have nine titles of Croatian League: five in men’s and four in women’s competition” proudly stated president of the club Martin-Tino CASL. “Bearing in mind that our girls will play five competitions this season (Seamaster ECLW European Super League Mediterranean Cup and both Croatian League and Cup) we provided a big roster. Regarding 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW our leading players will be DOO Hoi Kem (bronze medalist in Mixed Doubles with WONG Chun Ting in the 2017 World Championships) YU Fu (actual Women’s Singles runner-up from 2016 European Championships) LI Jie (actual bronze medalist from 2016 ECH former Seamaster ECLW champion with Netherlands’ club Heerlen) and Chinese player ZHOU Xintong. We also have Croatian champion and runner-up Mirela DURAK and Dorina SREBRNJAK respectively as well as Slovenia’s Manca FAJMUT. Dorina SREBRNJAK beat Matilda EKHOLM and Sara RAMIREZ recently in Luxembourg. Martin-Tino CASL stressed that Group C of 2017/18 Seamaster ECLW is the hardest one as each club is capable to beat others. His side hosts ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly this Sunday (Oct 1st 18:00 CET) whilst in the Round 2 (October 13th) travels to Hungary to face Szekszard AC.
Historic win for Portugal table tennis
First match and first victory for any Portugal’s team in the TTCLM: Pontoise – Sporting 1:3 Sporting Clube de Portugal debuted in the Table Tennis Champions League Men in a superb style beating away two times TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy 3:1. This match held Thursday night (Sep 28th) saw for the very first time any Portugal`s club in this prestigious competition. Sporting upset 2014 and 2016 TTCLM champions thanks to Joao MONTEIRO who beat both Can AKKUZU and his teammate from Portugal`s National Team Marcos FREITAS while the third point came from Diogo CARVALHO against Niagol STOYANOV. African champion Aruna QUADRI lost to FREITAS in the opening encounter. AS Pontoise Cergy – Sporting Clube de Portugal 1:3 Marcos FREITAS – Quadri ARUNA 3:0 (11:5 11:9 11:8) Can AKKUZU – Joao MONTEIRO 2:3 (2:11 15:13 6:11 11:6 8:11) Niagol STOYANOV – Diogo CARVALHO 2:3 (11:4 9:11 10:12 11:5 5:11) Marcos FREITAS – Joao MONTEIRO 1:3 (5:11 9:11 11:9 12:14)
ITTF Conducts Successful 2018 World Table Tennis Championships Site Inspection
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has concluded a site inspection for the Liebherr 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships to be held in Halmstad Sweden from 29 April to 6 May 2018. The ITTF inspection party led by ITTF Deputy President Khalil AL-MOHANNADI and the ITTF CEO Steve DAINTON toured all the facilities that will be used for 54th World Table Tennis Championships in the table tennis heartland of Sweden. After visiting the venue together with the Executive Committee ITTF Deputy President Khalil AL-MOHANNADI stated: “We were pleased and impressed with the progress the organizing committee is making and we strongly believe that the event will be able to build on the momentum of the 2017 edition to make new records. The venue and facilities are great and we are excited to see the hosts put their Swedish twist on the biggest table tennis event on earth.” The main hall where the World Champions will be crowned will have three tables which will all be produced live for ITTF’s global TV rights holders over the eight-day event with special innovations to be announced soon. An elaborate sports presentation plan will ensure that the tens of thousands of fans expected to flock in to the Halmstad Arena will be treated to a table tennis show that they will never forget. ITTF CEO Steve Dainton added: “We feel very relaxed and comfortable after our visit to Halmstad not only due to the awesome hospitality the locals have shown us but mainly due to the plans and preparations presented to us for next year’s Liebherr 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships. There is a high-level detail and creativity on the plans and we are extremely confident that the event will be a great event. That said the last months leading to the event are crucial and there is still a lot of work to be done. Limited tickets and hotels will mean that it will be important for fans to get their hands on the tickets when tickets are released in November so they can be a part of the World Championships.” The 2018 edition of the World Team Table Tennis Championships will consist of 72 teams who will qualify through their continental championships. The top 24 teams will make up the Championship Division which will battle to be World Team Champions. Early bird tickets go on sale on 1 November 2017 head over to http://wttc2018halmstad.com/ to pre-register your interest so you don’t miss out!
Russian teams showed no mercy
TTCLM Round 1 Thursday`s matches: Orenburg –Bogoria 3:0 UMMC – Chartes 3:0 Pontoise – Sporting 1:3 Three Round 1 matches of the 2017/18 TTCLM were held today September 28th. Two in Group A TTC Fakel Gazprom – K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki 3:0 AS Pontoise Cergy – Sporting Clube de Portugal 1:3 and one in Group B: TTSC UMMC – Chartres ASTT 3:0 Reigning champion and no. 1 seed Fakel Gazprom from Orenburg beat Polish side Bogoria in straight games but not so easy. Two World`s top players Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (no. 4) and Jun MIZUTANI (no. 8) have been extended to full distance by Masaki YOSHIDA (no. 19) and Pavel SIRUCEK (no. 162) respectively. Especially OVTCHAROV was faced with a huge challenge in the fifth set against Japanese winning it by a narrow margin. SIRUCEK led after third set against MIZUTANI but 2016 Olympic bronze medalist easily won last two games. Mr. TTCLM Vladimir SAMSONOV did his job against Daniel GORAK to confirm first victory in the 2017/18 TTCLM. Newcomer in the TTCLM Sporting Clube de Portugal upset two times TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy playing in France. Joao MONTEIRO decided the winner as he beat both Can AKKUZU (in the fifth set 8:8 11:8) and Marcos FREITAS while the third Sporting`s point came from Diogo CARVALHO against Niagol STOYANOV. Best player of host side FREITAS overcame Aruna QUADRI who debuted in the TTCLM. Two teammates two left-handed players from the Portugal`s National Team Marcos FREITAS and Joao MONTEIRO met in the crucial fourth clash. They won together Team`s gold at the LIEBHERR 2014 ITTF European Championships and silver two weeks ago in Luxembourg. But tonight they were fierce rivals. MONTEIRO led 2:0 (9:6) against FREITAS but host won five consecutive points to secure fourth set. In the fourth one guest reversed the score from 4:7 to 9:8 but Pontoise`s player had two opportunities to provide the fifth game (10:9 11:10). After all MONTEIRO won clash attacking without calculation in decisive moments. The 2012 TTCLM runner-up UMMC lost just two sets against 2013 runner-up Chartres. It was a good team work of Russian side which had problems with injuries last week (VLASOV and SHIBAEV). Japanese Maharu YOSHIMURA debuted in TTCLM by clear win against Romain LORENTZ. Andrej GACINA and Alexander SHIBAEV defeated Robert GARDOS and Alexandre RIBINOT respectively. 2017/18 TTCLM Round 1 GROUP A TTC Fakel Gazprom – K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki 3:0 Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Masaki YOSHIDA 3:2 (13:15 12:14 11:4 11:4 12:10) Jun MIZUTANI – Pavel SIRUCEK 3:2 (11:13 11:7 5:11 11:5 11:3) Vladimir SAMSONOV – Daniel GORAK 3:0 (11:6 11:5 11:9) AS Pontoise Cergy – Sporting Clube de Portugal 1:3 Marcos FREITAS – Quadri ARUNA 3:0 (11:5 11:9 11:8) Can AKKUZU – Joao MONTEIRO 2:3 (2:11 15:13 6:11 11:6 8:11) Niagol STOYANOV – Diogo CARVALHO 2:3 (11:4 9:11 10:12 11:5 5:11) FREITAS – MONTEIRO 1:3 (5:11 9:11 11:9 12:14) GROUP B TTSC UMMC – Chartres ASTT 3:0 Andrej GACINA – Robert GARDOS 3:2 (5:11 7:11 11:8 11:7 12:10) Maharu YOSHIMURA – Romain LORENTZ 3:0 (11:9 11:3 11:8) Alexander SHIBAEV – Alexandre ROBINOT 3:0 (11:5 13:11 11:4)
Club season in Europe is heating up
The new season in ETTU Cup starts this weekend with the matches in the group stages. Belgium Spain Luxembourg and Greece will host the groups in Women’s ETTU whilst Slovakia Italy Belgium and Spain will host Men’s Groups. In Group A in men’s ETTU Cup in Slovakia are SK Vydrany Fortune Kyiv Sarkuysan Spor Kulübü Clube Desportivo Sao Roque and Turk Telekom Ankara Spor Kulubu. In Group B will play ASD Marcozzi STK Budućnost GD Toledos ADC Ponta do Pargo and CTT Royal Alpa Schaerbeek Woluwe. In Group C in Belgium will play CS Mioveni AD Vincios BMC DKV Borges Vall TT Vedrinamur and TTSC UMMC Elem. In Group D in Spain are Universidad De Burgos GDCS Juncal Irun Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa CE MSC Tennis Academy SCC and Yironi Givatayim Israel. Last season winner is French Stella Sport la Romagne. In the final they overcame another French club Vaillante Sports Angers TT. In women’s ETTU Cup in Group A in Belgium KTTC AFP Antwerpen will host ASD Tennistavolo Norbello ADC Ponta Do Pargo – Calheta – Madeira SPARVÄGEN TTC TT Dinez. In Group B in Luxembourg will play Dozy Den Helder / Noordkop TTC Rapid LUZERN B – 72 Team Grace DT Roodt – Syre and TTC Rapid LUZERN. In Group C in Spain at the list are Tecnigen LINARES TT Vedrinamur Kocasinan Belediyesi Spor Club Bursaspor and Hotel Patria Chica Museo Priego TM. In Group D in Greece are Irun Leka Enea DT Diddeleng DT Nidderkäerjeng Sarises Florinas G.D. do Centro Social do Juncal and G.D. Toledos Last season Turkish Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor clinched the trophy after they overcame Turkish Tigem SC Ankara.
Last 4 ECH gold medalists to play in 2017/18 Seamaster ECL Women
This Friday and Sunday Round 1 will be held as top seed Tarnobrzeg presents its strong newcomer Elizabeta SAMARA Women`s Singles winner of the 2015 ITTF European Championships Eight out of 12 clubs will open the 2017/18 Seamaster European Champions League Women this Friday and Sunday (Sep 29 Oct 1): KTS Tarnobrzeg -TuS Bad Driburg (GROUP A Sep 29 18:00 CET) BURSA BÜYÜKŞEHİR BELEDİYESPOR -Linz AG Froschberg (GROUP B Oct 01 15:00 CET) Dr. ČASL – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly (GROUP C Oct 01 18:00 CET) TTC Berlin Eastside – SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex (GROUP D Oct 01 14:30 CET). The upcoming season should be one of the best in terms of world class players and equality of the teams. Fans in 12 table tennis cities of Old Continent will see last four individual European champions – HU Melek (2016 gold medalist club Bursa) Elizabeta SAMARA (2015 Tarnobrzeg) LI Fen (2013 ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly) and Viktoria PAVLOVICH (2012 Tarnobrzeg) as well as last six finalists of the ECH Women`s Singles Event: HU beat YU Fu (Dr. CASL) in 2016 SAMARA defeated LI Jie (Dr. CASL) LI overcame SHAN Xiaona (Berlin). Top seeded KTS Tarnobrzeg is clear favorite against Tus Bad Driburg in the opening round. Polish champion last two seasons runner-up signed Elizabeta SAMARA (current bronze medalist from 2016 European Championships) to improve its super defensive squad in last two seasons (HAN Ying LI Qian Viktoria PAVLOVICH). KTS Tarnobrzeg: HAN Ying (World no. 9) Elizabeta SAMARA (no. 28) LI Qian (no. 45) Viktoria PAVLOVICH (no. 61) Andrea TODOROVIC Kinga STEFANSKA and 13-year-old Julia SZCZEPANIK. TuS Bad Driburg: Nina MITTELHAM (no. 108) Sarah DE NUTTE (no. 124) SU Yan Nadine BOLLMEIER Elena WAGGERMAYER Linda VAN DE LEUR-CREEMERS. Dr. CASL from the city of Zagreb no. 3 seed returns to the ECLW with its strongest team ever. They have two medalists from the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships: FU Yu was runner-up LI Jie took bronze. Croatian side hosts TT Grand Quevilly from France with an option to present three World`s Top 40 players (third one is no. 32 DOO Hoi Kem). Dr. CASL: LI Jie (World no. 24) DOO Hoi Kem (no. 32) YU Fu (no. 39) ZHOU Xintong (no. 122) Dorina SREBRNJAK Mirela DURAK Manca FAJMUT. ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly: LI Fen (no. 53) KIM Hayeong Barbora BALAZOVA Galia DVORAK (no. 106) Oceane WATIGNY. The 2016/17 ETTU Cup Women winner Bursa Buyukshehir Belediyespor(No. 4 seed) hosts double ECLW winner Linz AG Froschberg who will play without LIU Jia after many years. Actual individual champion of Old Continent HU Melek will be supported by two more strong players Singapore’s ZENG Jian and Russia’s Yana NOSKOVA. Bursa: ZENG Jian (World no. 19) HU Melek (no. 25) LEE Ho Ching (no. 42) Yana NOSKOVA (no. 93) Simay KULAKCEKEN (no. 331) Linz: Sophia POLCANOVA (no. 44) ZHANG Mo (no. 57) Linda BERGSTROM (no. 159) HO Tin-Tin (no. 205) Lucia TRUKSOVA (no. 359). Defending ECLW champion and four times winner TTC Berlin Eastside actual no. 2 seed opens new season against Czech Republic`s SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex. Coach Irina PALINA can count on the same superb line-up from last few seasons SHAN Xiaona Petrissa SOLJA Georgina POTA while strong Hong Kong`s player TIE Yana will be newcomer in the German side. Berlin: SHAN Xiaona (no. 16) Petrissa SOLJA (no. 28) Georgina POTA (no. 31) TIE Yana (no. 35) Shiho MATSUDAIRA Hodonin: Natalia PARTYKA (no. 66) Renata STRBIKOVA (no. 100) Solomiya BRATEYKO (no. 213) Marketa SEVCIKOVA (no. 384) Katerina PENKAVOVA. 2017/18 Seamaster European Champions League Women Round 1 GROUP A: KTS Tarnobrzeg -TuS Bad Driburg (Sep 29 18:00 CET) GROUP B: BURSA BÜYÜKŞEHİR BELEDİYESPOR -Linz AG Froschberg (Oct 01 15:00 CET) GROUP C: Dr. Časl – ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly (Oct 01 18:00 CET) GROUP D: TTC Berlin Eastside – SKST Mart Hodonin – Stavoimpex (Oct 01 14:30 CET)
