Daniel HABESOHN had to withdraw, Due to a serious influenza Austria’s player Daniel HABESOHN had to withdraw from the PERFECT 2016 World Team TT Championships to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (28 February – 6 March 2016). HABESOHN will be replaced by a well-known personality: Werner SCHLAGER, World Singles Champion 2003, will be the new name on the list of Austrian players in Kuala Lumpur. As a consequence of his fine performance at the recent Energis Masters Cup in Saarlouis, where he defeated, among others, the current European Championsh Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, he was nominated by the Austrian national coach QIAN Qianli. photo by Austrian TT Association
Title for Joe SEYFRIED in Metz
2016 French Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Premium Junior Circuit, At the 2016 French Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Premium Junior Circuit in Metz, 17 years old Joe SEYFRIED was a host nation star player today. Young Frenchman clinched the title in the Junior Boys’ Singles Event. In the final, seeded no. six overcame LAI Chi-Chien of Taipei, player who occupies the seceding position no. 20 1:4 ( 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 2-11, 2-11). However, newly crowned champion faced the strongest challenger in the semi final of the event. At the penultimate hurdle he overcame Takuto IZUMO of Japan, no. two seed 4:2 (11-4,11-6,10-12,12-10,7-11,11-9). No. one seed Tomas POLANSKI of Czech Republic, surprisingly concluded his journey in Singles in the Round of 16, but in Doubles Event, in combination with LAI Chi-Chien of Taipei, reached the final. At the final hurdle Maksim KISELEV and Nikita YARUSHIN of Russia halted their progress to clinch the title 2:3 (6-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9, 13-15). In the semis POLANSKI and LAI Chi-Chien beat Takuto IZUMO and Yuki MATSUYAMA of Japan 1:3 (9-11,11-5,7-11,7-11), whilst KISELEV and YARUSHIN succeeded against German pairings Tobias HIPPLER and Nils HOHMEIER 3:0 (11-9,11-5,11-4). In the final of the Junior Girls’ Singles Event seeded no. four Yuko KATO of Japan beat Daria CHERNORAY of Russia seeded number 14 in straight games (6-11, 9-11, 4-11, 6-11). Previously, in the semi final, Daria beat her teammate Kristina KAZANTSEVA in full distance duel 3:4 (11-8, 3-11,10-12, 11-3, 12-10, 8-11, 8-11). KAZANTSEVA seeded no. 11, beat top seed Kana TAKEUCHI of Japan in the Round of 16 to create big upset – 3:4 (14-16,11-5,11-8,12-10,12-14,14-16,6-11). In second semi final duel in another clash between the representatives from the same country Yuko overcame Miyu NAGASAKI in the match which also went full distance (8-11,11-5,6-11,9-11,11-9,12-10,11-8). In the Junior Girls’ Doubles Event LIU Qi and MAK Tze Wing of Hong Kong beat Daria CHERNORAY and Maria MALANINA of Russia 3:1 (11-8,11-8,10-12,12-10). In semis LIU Qi and MAK Tze Wing overcame Germany’s Julia KAIM and Lotta ROSE 3:0 (11-4, 11-2, 11-8), Russia’s pairings overcame their compatriots Elizabet ABRAAMIAN and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA 0:3 (3-11,8-11,9-11).
Segun Toriola Qualifies for 7th Olympic Games
Toriola, the most successful African table tennis player has made more history, Nigeria’s Segun TORIOLA has made history by qualifying for his seventh Olympic Games at the ITTF-African Rio 2016 Qualification event held today in Khartoum, Sudan. TORIOLA’s appearance at Rio 2016 will be the most by an African in any sport, writing himself into African sporting history. After achieving the amazing feat, the four time All-African Games champion, who made his Olympic debut back at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games stated: “I am very excited about this achievement, I never thought I could be playing a seventh Olympic Games in my career. I am honoured that I made history as the African to achieve this feat.” “It was a little difficult for me because I played under a lot of pressure, I was the favourite for this tournament, and I had to be cautious in my games as most of the players wanted to beat me. I ensured I was not too confident in all my matches and play them carefully.” “I am glad that I made it and I hope now to focus on the preparation for Rio, which is very vital for me!” With the 41-year-old’s 11-7, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 win over Mawussi AGBETOGLO (TOG), TORIOLA joins table tennis legends Jean-Michel SAIVE (BEL), Jorgen PERSSON (SWE) & Zoran PRIMORAC (CRO) in an elite group of players who have played at seven Olympic Games. PERSSON welcomes TORIOLA into the exclusive ‘7 Club’ with open arms: “This is simply an amazing achievement. He is a talented player and deserves all the accolades he gets. I am very happy to welcome him into the ‘7 Club’.” Check out the rest of the Rio 2016 qualifiers from Africa here: http://bit.ly/24bCgtP. Learn all about the table tennis qualification procedure for Rio 2016:http://bit.ly/1Wtet2H.
Czech workouts in Schwechat and Dusseldorf
National teams of Czech Republic will depart for Kuala Lumpur on February 24th to play on Perfect 2016 World Table Tennis Championships, Both national teams of Czech Republic are in their final preparations for the Perfect 2016 World Table Tennis Championships in Kuala Lumpur. They organized their training camps abroad, Men’s at the Werner Schlager Academy in Schwechat, Austria, and Women’s in the Table Tennis Center of German national team in Dusselrorf. Men`s Coach Jindrich PANSKY has invited Dmitrij PROKOPCOV, Tomas KONECNY, Lubomir JANCARIK and Pavel SIRUCEK, while his colleague from women`s national team Paul KRPEC currently has Iveta VACENOVSKA, Hana MATELOVA and Dana CZECHOVA. Renata STRBIKOVA will join them after weekend matches at Czech National League. Training camps will be closed on Friday, February 19th. Both teams will depart for Kuala Lumpur from Vienna, on February 24th.
LIU Jia und Stefan FEGERL secured LIEBHERR AUSTRIA Top 12 titles
, In the hall Vogelweide in Wels at the LIEBHERR AUSTRIA Top 12 LIU Jia und Stefan FEGERL confirmed their supremacy. Last weekend they clinched their titles in impressive style. On her way to the gold, last year’s champion, LIU Jia lost only one game. It was in the final against Amelie SOLJA. Until the ultimate round, SOLJA also recorded all straight games victories. Third place went to LI Qiangbing who beat Jessica ZLATILOVA in duel for the third place. Stefan FEGERL played against CHEN Weixing in the final. FEGERL bat Christoph SIMONER in the semis whilst CHEN Weixing beat Robert GARDOS. FEGERL regained the title clinched in 2012.
MESHREF and ARUNA are on their way to the ITTF World Cup’s.
ITTF-Africa Top 16 Cup, Nigeria’s Quadri ARUNA and Egypt’s Dina MESHREF will represent Africa at the 2016 ITTF World Cups after the duo emerged champions at the ITTF-Africa Top 16 Cup in Khartoum, Sudan. Throughout the event, ARUNA showed the form that catapulted him to becoming the 2014 ITTF Male Table Tennis Star. The second seeded Nigerian accounted for Egypt’s Omar ASSAR, the top seed: 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 in the final. The victory was sweet revenge for ARUNA, who lost to ASSAR 12 months ago to miss out on the priceless ITTF World Cup qualification position and has lost the last four encounters against the African number one. After lifting the trophy, the 27-year-old stated: “I felt so good after the quarter-final; it was 50:50 against Omar, my forehand was the key to winning. I lost the first game, if I had lost the second, I would have lost the match.” ARUNA now gets a chance to beat his career best performance of a Men’s World Cup quarterfinal, which he achieved in 2014. Commenting on returning to the World Cup stage, ARUNA said: “Everybody knows me now and wants to beat me. It will be even harder to achieve my goal.” Dina MESHREF once again proved herself to be the queen of African Table Tennis, as she strolled to her third consecutive ITTF-Africa Top 16 title. The top seeded MESHREF was too good for Nigeria’s Offiong EDEM, the number four seed, in the final, prevailing 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 to book a third straight appearance at the ITTF Women’s World Cup. “I am very happy to win the cup again, it’s very special for me. It also means I will participate in the Women’s World Cup this year, and each year I am getting better results in that competition”, explained MESHREF. “Today the toughest match was against Offiong EDEM, she is a very strong player! Against HAN Xing, the service was the key, in that area I played better than before.” The ITTF World Cups are the second most prestigious events on the international table tennis calendar, with only 20 of the top table tennis players qualifying through their respective Continental Cups. The Liebherr 2016 Men’s World Cup will be held 1-3 October 2016 in Saarbrucken, Germany and the 2016 ITTF Women’s World Cup on 7-9 October in a location to be announced. Players who have already secured their places at the ITTF World Cups along with Quadri ARUNA & Dina MESHREF are Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER), SHEN Yanfei, Joao MONTEIRO (POR), Alexander SHIBAEV (RUS), HU Melek (TUR) and LIU Jia (AUT) who qualified at the recent ITTF-Europe Top 16.
Perfect 20-0 score of TTC Berlin Eastside
German club stays unbeaten in all competitions in the 2015/16 season, TTC Berlin Eastside improved its 2015/16 score to 20-0 after the 10th round of Women`s Bundesliga, against Leutzscher Fuchse two days ago. Irina PALINA`s side now has 10-0 (60:11) in domestic league, 4-0 (12:3) in German Cup (they lifted the trophy five weeks ago) and 6-0 (18:3) in ECLW. SHAN Xiaona, Petrissa SOLJA and Georgina POTA will play next month in the ECLW semi-final against Linz AG Froschberg, fighting for their third ECLW title. “Of course we would like to reach the finals and compete for the championship. But despite the fact that we are seeding on first number, I think all of the semi-final teams have an equal chance of winning. The 2015/2016 Champions League with 12 teams became more interesting and unpredictable than the previous ones. Matches between Linz and Metz of course are the big surprise and shows how it is important to one point! I do not remember, that is encountered in the history of ETTU Cup or Champions League”, stated Coach Irina PALINA who contributed with two points in the 6:0 victory against Leutzscher. Berlin reached seven titles in the last four years: two Bundesliga (2014, 2015), three German Cup (2014, 2015, 2016) and two ECLW (2012, 2014). Speaking about possibility to repeat triple crown from 2013/14 season, PALINA stressed that “this time will little bit difficult, because tournament schedule is a bit stretched in this season”.
Jonathan THIMION – surprise finalist in Hodonin
Czech Junior and Cadet Open, Japan clinched the titles in both the Cadet Boys’ Singles and Cadet Girls’ Singles events at the 2015 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin. Top seeds, Yu KAYAMA and Miyu NAGASAKI emerged as the champions. Yu Kayama overcame surprise finalist Sweden’s Jonathan THIMION, the no.23 seed, in the title deciding contest (11-4, 12-14, 11-9, 11-2), having in the latter rounds accounted for the host nation’s Czech VALENTA, the no.10 seed, at the quarter-final stage (11-5, 6-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6). Jonathan THIMION in partnership with colleague, Karl HAST experienced the same fate in the Cadet Boys’ Doubles competition. The Swedes were beaten in three straight games at the final hurdle by the combination of Patrik JUHASZ and Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (11-7, 11-5, 11-9). Miyu NAGASAKI beat Korea’s SHIN Yubin, the no.4 seed in the final of the Cadets’ Girls event (11-9, 11-3, 11-4), having in the later stages defeated Hungary’s Marta NAGYPAL in the quarter-final round (11-8, 11-3, 11-8) and Romania’s Tania PLAIAN, the no.3 seed, at the penultimate stage (11-7, 11-4, 11-8). Shin YUBIN after overcoming Hungary’s Anita DRABANT at the quarter-final stage (13-11, 11-9, 11-7) upset the order of merit by beating the Czech Republic’s Zdena Blaskova, the no.2 seed (9-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-7). Defeat at the hands of Shin Yubin, in the Cadet Girls’ Doubles event, it was defeat in partnership with the Korean for Zdena BLASKOVA. At the final hurdle, they were beaten by the Polish combination of Anna WEGRZYN and Katarzyna WEGRZYN by the very narrowest of margins in a full distance five games duel (5-11, 7-11, 14-12, 11-6, 14-12).
Titles for Romani and France
2016 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin, Cristian PLETEA remained unbeaten to guide Romania, the top seeds, to the title at the Junior Boys Teams Event at the 2016 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin. Marie MIGOT also had her moments of glory, after she led France to the top place at the medal rostrum. In the final Romania beat the second seeds – Japan. In the opening contest in the final, PLETEA beat Yukiya UDA (2-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4), the winner two days earlier of the Junior Boys’ Singles title, before in the fourth match of the fixture he beat Koyo KANAMITSU in five game (11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8). Alexandru MANOLE defeated Yu KAYAMA (9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-3); for Japan, the one success came courtesy of Koyo KANAMITSU. In the second match he overcame Rares SIPOS (6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8). At the quarter-final stage, the Romanians accounted for the sixth seeded Slovenian outfit formed by Peter HRIBAR, Darko JORGIC and Erik PAULIN. Against the third seeded Russian trio of Maksim KISELEV, Artur ABUSEV and Nikita YARUSHIN it was a three matches to one success for Romania. At the quarter-final stage in the match Japan against Poland ‘A’, the no.17 seeds put favorites under pressure. Kamil NALEPA, Tomasz KOTOWSKI and Marco GALLO rose to the challenge to stretch the eventual silver medallists the full distance in a contest were only one match did not require a deciding game. Tense times in the round of the last eight for Japan; at the semi-final stage less exacting; they beat the fourth seeded Czech Republic’s Jiri MARTINKO, Tomas POLANSKY and Patrik KLOS by three match to nil. Marie MIGOT lost her duel in the final of the Junior Girls’ Singles event; she had been beaten in the final in a full seven games contest by Japan’s Kana TAKEUCHI, but two days later, in the final of the Junior Girls’ Team event she extracted revenge. She beat Kana TAKEUCHI in three straight games (13-11, 11-7, 14-12) to set France, the no.3 seeds, en route to a three matches to nil victory over Japan, the no.2 seeds. Success for MIGOT was followed by success for Oceane GUISNEL in opposition to Miyu NAGASAKI (11-3, 12-10, 11-4). Leili MOSTAFAVI concluded matters by overcoming Yuko KATO (9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8). At the semi-final stage, the Japanese trio had recovered from a two matches to nil deficit to beat Romania, the top seeds. Earlier at the quarter-final stage of proceedings, Japan had beaten the outfit formed by Thailand’s Jinnipa SAWETTABUT who joined forces with Sweden’s Ellen HOLMSTEN and Erika FRONT, the no.6 seeds, by three matches to nil. France with Marie MIGOT, Oceane GUISNEL and Leili MOSTAFAVI on duty had accounted the Croatia trio of Klara CAKOL, Andrea PAVLOVIC and Ema MARN by three matches to one to reserve their place in the penultimate round where they continued in a similar vein.No changes to the line-up, a three-one success was posted against the fourth seeded Serbian outfit comprising Dragana VIGNJEVIC, Izabela LUPULESKU and Tijana JOKIC. In the Cadet Boys’ Teams event Hungarian A team beat Hungary B in straight matches. Patrik JUHASZ and Csaba ANDRAS overcame Norbert TEREK and Oliver BOTH. Combination of Korea’s SHIN Yubin and Romania’s Luiza POPESCU overcame Slovenia’s Lea PAULIN and Katarina STRAZAR in the final of the Girls Event 3:1.
Silver for JORGIC and MIGOT in singles
2016 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin, Japan’s Kana TAKEUCHI and Yukiya UDA clinched the titles in their respective Girls’ and Boys’ Singles Event at the 2016 Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin. In the final of the Boy’s Event ,UDA beat Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC. Occupying the no.4 seeded position in the draw, UDA overcame the top seeded Slovenian in six games (7-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7) to secure the first ITTF Junior Circuit Boys’ Singles title of his career. At the quarter-final stage he beat Austria’s Andreas LEVENKO, the no.6 seed (11-3, 13-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7), before ousting Aliaksandr KHANIN of Belarus, the no.5 seed (18-16, 6-11, 11-4, 1-11, 11-3, 11-9) to reserve his place in the final. Darko JORGIC accounted for Poland’s Tomasz KOTOWSKI, a player who had been required to negotiate the qualification stages (11-7, 3-11, 11-1, 12-10, 6-11, 11-6), prior to reserving his place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Russia’s Nikita YARUSHIN, the no.13 seed (11-6, 11-2, 11-8, 12-10). Darko JORGIC won the silver medal in the Boys’ Doubles competition. Partnering the host nation’s Tomas POLANSKY and occupying the top seeded position in the event, they experienced a four games defeat in the final, losing to the combination of Austria’s Andreas LEVENKO and Romania’s Cristian PLETEA, the no.2 seeds (11-8, 13-11, 5-11, 13-11). Earlier at the semi-final stage, LEVENKO and PLETEA had beaten Japan’s Takeru KASHIWA and Yu KAYAMA, the no.10 seeds, (4-11, 11-5, 13-11, 6-11, 12-10); whilst rather more comfortably JORGIC and POLANSKY had overcame the Romanian partnership of Alexandru MANOLE and Rares SIPOS (11-7, 12-10, 11-6). The no.5 seed Japan’s Kana TAKEUCHI beat Marie MIGOT of France, the no.4 seed in the final, to win the Junior Girls’ Singles event at the 2016 Czech Junior and Cadet Open. It was a hard fought victory, the 16 year old needed the full seven games to secure success (13-15, 11-4, 14-12, 10-12, 5-11, 11-5, 11-2). Earlier, at the quarter-final stage, Kana TAKEUCHI overcame Audrey ZARIF, the no.3 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-2, 15-13), prior to causing an even bigger upset by overcoming Romania’s Adina DIACONU, the top seed, in the penultimate round (11-7, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6). Marie MIGOT at the quarter-final and semi-final stages needed six games to secure success. In the round of the last eight she beat Serbia’s Izabela LUPULESKU, the no.13 seed (5-11, 11-3, 8-11, 11-7, 16-14, 11-9), before reserving her place in the final courtesy of success against Yuko KATO, like Kana TAKEUCHI from Japan and the no.7 seed (11-3, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4, 10-12, 12-10). Notably, Yuko Kato was a player in form; in the quarter-final round, she had ousted Romania’s Andreea DRAGOMAN, the no.2 seed, by the very closest of margins in a seven games thriller (8-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 9-11, 15-13, 11-9). Silver for Marie MIGOT in the Junior Girls’ Singles event, earlier in the day in the Junior Girls’ Doubles competition it had been gold. Partnering compatriot Oceane GUISNEL (the no.3 seeds), the top step of the podium was secured at the final expense of Serbia’s Tijana JOKIC and Dragana VIGNJEVIC the no.14 seed. At the semi-final stage MIGOT and GUISNEL overcame Romania’s Adina DIACONU and Andreea DRAGOMAN, the top seeds. Tijana JOKIC and Dragana VIGNJEVIC in the second round accounted for the French partnership of Leili MOSTAFAVI and Audrey ZARIF, the no.2 seeds (11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9), before overcoming Romania’s Andreea CLAPA and Mihaela PLAESU, the no.6 seeds (11-4, 5-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6) to reserve their place in the penultimate round.In the semis they overcame Croatia’s Ema MARN and Andrea PAVLOVIC, the no.8 seeds (7-11, 12-10, 14-12, 5-11, 11-8) to reserve their place in the final.
