In the quarterfinal of the Women’s Teams Event at the LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships top seeded Germany will meet Poland at the bottom half of the draw Romania will play against Portugal Netherlands will meet Austria whilst Russia will play against Hungary. In Group stages Germany is unbeaten. They overcame Sweden Hungary and Croatia. Hungary is at the position no. two with one defeat. In Group B Romania is at the top of the standings also without defeat. On their way to the top 8 teams they overcame Netherlands Luxembourg and Czech Republic at the end. “The most important match in the duel against Czech Republic was Bernadett SZOCS’ match against Sarah Di NUTTE. My teammates kept their emotions under control even when it was very close ” said Elizabeta SAMARA.”I was very nervous before my match against NI Xia Lian. I wanted to win that one very much. I like to play against her but I faced few problems at the beginning. I had to change the rubber so it took the time before I settled in the good rhythm. I started to build up my game slowly and eventually gained the control.” Netherlands upset the rankings and booked place in the quarterfinal by beating better-ranked Czech Republic. Britt EERLAND LI Jie and Kim VERMAAS played in the last match of the Group Stage and overcame Luxembourg. “We had a tough group with Romania the great team. The match against Luxembourg was difficult because we had the spectators against us. This makes the adversary better as the support increases. I would also play better if I had a crowd behind me but nevertheless it was great for us to play in this atmosphere ” explained Kim VERMAAS. In Group C Austria is first despite defeat against Spain. Portugal is second with defeat against Austria. In Group D Russia upset the rankings and progressed to the top of the Group with all three wins against Poland France and Belarus. Poland is second. In the last round they overcame Belarus. “ We had a tough game against an adversary who is ranked slightly lower than us in the European ranking but we were at the edge in most games and I had to recover from two-null down. Unfortunately we finished second in our group but the main thing is that we are in the quarter final ” Natalia PARTYKA.
Eurotalents Selection Camp 2017 to be held in Otocec
ETTU Eurotalents (TI&S) invited 41 players selected from Pre-Selection Camp 2017 and Eurominichamp’s tournament 2017 Eurotalents Selection Camp 2017 will be held in Otocec Slovenia from October 8th to 15th. ETTU Eurotalents (TI&S) invites following 41 players selected from Pre-Selection Camp 2017 and Eurominichamp’s tournament 2017: Vladimir PANDUREVIC (BIH) Darius MOVILEANU (ROU) Andrea TEGLAS (ROU) Boroka MIKE (ROU) Andrei ISTRATE (ROU) Luca OPREA (ROU) Evelyn UNGVARI (ROU) Sara TOKIC (SLO) XIJIN Zheng (NED) Tim GILTIA (BEL) Nolan LERAT (BEL) Alessi MASSART (BEL) Julie VAN HAUWAERT (BEL) Carl KONGERSKOV (DEN) Napong BOOBYAPRAPA (ENG) Justus LECHTENBORGER (GER) Tobias SALZER (GER) Lleyton ULLMANN (GER) Annet KAUFMANN (GER) Jele STORTZ (GER) Mia GRIESEL (GER) Vladislav BANNIKOV (RUS) Sergey RYZHOV (RUS) Sergei GAZARIAN (RUS) Anastasiia BERESNEVA (RUS) Vasilisa DANILOVA (RUS) Ekaterina IVANOVA (RUS) Marc MIRO (ESP) Yanira SANCHEZ (ESP) Dennis LARSSON (SWE) Isak ALFREDSSON (SWE) David BJORKRYD (SWE) Mykyta ZAVADA (UKR) Artem OVCHYNNIKOV (UKR) Helena SOMMEROVA (CZE) Veranika VARABYOVA (BLR) David SZANTOSI (HUN) Georgiosz KIZAKISZ (HUN) Attillio SERTI (ITA) Daniele SPAGNOLO (ITA) Rafael KONG (POR. COACHES Jože URH national coach and Head coach of Slovenian Training center – head coach Vesna OJSTERŠEK DRNOVŠEK National coach Andreja OJSTERŠEK URH Assistant Coach of Slovenian Training Center Mate LEJO Assistant Coach of Slovenian Training Center Istvan KORPA (ETTU) Neven CEGNAR (ETTU) ENTRIES Entries should be sent to the organizer not later 25th of September 2017. Cancellation of participants is possible until 1st of October 2017.
Dainton & Calin Appointed to Senior ITTF positions
Steve DAINTON who has been the Acting CEO for the past two months has now been appointed as the permanent CEO. Raul CALIN who has been serving as the ITTF Director of Operations will assist Mr DAINTON as the ITTF Secretary General. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has announced two senior staff appointments. Steve DAINTON who has been the Acting CEO for the past two months has now been appointed as the permanent CEO. Raul CALIN who has been serving as the ITTF Director of Operations will assist Mr DAINTON as the ITTF Secretary General. On the appointments ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT stated: “Both Steve and Raul have both been extremely loyal to the ITTF over their many years of service and have been instrumental to the growth of the ITTF over recent years. The ITTF Executive Committee and I have complete trust in both of them to excel in their new positions and guide the ITTF to a new fruitful era.” 39-year-old Australian DAINTON started playing table tennis as a child with his father in the country town of Albury in Australia. DAINTON rose through the table tennis ranks as a junior player but turned his attention to coaching at a young age where he produced several Australian national junior players. Most of which was achieved whilst studying Marketing and International Studies at university where he learnt to speak and write Chinese. DAINTON took up his first ITTF position in 2002 as the ITTF Oceania Development Officer after his university studies. After 3 years travelling around Oceania developing the sport DAINTON decided to merge his table tennis marketing and Chinese language skills together and take up a position in Shanghai China as director of the ITTF-Asia Pacific office. After 6 successful years in China and assisting in some big commercial deals with Volkswagen China Unicom and various other media and sponsorship deals DAINTON was promoted to the position of ITTF Marketing Director and moved the ITTF-Asia Pacific office to Singapore in 2011. Over the 6 years in Singapore the ITTF Marketing department grew from strength to strength with more lucrative deals with large companies including GAC Group Seamaster and GoDaddy as well as started new initiatives such as the ITTF Star Awards TTX and improved sport presentation at all ITTF’s major events. On his promotion to the ITTF CEO position DAINTON stated: “It’s an exciting new era for the ITTF and table tennis. It’s the right time for the ITTF to realize its true commercial potential and modernize itself to ensure that table tennis cements itself as one of the leading sports globally at all levels. I am looking forward to helping to ensure this and to especially assist in growing the table tennis industry to new levels meaning not only more people playing table tennis but also more people actively engaged. If we get it right this will ensure the true stars the athletes will be better recognized and rewarded.” DAINTON will be assisted by Raul CALIN who has been appointed in a newly created Secretary General position and will continue to be based in Lausanne to focus on ensuring ITTF’s positive Olympic relations. 45-year-old CALIN from Spain has been playing coaching and administrating table tennis since 1991 with his proudest moment on the table being coaching the Spanish team to one gold one silver and two bronze medals at the 2000 Paralympics. CALIN joined the ITTF in 2004 as a Competition Manager and has had many big achievements since such as being a part of the successful team that built the ITTF Global Junior Programme and running the successful Rio 2016 table tennis event. “I am looking to help build ITTF into a modern organisation with transparency in all levels of management with ambition and clear goals. ITTF should look for excellence in all areas ” stated CALIN. “An institution in which national associations interact actively with the ITTF management for the benefit of our athletes and fans. Let’s work towards excellence in our sport events let’s have ambition let’s make an ITTF everyone is proud of.”
European talents gathered in Luxembourg
Third ETTU Development Camp in cooperation with CTTC-E and FLTT Third ETTU Development Camp in Luxembourg shows 19 European talents practicing with top class coaches and 13 sparring partners (six out of them are from China). This Camp is organized in cooperation with CTTC-E and FLTT guided by CTTC coaches from China LI Xiaodong GU Nan and ZHENG Chaoying supported by two domestic coaches Martin OSTERMAN and XIA Cheng. There are two training sessions each day (9-12 h 15-18 h). Time after dinner is reserved for the coaching meetings and additional presentations for the players.
EUROSPORT broadcast times announced
2017 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships in Luxembourg will be covered from quarter-finals to the gold medal matches EUROSPORT announced broatcast times for the upcoming 2017 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships which will be held in Luxembourg from September 13th to 17th. Table Tennis fans will enjoy watching their favorite teams on two TV channels EUROSPORT 1 and EUROSPORT 2. TV-coverage starts on September 15th (EUROSPORT 2 live) by Women`s Team Quarter-finals. Thanks to EUROSPORT all crucial games and most important parts of the 2017 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships will be covered live od delayed. In total 930 minutes in four days including both Men`s and Women`s finals. EUROSPORT 1 September 15th (live) from 12:30 to 16:00 Women – Quarter-finals September 15th (live) from 16:00 to 19:00 Men – Quarter-finals September 18th (delayed) from 00:10 to 01:10 Women`s Final September 18th (delayed) from 08:30 to 09:30 Men`s Final EUROSPORT 2 September 15th (live) from 10:00 to 12:30 Women – Quarter-finals September 16th (live) from 10:00 to 12:30 Women – Semi-finals September 17th (delayed) from 21:30 to 22:30 Women`s Final September 17th (delayed) from 22:30 to 23:30 Men`s Final
Czech Open: FRANZISKA and GROTH prevented full domination of Japan`s players
European duo won Men`s Doubles gold while 14-year-old Tomokazu HARIMOTO became youngest ever ITTF World Tour winner in the Men`s Singles as he beat Timo BOLL in six games It was a real sensation what happened in the Men`s Singles final at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Czech Open in Olomouc concluded on the afternoon of Sunday August 27th. The fourth seed Tomokazu HARIMOTO became youngest ever ITTF World Tour winner as he beat in the final clash no.1 seed 36-year-old Timo BOLL in six games – 4:2 (11:3 4:11 8:11 11:9 11:6 11:9). Japans`s player is only 14 years and 61 days old! Six months ago at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Indian Open HARIMOTO was just 13 years and 237 days old when he lost to Dimitrij OVTCHAROV in the gold medal contest. “Age doesn’t matter you must play and fight against everyone! It was my second World Tour final first time I lost my chance this time I won; now at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games I want to win Men’s Singles and Men’s Team gold but I know I must practice hard and fight to gain the glory” stressed Tomokazu HARIMOTO. Earlier in the day one more Japanese rising star secured gold. It was 16-year-old no.3 Mima ITO who overcame her compatriot and no.1 seed Kasumi ISHIKAWA in five games (11:5 15:13 11:3 9:11 11:4). It was a full revenge for recent defeat in Panagyrushite also in the final clash. Top seeds of the Men`s Doubles Germany’s Patrick FRANZISKA and Jonathan GROTH prevented full domination of Japan`s players. They overcame no.2 seeds Jin UEDA and Maharu YOSHIMURA in four games – 3:1 (11:6 8:11 11:9 11:8). European duo lost just two sets in total on their way to the gold. Ono more crown went to Japan. Hina HAYATA and Mima ITO won the Women’s Doubles beating Sweden`s Matilda EKHOLM and Hungary`s Georgina POTA. European pair led after third set but lost after full five games – 3:2 (11:5 8:11 8:11 11:6 11:8).
Czech Open: Timo BOLL against 14-year-old boy for the title
German no.1 seed faces Tomokazu HARIMOTO in the Men`s Singles gold medal contest Six times individual European champion Timo BOLL recorded two fast victories to secure his place in the Men`s Singles of the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Czech Open in Olomouc. First he beat Sweden`s Par GERELL in the quarter-final stage then he overcame actual ECH champion Emmanuel LEBESSON again in straight games. The 36-year-old German the top seed faces 14-year-old Tomokazu HARIMOTO (no.4 seed) in the gold medal contest. Japanese managed to save five match balls against Brazil`s Hugo CALDERANO (no.9) playing full seven games. HARIMOTO currently 14 years and two months old reached his second ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles final. When he played his very first one on 19th February in New Delhi (India) he became the youngest player ever to reach a final of this competition. Then he was only 13 years and 237 days old and he was beaten by Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. Two Japan`s player will meet one another in the Women`s Singles final. The 16-year-old Mima ITO eliminated no.2 seed HAN Ying from Germany and now challenges for the crown top seeded Kasumi ISHIKAWA. ITO defeated HAN in five games while ISHIKAWA had no mercy against Yui HAMAMOTO in the all-Japanese semis. Two more finals will be held on the concluding day. No.1 seed in the Men`s Doubles Patrick FRANZISKA (Germany) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) will face Jin UEDA Maharu YOSHIMURA from Japan. Sweden`s Matilda EKHOLM and Hungary`s Georgina POTA reached their new ITTF World Tour Women`s Doubles final. This time their rivals will be Hina HAYATA and Mima ITO from Japan. Men`s Singles Semi-final Timo BOLL (Germany) – Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) 4:0 (11:3 11:9 12:10 12:10) Tomokazu HARIMOTO (Japan) – Hugo CALDERANO (Brazil) 4:3 (6:11 12:10 4:11 11:4 11:9 9:11 16:14) Women`s Singles Semi-final Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) – Yui HAMAMOTO (Japan) 4:0 (11:6 12:10 13:11 11:9) Mima ITO (Japan) – HAN Ying (Germany) 4:1 (11:5 6:11 12:10 11:5 11:4)
Czech Open: Six times 4:3 in the Men`s Singles Round of 16
The Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Czech Open in Olomouc Timo BOLL (Germany) Par GERELL (Sweden) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) Jin UEDA (Japan) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) and Hugo CALDERANO (Brazil) won their matches after full seven games of the Men`s Singles Round of 16 at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Czech Open in Olomouc. Top seeded player Timo BOLL defeated Chinese XUE Fei 4:3 (12:14 11:2 10:12 9:11 11:8 11:3 11:7) but no.2 seed Kenta MATSUDAIRA from Japan was beaten by Brazil`s Hugo CALDERANO after full seven games too. In the quarter-finals BOLL opposes GERELL actual European champion Emmanuel LEBESSON confronts Jin UDEA from Japan while GERELL`s compatriot Kristian KARLSSON will meet Japanese HARIMOTO. Two young players are going to play one against another: Hugo CALDERANO vs. LUN Yin-Dzu. Second women`s singles seed HAN Ying from Germany had an easy job against Sofia POLCANOVA winning in straight games. Other European representative in the Round of 16 is Georgina POTA who defeated Miyu MAEDA in five games. Sweden`s Matilda EKHOLM stretched no.1 Kasumi ISHIKAWA to full distance. Men`s Singles Round of 32: Timo BOLL (Germany) – XUE Fei (China) 4:3 (12:14 11:2 10:12 9:11 11:8 11:3 11:7) Par GERELL (Sweden) – Ruwen FILUS (Germany) 4:3 (7:11 7:11 11:2 11:5 6:11 11:8 12:10) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) – Anton KALLBERG (Sweden) 4:3 (14:12 3:11 11:5 11:13 11:9 10:12 11:9) Jin UEDA (Japan) – Bastian STEGER (Germany) 4:3 (11:3 9:11 11:9 10:12 6:11 13:11 11:4) Tomokazu HARIMOTO (Japan) – Maharu YOSHIMURA (Japan) 4:2 (11:8 11:3 5:11 11:8 7:11 11:8) Tristan FLORE (France) –Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) 3:4 (5:11 11:7 11:8 11:7 9:11 7:11 4:11) FANG Yinchi (China) – LIN Yu-Ju (Chinese Taipei) 0:4 (8:11 7:11 5:11 4:11) Hugo CALDERANO (Brazil) – Kenta MATSUDAIRA (Japan) 4:3 (11:7 10:12 11:6 5:11 11:13 11:7 11:7). Women`s Singles Round of 32: Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) – Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) 4:3 (12:10 11:6 5:11 11:7 6:11 8:11 11:7) Mizuki MORIZONO (Japan) – HUANG Yi-Hua (Chinese Taipei) 2:4 (0:11 4:11 2:11 11:8 11:9 10:12) Sakura MORI (Japan) – Yui HAMAMOTO (Japan) 3:4 (3:11 12:10 7:11 13:11 6:11 11:8 7:11) Hina HAYATA (Japan) – Hitomi SATO (Japan) 4:1 (11:8 15:17 11:7 11:8 11:6 Mima ITO (Japan) – GU Ruochen (China) 4:1 (11:4 15:13 11:9 11:13 12:10) Georgina POTA (Hungary) – Miyu MAEDA (Japan) 4:1 (14:12 8:11 11:9 11:5 11:8) Honoka HASHIMOTO (Japan) – Maki SHIOMI (Japan) 4:0 (11:7 12:10 12:10 11:6) Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) – HAN Ying (Germany) 0:4 (2:11 6:11 4:11 9:11).
Czech Open: KALLBERG beats MURAMATSU in straight games
Promising Swedish player overcame last year`s winner in the Men`s Singles Round of 32. Jin UEDA upset no.3 seed Simon GAUZY Many favorites did their job in the opening round of the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Czech Open in Olomouc but last year`s winner of the Men`s Singles wasn’t one of them: actual world no.95 Anton KALLBERG from Sweden eliminated no.30 Yuto MURAMATSU from Japan no.11 seed in straight games – 4:0 (11:6 16;14 11:9 11:1). Japanese Jin UEDA upset no.3 seed and current European Championships runner-up Simon GAUZY after five games. Two top seeds Timo BOLL (no.1) from Germany and Japanese Kenta MATSUDAIRA (no.2) won their encounters in straight games against Egypt`s Omar ASAR and Belgium`s Cedric NUYTINCK respectively. Likewise Kasimi ISHIKAWA (no.1 Japan) and HAN Ying (no.2 Germany) had no problem in the Women`s Singles Round of 32. Can AKKUZU (France) beat LIN Yun-Ju (Chinese Taipei) in the final of the U21 Men`s Singles 3:2 (11:9 6:11 9:11 11:3 11:7) while Adriana DIAZ (Puerto Rico) won U21 Women`s Singles title as she overcame Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) 3:1 (11:9 7:11 14:12 14:12). Regarding Doubles events top seeded pair in the Men`s competition Patrick FRANZISKA (Germany) / Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) and no.2 seed in the women`s tournament Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) / Georgina POTA (Hungary) had very confident start winning their Round of 16 matches 3:0. Men`s Singles Round of 32: Timo BOLL (Germany) – Omar ASAR (Egypt) 4:0 (11:9 11:6 11:2 15:13) KOU Lei (Ukraine) – XUE Fei (China) 3:4 (11:9 6:11 6:11 16:14 9:11 11:6 9:11) Par GERELL (Sweden) – Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) 4:1 (11:9 6:11 11:3 11:4 11:4) Ruwen FILUS (Germany) – Noshad ALAMIYAN (Iran) 4:1 (11:7 11:4 11:9 7:11 11:7) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) – Yuto KIZUKURI (Japan) 4:0 (11:6 11:0 11:0 11:0) – injury Anton KALLBERG (Sweden) – Yuto MURAMATSU (Japan) 4:0 (11:6 16:14 11:9 11:1) Jin UEDA (Japan) – Simon GAUZY (France) 4:1 (11:8 8:11 11:8 11:7 11:9) Bastian STEGER (Germany) – Yuki MATSUYAMA (Japan) 4:2 (9:11 11:2 14:16 11:5 11:1 11:5) Tomokazu HARIMOTO (Japan) – Kirll GERASSIMENKO (Kazakhstan) 4:3 (11:8 1:11 13:11 12:14 11:8 4:11 11:7) Maharu YOSHIMURA (Japan) – Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) 4:0 (11:5 11:1 11:4 11:5) Tomas KONECNY (Czech Republic) – Tristan FLORE 2:4 (9:11 9:11 11:7 11:9 9:11 8:11) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) – Joao GERALDO (Portugal) 4:0 (11;6 11:7 12:10 11:8) Stefan FEGERL (Austria) – FANG Yinchi (China) 0:4 (9:11 8:11 9:11 8:11) LIN Yu-Ju (Chinese Taipei) – Tiago APOLONIA (Portugal) 4:2 (11:7 13:11 8:11 11:5 5:11 15:13) Hugo CALDERANO (Brazil) – LI Yijie (China) 4:1 (13:15 11:4 11:9 11:7 11:7) Cedric NUYTINCK (Belgium) – Kenta MATSUDAIRA (Japan) 0:4 (12:14 7:11 4:11 8:11). Women`s Singles Round of 32: Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) – Viktoria PAVLOVICH (Belarus) 4:0 (11:4 11:5 11:1 11:8) Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) – Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) 3:4 (14:16 11:5 11:13 11:7 7:11 11:9 8:11) Mizuki MORIZONO (Japan) – Iveta VACENOVSKA (Czech Republic) 4:1 (11:5 3:11 11:7 11:9 11:6) HUANG Yi-Hua (Chinese Taipei) – Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) 4:0 (11:9 11:9 11:9 15:13) Sakura MORI (Japan) – Natalia PARTYKA (Poland) 4:0 (11:6 11:4 12;10 11:8) Yui HAMAMOTO (Japan) Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) 4:1 (13:11 11:8 11:8 9:11 11:9) Hina HAYATA (Japan) – YUAN Yuan (China) 4:1 (11:9 11:7 6:11 11:9 11:9) Hitomi SATO (Japan) – Olga VOROBEVA (Russia) 4:1 (11:7 11:9 8:11 11:5 13:11) Mima ITO (Japan) – Mateja JEGER (Croatia) 4:0 (11:8 11:6 11:7 11:5) GU Ruochen (China) – Miyu KATO (Japan) 4:2 (9:11 9:11 11:8 14:12 11:4 11:7) Georgina POTA (Hungary) – Asuka SASAO (Japan) 4:2 (11:8 11:5 11:13 11:3 8:11 14:12) Miyu MAEDA (Japan) – Petrissa SOLJA (Germany) 4:0 (15:13 11:8 11:9 11:4) Honoka HASHIMOTO (Japan) – Adriana DIAZ (Puerto Rico) 4:0 (11:6 11:4 11:8 11:3) Debora VIVARELLI (Italy) – Maki SHIOMI (Japan) 0:4 (8:11 12:14 7:11 8:11) Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) – Saki SHIBATA (Japan) 4:3 (11:9 5:11 11:5 11:9 3:11 5:11 11:9) HAN Ying (Germany) – LIN Chia-Hsuan (Chinese Taipei) 4:0 (11:8 11:4 11:5 11:6).
Warsaw ready for the ETTU Annual Coaching Conference 2017
ETTU in cooperation with the Polish Table Tennis Association invites all European coaches to a Conference scheduled for October 8-10th ETTU Annual Coaching Conference 2017 will be held in Warsaw Poland from October 8th to 10th with many interesting topics. It will be organized as a part of ETTU Development Program and it is primarily intended for all European coaches but coaches from other continents are welcome too. Program of the Coaching Conference consists of four main issues. They are: „The Road to the Advanced Table Tennis” “Analysis of Six Stages of Development of Table Tennis” – Li Xiaodong (CHN) „Japanese Way of Teaching the Technique“ and „The Newest Situation of the Plastic Balls“ – Riki WATANABE (JPN). Entry deadline is September 18th 2017.
