Men’s ETTU Cup final In men’s ETTU Cup final SV Werder Bremen will host Weinviertel Niederösterreich in the opening leg on Sunday. Both clubs came from Table Tennis Champions League Men to reach the ultimate stage of the ETTU Cup. In the semis SV Werder Bremen overcame Vaillante Sports Angers whilst Weinviertel Niederösterreich beat Istres Tennis de Table. For the final SV Werder Bremen Manager Sascha GREBER gave their adversaries the role of favorite. “Weinviertel is the favorite. We have played two times against each others in the Champions League and lost. However we will of course try everything to create the upset and to seceded this time ” said Manager Sascha GREBER. Giving the retrospective of the season Manager GREBER added: “We played very well in the Champions League and were tied with the two CL finalists Pontoise and Eslöv.We have beaten both teams and excreted with poorer records played two good matches against La Romagne and Angers in ETTU Cup.” Are you complete before the match? “Our team is well prepared and in very good shape; we are ready and looking forward to the finals.”
Weinviertel Niederösterreich not happy with the start but satisfied with the end of the season
Men’s ETTU Cup Two Table Tennis Champions League Men representatives SV Werder Bremen and Weinviertel Niederösterreich will decide the winner of the 2016 ETTU Cup Men. The opening leg of the final is scheduled for Sunday in Germany. Weinviertel Niederösterreich Prеsident Dr. Johann FRIEDSCHRÖDER expects close duel. “I think the two cup finals will be narrow matches but I expect that Weinviertel Niederösterreich will win. We played against Werder Bremen last season in the Champions League and won both matches. It was 3:1 in Bremen and 3:2 in Wolkersdorf ” reminded us Dr. Johann FRIEDSCHRÖDER. The season’s start in the Table Tennis Champions League Men was not good for Austria’s club. “We were not happy with the group stage of the Champions League. However at the end it is good that we reached the final of ETTU Cup. All the players are fit and ready for the final matches.” In Austria Weinviertel Niederösterreich is at the top as usual. “In the national league we will reach the Play Off and hope to win the Austrian Championships once again.”
ECLW 1st final leg: Zamek vs. Berlin 2:3
Polish side led twice but German champion survived thanks to SHAN Xiaona who won two games. SOLJA beat PARTYKA in the fifth encounter Double ECLW champion TTC Berlin Eastside the 2012 and 2014 winner beat away KTS Spar Zamek Tarnobrzeg 3:2 (9:9) in the 1st final leg of the 2015/16 ECLW final. Polish champion led twice but top seed in the ongoing season survived thanks to outstanding SHAN Xiaona who won both her matches. Two members of German national team met in the opener as HAN Ying overcame Petrissa SOLJA in straight games. The first two sets were intense especially opening one which HAN managed to conclude with four points in a row (8:10 12:10) saving two set balls. After two thrilling games in favor of her opponent SOLJA had no energy to respond sharply in the third one. It was a big starting advantage for Zamek 3:0 victory of well known defensive player. Natalya PARTIKA stretched SHAN Xiaona to full distance after exciting fourth set with many upside downs (5:5 9:5 9:9). Guest saved two set balls but host converted third one to 2:2 score. The fifth set belonged to SHAN thanks to four consecutive points at the beginning (2:2 2:6). LI Qian provided new lead to the host side. She prevailed against Georgina POTA in straight very close games (all three were unfolded after 9:9). Hungarian player missed one set ball in the second set. SHAN improved her season`s record to 12-1 defeating her team mate from German national team HAN in four games. Crucial moment emerged in late third set when guest saved set ball (10:9 10:12). Host managed to recover after bad start in the fourth game (1:5 7:7) but SHAN again showed her best table tennis in decisive moments. Finally SOLJA beat PARTYKA in straight games to secure 3:2 for Berlin. Host player missed a set ball in the opening game. Returning match will be held in Berlin on May 27th. The 2015/16 ECLW final 1st leg KTS SPAR Zamek Tarnobrzeg – TTC Berlin Eatside 2:3 (9:9) HAN Ying – Petrissa SOLJA 3:0 (12:10 11:9 11:2) Natalia PARTYKA – SHAN Xiaona 2:3 (11:8 8:11 7:11 13:11 7:11) LI Qian – Georgina POTA 3:0 (12:10 14:12 11:9) HAN Ying – SHAN Xiaona 1:3 (7:11 11:5 10:12 8:11) Natalia PARTYKA – Petrissa SOLJA 0:3 (11:13 2:11 8:11)
Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor left France with victory
Women’s ETTU Cup Turkish club Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor left France with valuable points after victory over CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole in the opening leg of the Women’s ETTU Cup played tonight in Lille. Thanks to YANG Xiaoxin CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole had a dream start but HU Melek was at the top of the game. After YANG Xiaoxin beat Polina MIKHAYLOVA HU brought back guests in game. She beat Bernadette SZOCS. The scenario repeated once again. Agnes LELANNIC overcame Maria DOLGIKH in close three games before HU beat YANG Xiaoxin to level the score. The agonizing decisive game started in favor of young Romania’s star Bernadette SZOCS but experienced Russia’s Polina MIKHAYLOVA had enough patience to overcame SZOCS’s attacks and to give Turkish side advantage before the return leg. CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole – Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor 2:3 YANG Xiaoxin – Polina MIKHAYLOVA 3:0 (11:5 11:8 11:4) Bernadette SZOCS – HU Melek 1:3 (11:8 9:11 4:11 7:11) Agnes LELANNIC – Maria DOLGIKH 3:0 (11:2 12:10 13:11) YANG Xiaoxin – HU Melek 1:3 (11:8 11:13 8:11 7:11) Bernadette SZOCS – Polina MIKHAYLOVA 1:3 (11:8 9:11 7:11 8:11)
ETTU Champions League Women and ETTU Cup Men finals live on www.laola1.tv
This weekend is all about table tennis. Starting with the first leg of women’s ETTU Champions League final on Friday 29th April the table tennis weekend is followed by the first leg of men’s ETTU Cup final on Sunday 1st May. Double CL winner TTC Berlin Eastside (2012/13 2013/14) will play against last year’s ETTU Cup winner KTS Zamek Tarnobrzeg from Poland. Whereas in the ETTU Cup Men SV Werder Bremen will welcome Weinviertel Niederösterreich. While Weinviertel Niederösterreich won the Campions League 2007/08 SV Werder Bremen has not yet achieved any international success. LAOLA1.TV will broadcast all ETTU Champions League and ETTU Cup finals live and then provide full match coverage on its website. As an added benefit Premium members will be able to follow the matches on the move on their smartphones on the computer accessing up to four simultaneous live streams or via Smart TV in top HD and commercial-free quality. The ETTU Champions League Women live on LAOLA1.tv: Friday 29th April 6.00 pm: KTS Zamek Tarnobrzeg (POL) – TTC Berlin Eastside (GER) The ETTU Cup Men live on LAOLA1.tv: Sunday 1st May 3.00 pm: SV Werder Bremen (GER) – Weinviertel Niederösterreich (AUT)
INVITATION to ETTU Women Coaches Seminar
The ETTU in cooperation with the Werner Schlager GmbH invites all Women Coaches to a seminar held from June 3 to June 5 2016 in the Werner Schlager Academy (Möhringgasse 2-4 2320 Schwechat Austria). The full costs (which include accommodation board and lodging additional pickup from the airport to the hotel) on basis Double occupancy will be covered for 1 coach per National Association by ETTU. Please note that Single Rooms are limited. Additional coaches will of course be warmly welcomed – the price for the whole stay is: Single Room (June 3-5): € 220.- Double Room per person (June 3-5): € 180.- The payment for participants not covered by ETTU shall be send directly to account of ETTU: BCEE – Banque et Caisse d’Épargne de l’État ETTU a.s.b.l. 41 rue Principale L-5241 SANDWEILER (LUX) Code BIC: BCEELULL Account N° (IBAN): LU34 0019 0055 5839 2000 All participants will be accommodated at Cityhotel Albrecht Wiener Straße 25b 2320 Schwechat. Framework of the Women Coaches Seminar (Schwechat June 3 to 5 2016) “Service & Backhand Topspin (Technical Performance and its Importance in Daily Training with Young Players)” Lecturers: Mrs. Csilla Batorfi & Mrs. Tamara Boros Friday 3rd of June Arrival at hotel Albrecht (check in possible after 13.00) 17.00 – 19.00 Introductory Lecture 20.00 Dinner Saturday 4th of June 09.00 – 12.00 Theoretical and Practical Workout 13.00 Lunch 15.00 – 18.00 Theoretical and Practical Workout – Continue 19.00 Dinner Sunday 5th of June 09.00 – 12.00 Forum & Questions 12.30 Lunch and Departure All entries and wishes for accommodation shall be sent until May 25 2016 (deadline) via E-Mail to bg@wsa-tt.com (Barbara Gehart WSA Office) and additionally to nc@wsa-tt.com ( Neven Cegnar ETTU Development Manager organizer of the seminar). Please mention if you want to be accommodated on basis Single Room or Double Room and if pick up from the airport is needed. If a visa invitation is needed please be so kind and send a scanned copy of your passport and the name and the city of the Embassy you are going to apply for to bg@wsa-tt.com
Petrissa SOLJA aims her second ECLW title
Berlin Eastside’s player won this prestigious trophy three years ago as a Linz member Just two matches left in the 2016 European Champions League Women in which KTS Spar Zamek and TTC Berlin Eastside will decide the winner and the successor of Fenerbahce. First leg will be held this Friday 18:00 while the returning match is scheduled for 18:30 May 27th. The 22-year-old Petrissa SOLJA from Berlin is the youngest member in both sides but one of the best European players in this season so far. Six months ago she won 2015 ITTF-European Championships Team Event with her national team. Few weeks later she became a first German bronze medalist at the ITTF-Women’s World Cup as she beat European Games champion LI Jiao from Netherlands 4:2. Recent ITTF-European Olympic Games Qualification Tournament held in Halmstad brought one more significant sucess to her: she booked a place at the 2016 Rio Olympics. „We are very excited to play the ECLW final and we are all in good shape. We are hungry to win this title again. This year is a good chance to win the Champions League. I hope we can take this chance. This week will be most important” stated Patrissa SOLJA actual world’s no. 13. Berlin Eastside targets its third ECLW title after 2012 and 2014 to establish itself as the most successful European club. If they do it SOLJA will become the youngest ever player with two ECLW crowns taken with two different clubs bearing in mind that she won 2013 ECLW with Linz AG Froschberg.
CP Lyssois Lille Metropole ready for Turkish challenge
Women’s ETTU Cup After two victories over Hungarian Postas Sport Egyesulet in semis French CP Lyssois Lille Metropole booked their place in the ultimate stage of the Women’s ETTU Cup. On Friady at the home soil they will meet Turkey’s Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor in the first leg of the match. Two years ago French side also played in the final. They lost against SVS STROCK at the ultimate hurdle by narow margin. “We are very impatient to play our second ETTU Cup final after we suffered defeat by points ratio in 2014 ” said Club Pongiste Lyssois Lille Metropole Manager Franck SEYNHAEVE. This season the club started their journey in ETTU competitions in higher ranked event. “After a good but difficult route in European Champions League Women we have made good matches in ETTU Cup in order to reach the final. We are satisfied with our performance ” said SEYNHAEVE. They have never played against Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor. “We have not played before against the club of Bursa. However we know we are not favorites in this final but our players are ready and they will give their best. A final is particular and everything is possible.” In French League the club currently occupies second position. “We make a good season in National league. We will certainly be second in Pro A behind the untouchable team of Metz.”
ECLW final: Zamek tests Berlin`s invincibility
The first final leg will be held on April 29th Polish champion hosts the best German club (18:00 CET) Two best clubs in the European Champions League Women are going to decide the winner for the 2015/16 season as the second seed Zamek Tarnobrzeg hosts the no. 1 seed TTC Berlin Eastside this Friday (18:00 CET) in the first final leg. It will be the clash between actual ETTU Cup winner and two times ECLW champion (German side lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2014). Concerning the ongoing season both sides deserved to be in the ultimate chapter. Zamek successfully passed the tough group (D) finishing ahead of double ECLW winner Linz AG Froschberg. In the quarter-finals the best Polish club eliminated the reigning ECLW champion Fenerbahce while in the semis they overcame UCAM Cartagena. Zamek approaches to the final with the 6-2 score (21-14). They lost to Lille Metropole in Group D and home encounter to Fenerbahce in the knockout phase. German champion is unique unbeaten team so far. They have a perfect 8-0 score (24-6). In the Group A they lost just one individual game (SOLJA against Saint Quentin’s Ran LI KATH). Berlin prevailed against the 2012 ECLW runner-up SVNO STROCK in the quarter-finals but their biggest challenge was the semi-final duel with Linz (3:2 away 3:1 home). Concerning individual achievements Berlin`s SHAN Xiaona has the best record so far 10-1 (30-9). Other players have two or more defeats Berlin – Georgina POTA 7-2 (22-9) Petrissa SOLJA 6-3 (20-11) Yui HAMAMOTO 1-0 (3-2) Zamek – HAN Ying 11-5 (39-19) Natalia PARTYKA 4-5 (21-19) LI Qian 6-4 (22-13). ITTF ranking also confirms strength of the finalists gathering six Top 50 players; Zamek Tarnobrzeg – HAN Ying (no. 9) LI Qian (no. 28) Natalia PARTYKA (no. 76); Berlin Eastside – Petrissa SOLJA (no. 13) SHAN Xiaona (no. 18) Georgina POTA (no. 39) Yui HAMAMOTO (no. 49). German champion will fight for its third ECLW crown while the best Polish club plays its very first final.
CATHCART created history as he became the first Irish player to ever win an ITTF World Junior Circuit Event
2016 Belgium Junior & Cadet Open Sunday 24th April 2016 is a day that will live long in the memory of Irish Table Tennis folk far and wide following the heroics of our own Owen CATHCART at the ITTF Belgium Junior & Cadet Open Premium World Junior Circuit Event in the city of Spa. Following a gruelling main draw run in the Ormeau TTC player stood tallest at the close of play as he was crowned Cadet Boys Singles Champion after a hard fought five set victory over Sergi GRAU (ESP) in a gripping final – what an achievement! Since the establishment of the ITTF World Junior Circuit these events have been the breeding ground for prolific champions and as a result they have always been notoriously difficult tournaments particularly for the ‘lesser’ countries. With no hiding places Owen embraced the challenge and pushed on to exceed all expectations and pick up his and Ireland’s first ever ITTF World Tour title. Following a team bronze medal alongside debutant Jonatan McDonald which in normal circumstances would be a major highlight from such an event Owen was well set up for his assault on the Cadet Boys Singles. He opened his group stage account with a straight forward 3-0 win over Gonzalez (ESP). However he then had a wobble going down to the inspired play of Degros (BEL) 1-3. This put the Ormeau boy into the bottom half of Sunday’s main draw where first up he would face a tough test in Dorcescu (FRA). He wasn’t to be halted as he battled through in 4 sets. Next up was Dutch Number 1 and WR 43 Roel Bogie. The Dutchman got the better of Owen in straight sets in the team event quarter final so this was always going to be a big challenge. There was no denying him this time though as an agressive display of speed and precision earned him a 3-1 victory. A big scalp but Ireland’s top man was far from done. Next up was Ruiz (ESP) and another battle ensued. Owen was sharp once again leading 2-1 and 8-4 before the tide was turned as the Spaniard took the 4th set 12-10. A fast start and some wise words from coach Murphy followed as Owen raced clear to take the 5th 11-5 sealing his place in the semi final. In the penultimate round Owen faced the dangerous left-hander Jacques (BEL). Winning the serve/receive battle was crucial here and the Belfast boy did just that paving the way for a 3-1 victory and with it a final berth. Standing in Owen’s way was top Spaniard Sergi Grau no stranger to this stage following his final appearance in last years ITTF World Junior Circuit Event in Portugal. If one thing was for certain Owen’s opponent had pedigree at the highest level. Following some homework of his own as he watched over some videos of Grau in action Owen was ready. Right from the off it was clear that he wouldn’t let this one go. Owen continued where he left off earlier and fired wave after wave of attack at his battle hardened opponent. Unfazed Grau hung in and eventually pushed the final into a deciding 5th set. Always the aggressor though Owen was up for the challenge as he came out firing in the 5th. Leading 6-2 following a fast start to the set Owen was in the ascendency. Grau hit back claiming the next 2 points sparking an immediate time-out from Coach John Murphy. It worked. From 7-5 Owen played an amazing level of Table Tennis giving Grau no chance as he stormed towards a historic victory. Following their success Owen and John were greeted with a heroes welcome in Dublin Airport as TTI board members and staff including former Chairman President and Life Honorary Member Mr Joe Hickey (pictured) waited with proud parents Simon and Sinead upon their arrival. On the historic achievement Table Tennis Ireland President Mr Kenneth Strong stated; ”What Owen has achieved is nothing short of extraordinary. He has shown all aspiring players that with enough hard work and dedication anything is possible. He is true credit to his family and we are all very proud of him!” Table Tennis Ireland Chairperson Ms Patricia Hunter expressed her delight by declaring that; ‘This win could be the start of a new era for Table Tennis in Ireland’ Commenting on his success upon arrival in Dublin Airport Owen remained composed as he reflected: ”I knew it was going to be tough. He (Grau) was in the final of Portugal last year only losing to a Taipei guy so I expected a really hard match. I played in some big matches before and I got nervous thinking too much about winning so I decided before the final that I’d give it a go and be aggressive” On his charge and what this result means to high performance table tennis in Ireland National Coach John Murphy stated: ”I think a big reason for this success is firstly the huge commitment Owen has given over the years but also the close network between club province and the National set-up. The way all of these have engaged and worked together has been crucial in his development. It’s a fantastic example for other young players in Ireland. To be honest from my perspective it’s (this result) not a massive surprise. I say this because we know how hard we have worked over the years. This is a just reward for the countless hours dedicated by Owen his family and coaches in Ireland” By Table Tennis Ireland
