Second Round ETTU Cup Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup matches will be played this weekend. Men already played one round in this season whilst women will commenced their journey in the Europe’s club competition tomorrow. In Group A in Men’s ETTU Cup Russia’s TTC Kazan will face the challenge coming from Dutch Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo Italian ASD Marcozzi and Romania’s CS Mioveni. In Group B SF SKK El Nino Praha from Czech Republic will meet Spanish Irun Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa Belgium’s TT Vedrinamur and Croatia’s STK Starr Varaždin. In Group C STK Libertas Marinkolor from Croatia will play against Izrael’s Yroni Givatayim Slovakia’s SK Vydrany and Turkish Istanbul BBSK. In Group D are: Spanish Cajasur Priego TM Austria’s SPG Linz Belgium’s TTC Sokah Hoboken and Scotland’d Knightswood TTC. Women will play only one round in the Group phase. In third round scheduled for November 25th two group winners will progress to the knock out stage of the competition. The system is same for the Women’s ETTU Cup. Eight seeds will wait for the two best-ranked clubs in their respective groups. For two places in Group A will play GDCS Juncal from Portugal Tecnigen LINARES from Spain Istanbul BBSK from Turkey and Onisilos Lakatamias from Cyprus. In Group B will meet Portugal’s A.C.D. DE SAO JOAO Italy’s ASD Tennistavolo Norbello Turkish Tigem SC Ankara Luxembourg’s DT DIDDELENG and Spanish Irun Leka Enea. In Group C are Spanish CAJASUR PRIEGO TM Portugal’s GDCGP Madalena and GDD Toledos Dutch Dozy Den Helder / Noordkop Sweden’s SPARVÄGEN BTK. In Group D are Spanish CTT BALAGUER – VILLART LOGISTIC TTC Rapid LUZERN from Switzerland Portugal’s ADC Ponta do Pargo and TT Vedrinamur.
TTCLM Round 2: BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF tops Group D
Three Round 2 matches were finished: TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN – TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG 1:3 KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN – SPG WALTER WELS 3:2 CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF 2:3 Three Round 2 matches of the 2016/17 Table Tennis Champions League Men have finished as two top seeds TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG and BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF put their places on the top of their groups. In the Group A three times TTCLM champion TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG defeated the 2009 runner-up TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN 3:1. Japanese Jun MIZUTANI the bronze medalist in Singles Event from 2016 Rio Olympics beat Hugo CALDERANO and Simon GAUZY respectively while Vladimir SAMSONOV overcame Jakub DYJAS. Singles Event runner-up from LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships GAUZY defeated Dimitrij OVTCHAROV in the opener and had a 2:0 lead against MIZUTANI in the fourth encounter but Japanese managed to bring second in a row win for his side. KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN and SPG WALTER WELS played very intense and exciting game and Polish club won 3:2. Cazuo MATSUMOTO contributed with two wins against Zsolt PETO and former Pontoise`s player WANG Jian Jun. Austrian team led 2:1 after three matches as Mihai BOBOCICA beat Tomasz KOTOWSKI but MATSUMOTO and Pavel SIRUCEK secured first victory to his side. SIRUCEK managed to defeat PETO in an interesting fifth match. Timo BOLL had a problem with an injury during the recent LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships but tonight he was in a good shape. He beat Par GERELL and Robert GARDOS respectively. Borussia`s newcomer Stefan FEGERL added winning point against GARDOS in the fifth match playing full five games. It was a continuation of a great rivalry between these two clubs which share Group D third season in a row. The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 GROUP A TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN – TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG 1:3 Simon GAUZY – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 3:2 (11:6 8:11 9:11 11:7 11:8) Hugo CALDERANO – Jun MIZUTANI 1:3 (11:9 8:11 9:11 8:11) Jakub DYJAS – Vladimir SAMSONOV 2:3 (8:11 12:10 11:9 3:11 7:11) Simon GAUZY – Jun MIZUTANI 2:3 (11:7 11:5 8:11 7:11 6:11) GROUP D KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN – SPG WALTER WELS 3:2 Cazuo MATSUMOTO – Zsolt PETÖ 3:1 (11:5 12:10 7:11 11:8) Pavel SIRUCEK – WANG Jian Jun 0:3 (8:11 8:11 8:11) Tomasz KOTOWSKI – Mihai BOBOCICA 2:3 (11:8 10:12 11:8 4:11 5:11) Cazuo MATSUMOTO – WANG Jian Jun 3:1 (11:6 11:9 6:11 11:8) Pavel SIRUCEK – Zsolt PETÖ 3:2 (14:12 11:7 9:11 9:11 11:8) CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF 2:3 Par GERELL – Stefan FEGERL 3:2 (11:7 8:11 11:8 9:11 11:9) Robert GARDOS – Timo BOLL 0:3 (9:11 8:11 6:11) Alexandre ROBINOT – Anton KÄLLBERG 3:0 (11:9 12:10 11:5) Par GERELL – Timo BOLL 1:3 (11:7 1:11 5:11 8:11) Robert GARDOS – Stefan FEGERL 2:3 (10:12 10:12 12:10 11:6 7:11)
ECLW Round 2: Medal-winning METZ TT vs. KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg
French side has two medal winners from the recent LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships YU Fu and Elizabeta SAMARA There is no time to relax for the biggest European stars as ECLW follows LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships. Three out of four Round 2 matches will be held this Friday October 28th while fourth one is scheduled for Sunday October 30th: Reigning champion TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE travels to France to meet TT SAINT QUENTIN in the Group A clash. German side defeated POSTAS SPORT EGYESÜLET in the opening round while Saint Quentin`s team is set to play its very firs game in the ongoing season. Both sides have medal winning players from Budapest: Saint Quentin`s Daniela MONTEIRO-DODEAN won Gold in Mixed Pairs and Bronze in Women’s Doubles Event whilst Berlin`s SHAN Xiaona and Petrissa SOLJA took Silver in Women’s Doubles Event. In the Group B two times ECLW winner LINZ AG FROSCHBERG awaits UCAM Cartagena with Silver medalist in Mixed Pairs Matilda EKHOLM. Two leading players of Austrian side LIU Jia and Sofia POLCANOVA lost their Round of 32 matches at LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships. Spanish side showed its strength in the opening ECLW round beating TuS Bad Driburg as World’s No. 8 CHENG I-Ching brought two points. BURSA BÜYÜKŞEHİR BELEDİYESPOR goes to Hungary with a recently crowned European champion HU Melek to meet SZEKSZARD AC in the Group C. Both sides will fight for their first victory as Turkish team unexpectedly lost its Round 1 home game from ALCL TT GRAND QUEVILLY playing without World’s No. 13 YU Mengyu. Group D will see two medal winners in METZ TT squad both in Women’s Singles Event: YU Fu beat her team mate and defending champion Elizabeta SAMARA in the semi-final and lost to Bursa`s HU Melek in the Gold medal contest. French side hosts No. 2 seed and actual ECLW runner-up KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg. Polish champion beat SKST Stavoimpex Hodonin in the Round 1. The 2016/17 ECLW Round 2 (October 28-30th) Group A October 28th 19:30: TT SAINT QUENTIN – TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE Group B October 30th 16:00: LINZ AG FROSCHBERG – UCAM Cartagena Group C October 28th 18:00: SZEKSZARD AC – BURSA BÜYÜKŞEHİR BELEDİYESPOR Group D October 28th 19:30: METZ TT – KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg
Quentin ROBINOT brought first win to Hennebont
Two TTCLM Round 2 matches were held tonight: ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT 0:3 TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT 2:3 First two matches of the 2016/17 Table Tennis Champions League Men were held tonight and both belonged to the guest sides: ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT 0:3 TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT 2:3. Angers won its first match in Group A beating Roskilde away. Newly crowned European champion Emmanuel LEBESSON continued to play with a lot of confidence having an easy job in the opener against ZHAI Yuija who suffered his first loss in the ongoing season. LEBESSON controlled the game in each moment losing just two points in the second set. Former individual European champion Michael MAZE had a comeback after years in which he fought with injuries but lost to Jon PERSSON in straight games. Jens LUNDQVIST defeated Claus NIELSEN in the third encounter to secure win for the French side. The 23-year-old Quentin ROBINOT the former junior champion of Old Continent was a hero of the clash held in Ostrava Czech Republic. Hennebont`s player won both his matches in the Group C game first one against CHIANG Hung Chieh in straight sets while in the last one he overcame Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC by narrow margin to provide the very first victory to his team. Young Briton Liam PITCHFORD took one more point for the guest side. TTCLM Round 2 GROUP A ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT 0:3 ZHAI Yujia – Emmanuel LEBESSON 0:3 (7:11 2:11 8:11) Michael MAZE – Jon PERSSON 0:3 (7:11 6:11 13:15) Claus NIELSEN – Jens LUNDQVIST 2:3 (9:11 5:11 11:9 12:10 7:11) GROUP C TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT 2:3 CHIANG Hung Chieh – Quentin ROBINOT 0:3 (5:11 6:11 7:11) Alexandar KARAKASEVIC – Liam PITCHFORD 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:7) Tomas TREGLER – Kalinikos KREANGA 3:2 (11:8 8:11 11:4 3:11 11:6) CHIANG Hung Chieh – Liam PITCHFORD 0:3 (10:12 5:11 9:11) Alexandar KARAKASEVIC – Quentin ROBINOT 2:3 (11:9 10:12 12:10 7:11 12:14)
Brave performance of Team Europe in Shanghai
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge The first part of the 2016 ITTF World Cadet Challengein Shanghai is over. Both European Teams – girls and boys – managed to clinch the bronze medals. This year’s edition is a very special one for double Asian opposition since China as host nation has a team too. They played alongside the traditional Continental teams of Africa Oceania Latin America North America Asia and ITTF Hopes Team. The performance of European team was just enough to overcome every opposition except the Asians. Girls have beaten Latin America and Ocenia and boys prevailed against Africa and Hopes Team in the group but both faced the defeats against China; girls 0-5 boys 2-3; which lead to an early semi-final clash against Asia. “Girls Coach Csilla BATORFI decided Tanja PLAJAN (ROU) Anastasia KOLISH (RUS) and Zdena BLASKOVA (CZE) will play. After opening defeat of PLAJAN against Asian Nr 1 JPN Miyuu KIHARA KOLISH gave a hard fight the Chinese HUANG Yingqui however she lost in a 5-set battle and couldn`t level the match up. It was still not over as BLASKOVA tried her best to come back in the fourth game against HGK Lee Ka Ye to turn the things around. However the opponent proved to be too strong and after saving set points the Hong Kong player sealed the generally comfortable win of Asian Team (3-0) ” explained Team Manager Europe Jarek KOLODZIEJCZYK. All credit for girls; despite semi-final disappointment they were back at the table and have put together a very impressive performance in a bronze medal match against North America. After more than two hours Europe prevailed 3-2 with KOLISH BLASKOVA and WEGRZYN (POL) each contributing with one point. The Pole paid back the credit given her by coach Csilla BATORFI in this match by playing her best table tennis to decide the last match against CAN Ivy Liao in four sets in Europe’s favour and thus making the two wins of North America’s Nr 1 Amy Wang not enough to steal the victory for the USA/CAN combination. In the final Asia dominated China and won 3-0. “It was the same result but bit different scenario in boys campaign. Already in the group the match against China was lost with the narrowest margin (2-3) with Russia’s Vladimir SIDORENKO and Italy’s Carlo Rossi earned the points for Europe while Austria’s Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK was unable to contribute. The semi-final against Asia was extremely close. After storming come back from 0-2 in the opening match performed by SIDORENKO against Korea’s CHO Daeseong Europe took the lead. Carlo ROSSI has put great pressure on Asia’s Nr 1 JPN Yukija UDA but failed to execute in deciding moments of the 3rd and 4th set. In the third encounter Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK came back from 1-2 in sets and 2-6 in the fourth against THA PANAGITGUN Yanapong to earn himself two match points in the decider (10-8) but failed to account on it. This proved to be the turning point of the match as UDA having 2-1 lead of his team has put a mighty performance in the encounter between the number ones beating SIDORENKO 3-1 and sealing Asia`s victory ” reported Team Manager Europe Jarek KOLODZIEJCZYK. Coach Marc CLOSSET did great job to raise the heads after this disappointment and motivated boys to a convincing 3-0 win over North America in a bronze medal match. Carlo ROSSI has shined beating Victor LIU 3-0 SIDORENKO overcame Sharon ALGUETTI USA (3-0) before Csaba ANDRAS (HUN) finished the business by overcoming CAN Edward Ly in five sets to give Europe’s Team the third place overall. Asia clinched gold after convincing 3-0 win in the final against China.”
BOSI GONDERINGER and KAHN appointed Honorary Members
ETTU’s Ordinary Congress During ETTU’s Ordinary Congress on Wednesday 19th October in Budapest Stefano BOSI (ITA) Camille GONDERINGER (LUX) and Jean-François KAHN (FRA) were appointed Honorary Members of ETTU. President Ronald Kramer said: “Everyone is aware of the troublesome situation in 2013. However the Congress accepted the proposal of the Executive Board because the three laureates have contributed to and worked hard for the development of our Union and our sport for many years.” The awarding ceremonies will take place at the ETTU Ordinary Congress next year in Luxembourg.
Asia beats host Chinese team for Gold at ITTF World Cadet Challenge
Asia struck Gold at the 2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge after winning both the Cadet Boys’ and Girls’ team event against the Chinese host team of young talents today 25 October 2016 at the Shanghai University of Sports’ Chinese Table Tennis College (CTTC). The World Cadet Challenge has been known to be the cradle for World Champions with Grand Slam Champions ZHANG Jike (CHN) & MA Long (CHN) both claiming victory from the first & second edition of the prestigious event respectively and many top players around the world starting their route to international stardom. The event which commenced on 24 October started with eight teams vying for gold: one team from each of the six continents (Africa Asia Europe Latin America North America Oceania) a Hopes team (comprised of the best young talent around the world) and China as the Host team with four boys and four girls in each team. The Asian girls’ team of Miyuu KIHARA (JPN) HUANG Yingqi (CHN) and LEE Ka Yee (HKG) took on the challenge of the Chinese team of XU Fan FANG Xiaoyu & CHEN Yi in a heated match in front of the capacity local crowd. In the cheers and support of the local crowd the Chinese team trailed closely behind the Asian Team through the match but were unable to upset the top seeded Asian team losing 0-3 to settle for silver. After the team victory HUANG shared “We are very happy with the victory this is my first time representing the Asian team in this tournament. I’m very thankful to our team even though we came from different countries and speak different languages we are very bonded. Whenever any of us faced any problems during the matches we will always encourage and cheer for each other.” As was the case with the girls’ team final the boys’ team final was a hot contest between top seeded Asian team and the local favorites host team. Despite the Chinese trio of YIN Tianyue SONG Zhuoheng and GAO Shentong’s fight to secure Gold in front of their friends & relatives in the arena the Asian team led by Under-15 world number two Yukiya UDA (JPN) and world number 10 CHO Daesung (KOR) proved too strong for them and the Asian team secured a convincing 3-0 victory to win the title. Sealing the final point for the team victory Yanapong PANAGITGUN (THA) shared “Now I’m happy to win the match I think it’s my lucky year. You know China is a strong team I played hard tonight. I have to concentrate on the match every minute.” Europe who took home the team Gold and Silver respectively at the 2015 World Cadet Challenge in Sharm el-Sheikh last year failed to advance to the final after losing both semifinals to the eventual Champions. Recovering from their shock defeat in the semifinals the European team came back stronger in the Bronze medal match to defeat a spirited North American team 3-0 in the boys’ event and 3-2 in the girls’ event. With the conclusion of the team event the cadets get a day to tour the city of Shanghai tomorrow before the commencement of the singles events on 27 October 2016.
TTCLM Round 2: Group A welcomes four medalists from Budapest
The upcoming round will be held from October 26th to 28th with a taste of recent LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 commences just three days after the ending of LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest gathering four medalists in Group A: Angers` Emmanuel LEBESSON (Gold medal in Singles Event) and Ochsenhausen`s trio Simon GAUZY (Silver medal in Singles Event) Jakub DYJAS (Bronze medal in Singles Event Doubles Event runner-up) and Joao GERALDO (Doubles Event bronze medalist). VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT goes to Denmark to meet ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 as both sides fight for their first victory in the ongoing season. „We were pleased with our performance in Ochsenhausen our first player ZHAI Yulia won two matches and make the match interesting we were not able to take the last point for a win” stressed Roskilde`s Allan BENTSEN. „But over all we are very satisfied now we are looking forward to Round 2 at home in Roskilde. If we can continue our good play maybe we can make some surprises. ZHAI was very happy but also now know that the next matches they will have a look at him before they play. Coach Finn TUGWELL was very satisfied but of course also a little disappointed when Zhai won two that we could not make the last one.” TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN with three 2016 ECH medalists hosts TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG which has two 2016 Olympic medalists Jun MIZUTANI (Bronze in Singles Event) and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Silver in Team Event) as well as one Olympic individual semi-finalist Vladimir SAMSONOV. It will be for sure one of the most exciting clashes in this round and just one will stay unbeaten. Defending TTCLM champion AS PONTOISE CERGY hosts the 2012 runner-up UMMC in the fight between two top names of Group B. Both teams won their Round 1 matches by narrow margin and now want to show their real power. Pontoise`s leading player Marcos FREITAS didn’t fulfill his aims at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships while his team mate Mattias KARLSSON took two medals: Bronze in Doubles Event Silver in Mixed Doubles. The 2015/16 TTCLM runner-up ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS welcomes KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK. Group C also has four medalists from Budapest: Saarbrucken`s Patrick FRANZISKA (Gold medal in Doubles Event) and Tiago APOLONIA (Bronze in Doubles Event) Bogoria`s Daniel GORAK (Silver in Doubles Event) and Ostava`s Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC (Bronze in Mixed Doubles). Two unbeaten teams so far will meet in Poland BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI vs. FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS while TTC OSTRAVA 2016 hosts G. V. HENNEBONT TT. One Gold medalist from Budapest Joao MONTEIRO (Mixed Pairs) will play against two Bronze medalists Timo BOLL (Singles Event) and Kristian KARLSSON (Doubles Event) in the super clash of Group D: CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF. These two clubs used to play one against another in the last couple of seasons and many times nuances decided. In same group KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN and SPG WALTER WELS will try to reach their first victories. The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 (October 26-28th) GROUP A ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT (October 26th 19:00 CET) TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN – TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG (October 27th 18:30 CET) GROUP B ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS – KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK (October 28th 18:00 CET) AS PONTOISE CERGY –UMMC (October 28th 20:00 CET) GROUP C TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT (October 26th 19:00 CET) BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI – FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS (October 28th 19:00 CET) GROUP D KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN – SPG WALTER WELS (October 27th 19:00 CET) CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF (October 27th 19:30 CET)
Emmanuel LEBESSON reached the new hights
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest New European champion Emmanuel LEBESSON of France reached the Continental hights at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest after the fantastic run he had in the past year. “It started with the European Games in Baku last year. I went there as a third or fourth player since we followed the rankings. That is why I played only in the Team’s Event. No one expected we could clinch the silver medal. It was a great tournament for us. Portugal’s team were better in the final but in the semis we beat Germany and I prevailed against Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. The victory over the top player gave me extra boost of confidence and it also proved how dangerous I am in the best of five matches”explained LEBESSON. For the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur played earlier this year LEBESSON has mixed emotions. “We played in the quarterfinal of the Team’s Event against England. Few hours before that quarters I became father. I was overwhelmed with the emotions.” In the full distance nail biting match it was France who had dream start -Simon GAUZY beat Paul DRINKHALL. Liam PITCHFORD brought England back to the game with the victory over LEBESSON. In the decisive match DRINKHALL overcame LEBESSON. Paul took a fifth match point in the deciding game to secure the victory. DRINKHALL stated after: “Yes I was 10-6 in the fifth but I won 13-11 and that is what counts!” LEBESSON addmitted:”That defeat haunted us for days weeks…hope the bitter taste will not last for years.” At the Olympic qualifications he succeded and booked his place in Rio. “It was a dream come true but unfortunately I am not very happy with my performane in Brazil. I lost to Adrian CRISAN in the second Round. For the place in the quarters we lost against England again. It was the extension of the nightmare “said LEBESSON. LEBESSON beat Paul DRINKHALL but eventualy France lost full distance duel. “After Rio I did not have enough time to practice for the European championships. In addition I did not beleive I could be very good in the seven games duels. The best I could hope was the place in the quarterfinal. I could not imagine I will reach the gold. However already in the first round which is usually very difficult for me I felt my game is on the top. I though I could do something in Budapest but for sure I was not thinking about the gold “added LEBESSON. In all French final he beat Simon GAUZY and on Monday he was welcomed at the at the Airport Charles de Gaulle as a hero. “I still can not realize what happened on Sunday. Seeing all these people at the airport helped me realize what I did all the friends who came to welcome me warmed my heart.”
Emmanuel LEBESSON at the top of the Europe
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest French player Emmanuel LEBESSON clinched the title in the Men’s Singles Event at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest. In the final he beat Simon GAUZY of France (14:12 9:11 11:7 11:3 11:6). For the first time after 18 years France has the player at the medal rostrum in the Men’s Singles Event at the European Championships. Last time it was Jean-Philippe GATIEN in Eindhoven 1998. In addition last time when France made it double was in 1976 in Prague – Jacques SECRÉTIN won gold whilst Christian MARTIN clinched bronze. “I did not start the match very good and that is the last thing I wanted to happened. When you gave Simon chance to lead he will just increase the pressure. By the end of the opening game I managed to won only one point on my service. Only God saved me to win that game. Latter Simon recovered but I raised my game to higher level. From the third game I played the best table tennis of my life. It was incredible game ” said LEBESSON. In the semis Emmanuel LEBESSON of France halted the fantastic run of Poland’s Jakub DYJAS 1:4 (8:11 5:11 11:5 6:11 5:11) in the semi final. Despite his brave effort DYJAS could not find the game for determened French player. Only in third game we saw LEBESSON being under pressure. « At that moment he started to play better. He was 5:1 in the lead very qickly. There was no use of wasting energy. I decided to let that game off and to focus of next one » said LEBESSON. The player with the record number of medals at the World Championships – 24 could not concluded his semi final match against Simon GAUZY. On his way to the 18th gold Timo BOLL he was halted by the neck injury. Still with the record of 25 medals 17 gold four silver and four bronze medals it is less likely any one will catch up with him soon. «We faced the same situation as we had at the Olympics in Rio. Then we solved it temporeraly with the injection but he had to make a five weeks break. He came back and doctors warned him to be very carefull and to try not to make the condition worst in case he feel the same problem again. It happened in the semis and we decided to end the match. We wanted to prevent any further serious problems » said coach Jorg ROSSKOPF. GAUZY said:«BOLL is a great player my idol and I am sorry I had to win this way. I feel bad about all what happened.»
