One of TTCLM Round 4 games will be held between Angers and Saarbrucken (November 27th 19:30 CET) Two semi-finalists of TTCLM in the last four seasons will meet in France in the game which could predestine their final position in the Group A: Vaillante Sports Angers – FC Saarbrucken (November 27th 19:30 CET Round 4). In the opening round French club won 3:2 in Germany thanks to excellent play of Jon PERSSON who beat two individual bronze medalists on European Championships in the last four years Bojan TOKIC and Tiago APOLONIA. After three rounds both sides have the same 1-2 score. “In the first match Angers made an exploit to win 3:2 in Saarbrucken. Upcoming match is very important for the two teams because in case of victory it is quite sure to continue in ETTU Cup from the third place” stated Angers President Gerard SARAZIN. Angers has 2-3 score in the domestic Pro A League while Saarbrucken suffered its very first defeat in the recent Round 8 of Bundesliga. Coach of German club Slobodan GRUJIC stressed that his team targets TTCLM quarter-final hence they need victory this Friday: “This is the crucial match for us thus we have to give our best to win. We are fully prepared and we believe that we are able to achieve that.”
Hugo Calderano Mima Ito and Jang Woojin contends for the 2015 Breakthrough Star
ITTF Announces Breakthrough Star & Star Coach Nominations For 2015 ITTF Star Awards The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has announced the nominees for the 2015 Breakthrough Star & 2015 Star Coach awards for the 2015 ITTF Star Awards that will be held on 9 December 2015 in Lisbon Portugal. The 2015 ITTF Star Awards will be the third edition of the ITTF’s year-ending extravaganza to celebrate the achievements of athletes and coaches in 2015 this time in Lisbon’s emblematic city landmark ofPátio da Galé. A new addition to the Star Awards the “Breakthrough Star” award will show recognition to the rising stars in the sport and celebrate their spectacular performance on the international stage. Nominees in the running for the 2015 Breakthrough Star & Star Coach are: Breakthrough Star presented by TMS International: Hugo CALDERANO (BRA) – Became the 2015 Pan American Champion at just 19 years of age to book his place at the Rio 2016 Olympic games. Calderano is the leader of a fantastic new generation of Latin American players. Mima ITO (JPN) – Won two World Tour titles made the World Championships quarter finals and has made it to the Japanese team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at just 14 years of age. JANG Woojin (KOR) – Impressive results at the 2015 Asian Championships and has risen rapidly in the World Ranking in 2015. Progressing well since he became the Junior World Champion in 2013. Nomination Video: https://youtu.be/EeeaOuraWmk Star Coach presented by Butterfly: Viorel FILIMON (Romanian National Coach) – Guided Elizabeta Samara from a mini cadet to become the 2015 European Champion coaching her every step of the way. LIU Guoliang (Chinese National Coach) – Oversaw China win every possible major title in 2015 as well being responsible for bringing the new batch of young Chinese table tennis players through the system. QIAN Qianli (Austria National Coach) – In his first act as Austria’s National coach he guided the Men’s team to become the European Team Champions for the first time in history in 2015 as well as having 3 Austrian players in the European Championships men’s doubles final. Nomination Video: https://youtu.be/Z5MeG36-Nv0 Fans are now able to vote for their Male & Female Star players as well as for the Star Point of the year on ITTFStarAwards.com! Voting closes on 25 November 2015. The winners of the 2015 Male & Female Table Tennis Star will based on 50% on fans’ votes and 50% on results from the expert panel judging made up of their peers and media experts while the Star Point will be fully based onfans’ choice. The remaining awards (Star Coach Breakthrough Star Male & Female Para Table Tennis Star and the Fair Play Star) will be dependent on expert judging.
CTT Balageur Villart Logistic by narrow margin
Women’s ETTU Cup The closest match in the Third round of the Women’s ETTU Cup was played in Ankara. After full five matches CTT Balaguer Villart Logistic earned his place in the next round. Zoya NOVIKAVA gave hosts dream start but WANG Tingting was not in the mood for charity today. She overcame Cristina HIRICI to level the score and also add another point to the score board after Fulya YILDRIM gave her team a hope at 2:1. Unlike the match in Turkey the one between Tecnigen LINARES – ALCL TT Grand Quevilly finished without great suspense. French side played in fast line at home to secure the straight matches and straight games victory. Budaorsi 2i Sport Club also left GDDCSD Juncal without any chance. In the Fourth Round ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly will meet Budaorsi 2i Sport Club SKST Mart Hodonin will play against Novi Sad CTT Balaguer Villart Logistic will play against AZS UMCS Optima Lublin and GDCGP Madalenavs. TTC Kazan. Tigem Spor Kulubu – CTT Balaguer Villart Logistic 2:3 Zoya NOVIKOVA – WANG Yanlan Li 3:2 (8:11 11:7 12:10 7:11 12:10) Cristina HIRICI – WANG Tingting 0:3 (5:11 6:11 4:11) Fulya YILDRIM – Anna BISCCARRI 3:0 (11:5 11:5 11:4) Zoya NOVIKOVA – WANG Tingting 1:3 (9:11 3:11 16:14 3:11) Cristina HIRICI – WANG Yanlan 1:3 (5:11 6:11 11:7 8:11) Tecnigen LINARES – ALCL TT Grand Quevilly 0:3 Melinda CIURCUI – TIAN Yuan 0:3 (7:11 5:11 6:11) Gloria PANADERO – Shiho ONO 0:3 (5:11 7:11 6:11) Marta PAJARES – Stephanie LOEUILLETTE 0:3 (4:11 3:11 4:11) GDDCSD Juncal – Budaorsi 2i Sport Club CHOI Moonyoung – Maria FAZEKAS 0:3 (8:11 9:11 8:11) Anna ROSSIKHINA – Szandra PERGEL 1:3 (3:11 11:5 6:11 4:11) Patricia MACIEL – Timea VARGA 1:3 (4:11 3:11 11:9 5:11)
WEIKERT :We are pleased with the progress in RioCentro
Table Tennis Olympic Test Event Concluded in Rio The Rio 2016 Olympic Table Tennis test event the Aquece Rio Eventos-Teste concluded on 21 November 2015 at the RioCentro in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. The event provided valuable testing opportunities for both the Rio 2016 organizing committee and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to evaluate all aspects of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Table Tennis event which will take place on 6-17 August 2016. Overall the ITTF was pleased with what they saw during the invitational event which took place 18-21 November 2015 as explained by the ITTF President Mr Thomas WEIKERT: “During the past four days my colleagues and I have gone through all aspects of the Olympic Games event with the Rio 2016 team. We are pleased with the progress and the conditions here in RioCentro and we are confident that we will have an amazing Olympic Games next year. We just need to work with our Rio colleagues to improve the lighting and to install proper air-condition for the Games time.” By request of Rio 2016 the Olympic Games will be using a green sports floor for the first time at the Olympic Games. The ITTF Marketing Director Mr Steve DAINTON was positive with the new innovation in the sport which is designed to fit in with the Brazilian national colours: “The new green floor from supplier company Tinsue looked great on TV and worked well with the table colour from San Ei as well as the look of the Games and got positive feedback from the players.” The winner of the men’s singles Paul DRINKHALL (GBR) said: “It was very good for me to come and see the conditions in Rio which were great and I can’t wait for the Games next year!” As will be in Rio 2016 there were four gold medals handed out here at the test event. Paul DRINKHALL (GBR) won the men’s single title and local hero GUI Lin took the women’s singles gold while Brazil finished first in both the men’s and women’s team event.
Kazan and Optima Lublin showed no mercy
Women’s ETTU Cup Two more clubs progressed to the Fourth round of the Women’s ETTU Cup tonight. In Kazan hosts showed no mercy; Polish representatives emerged victoriously in similar style. TTC Kazan overcame the guests from Spain – Cajasur Priego TM in straight matches. In addition Svetlana MOKHNACHEVA Antonina SAVELYEVA and Victoria LEBEDEVA concluded all three matches in straight games. In Poland AZS UMCS Optima Lublin’s Antonina SZYMANSKA was under pressure in the opening match against Elena ABAIMOVA. She was stretched to full distance. After that it was one way track for the hosts. TTC Kazan – Cajasur Priego TM 3:0 Svetlana MOKHNACHEVA – Yolanda ENRIQUEZ 3:0 (11:7 11:8 11:6)Antonina SAVELYEVA – Marija GALONJA 3:0 (11:8 11:4 11:7)Victoria LEBEDEVA – Belen HENARES 3:0 (11:3 11:4 13:11) AZS UMCS Optima Lublin – SKNT Luch Vladimir 3:0 Antonina SZYMANSKA – Elena ABAIMOVA 3:2 (12:10 7:11 11:8 9:11 11:7) LIU Wennen – Svetlana KREKINA 3:1 (11:6 7:11 11:6 11:2)Natalia ALEKSYEYENKO – Irina ERMAKOVA 3:0 (11:8 13:11 11:9)
Novi Sad booked the place among top 8 clubs
Women’s ETTU Club First three matches in the Third Round of the Women’s ETTU Cup concluded in favor of hosts in two occasions. Only Linz LZ easy Therm Linz Froschberg suffered on home soil. In Linz LZ easy Therm Linz Froschberg suffered by the hands of Portugal’s players. Karoline MISCHEK was the only player to score whilst LI Jiao Lila OLIVEIRA and Maria LUIS all gave their contribution to the guest team win. SKST Mart Hodonin showed no mercy in Czech Republic. Renata STRBIKOVA was the instrumental in host’s success. Katerina PENKAVOVA secured the third point for Hodonin whilst Sanem Ezgi SAHIN scored for Istanbul’s club. In Serbia Novi Sad overcame Romania’s ACS Dumbravita. Aneta MAKSUTI proved she is in good shape by beating Andrea ZANFIR and Adina DIACONU. European youth champion also suffered by the hands of Viktoria TRUZINSKI. Women’s ETTU Cup GDCGP Madalena – Linz LZ easy Therm Linz Froschberg 3:1 LI Jiao – Sophie KELLER MANN 3:0 (11:4 11:5 11:4). Maria LUIS – Karoline MISCHEK 0:3 (3:11 3:11 4:11)Lila OLIVEIRA – Kristyna STEFCOVA 3:0 (11:7 11:5 11:8)LI Jiao – Karoline MISCHEK 3:1 (11:5 6:11 11:9 11:4) SKST Mart Hodonin – Istanbul BBSK 3:1 Renata STRBIKOVA – Wang MENG LI 3:0 (12:10 11:7 12:10)Katerina PENKAVOVA – Kubra TAN 3:0 (12:10 11:8 11:5)Lenka HARABASZOVA – Sanem Ezgi SAHIN 0:3 (4:11 8:11 7:11)Renata STRBIKOVA – Kubra TAN 3:0 (11:4 11:3 11:8) Novi Sad – ACS Dumbravita 3:1 Aneta MAKSUTI – Andrea ZANFIR 3:2 (13:15 11:8 12:14 11:8 11:6)Viktoria TRUZINSKI – Adina DIACONU 3:1 (11:6 11:8 8:11 11:4)Anna Zsófia FENYVESI – Mihaela DUSPINA 2:3 (11:6 6:11 11:7 10:12 9:11)Aneta MAKSUTI – Adina DIACONU 3:1 (10:12 11:9 11:6 11:8)
France Spain and Sweden secures quarters
Men’s ETTU Cup Stella Sport La Romagne DKV Borges Vall Halmstads BTK and Istres Tennis de Table secured their place in the quarterfinal of the Men’s ETTU Cup. In mid January next year they will meet the clubs finishing on third positions in their respective Groups in the Table Tennis Champions league Men. In France Stella Sport La Romagne withstood the spirited start of the team from Belgium. At the opening Jean-Michael SAIVE overcame Romania’s Adrian CRISAN to secure first point to guests but in the proceedings CHEN Tian Yuan took the match under control. He beat both SAVE and Ludovic BIERNY. Abdel-Kader SALIFOU joined him on the scoreboard with the victory over Christophe GERARD. Led by Mattias KARLSSON Halmstads BTK brought the points home from Caen. KARLSSON beat Jakub KLEPRLIK and Romain LORENTZ in decisive match whilst Harald ANDERSSON joined him with the victory over LORENTZ. Only in Denmark the match went full distance. DKV Borges Vall was stretched to five matches but at the end the points went to Spain. Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 was forced from the beginning to run after the Spanish club. Michael MAZE overcame Marc DURAN to help his team but it was not enough GUI Chengkai was man in form tonight. Stella Sport La Romagne – Logis Auderghem 3:1 Adrian CRISAN – Jean-Michael SAIVE 1:3 (4:11 9:11 11:8 5:11)CHEN Tian Yuan – Ludovic BIERNY 3:1 (11:5 10:12 11:8 11:8)Abdel-Kader SALIFOU – Christophe GERARD 3:1 (11:7 8:11 11:3 11:4)CHEN Tian Yuan – Jean-Michael SAIVE 3:2 (11:7 11:5 9:11 4:11 11:2) Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 -DKV Borges Vall 2:3 ZHAI Yujia – GUI Chengkai 2:3 (11:9 4:11 11:7 9:11 10:12)Michael MAZE – Marc DURAN 3:2 (10:12 7:11 11:3 11:9 12:10)Claus NIELSEN – Oriol MONZO 1:3 (9:11 11:7 8:11 10:12)ZHAI Yujia- Marc DURAN 3:1 (11:13 12:10 11:4 11:5)Michael MAZE – GUI Chengkai 1:3 (6:11 11:9 8:11 5:11) Caen TTC -Halmstads BTK 1:3 Romain LORENTZ – Harald ANDERSSON 0:3 (8:11 8:11 3:11)Jakub KLEPRLIK – Mattias KARLSSON 2:3 (8:11 11:7 7:11 11:6 9:11)Marcos MADRID – Fabian AKERSTROM 3:2 (7:11 11:9 10:12 11:3 12:10)Romain LORENTZ – Mattias KARLSSON 1:3 (3:11 5:11 11:6 5:11)
Russia to host 2019 European Games if they address doping scandal
By Duncan Mackay at the InterContinental in Prague Russia will host the 2019 European Games providing they address the serious doping problems which has led to them being banned it was announced here today. The Games are expected to be shared between Sochi host of last year’s Winter Olympics and Paralympics and Kazan which staged the 2013 Summer Universiade. They will follow the first-ever edition held in Baku earlier this year. An official announcement had been due to be made by European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Patrick Hickey here today until the publication last week of the report from the World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Commission which found evidence of state-supported doping. That led to the suspension of the All-Russia Athletics Federation by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) putting their participation at Rio 2016 in jeopardy. The scandal appears only to have temporarily halted Russia however being chosen to host an event which it was claimed here today was watched by a total of 1.7 million people in 145 countries during Baku 2015. Complete article you can see here
Timo BOLL returns soon
Left knee injury forced German star to withdraw from the 2015 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships two months ago Speaking for TTBL (ttbl.de) Borussia Coach Danny HEISTER announced possible return of Timo BOLL next Friday in the TTCLM Round 4 against Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (November 27th in Poland). Dusseldorf side was faced with several injuries since the start of the season but Timo BOLL absence has appeared as the main problem for the team which plays very important Bundesliga match today at Bergneustadt (19:00). Asked about actual medical report HEISTER stated: “This is still an open question. Patrick FRANZISKA has started again with the training this week as well as Panagiotis GIONIS who just returned from Greece. Kamal ACHANTA is still on track while Timo BOLL is not yet planned for this Friday”. Left knee injury kept Timo BOLL out of the 2015 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships. Doctors suggested him that he should undergo surgery as he announced via his Facebook page those days. He had a surgery two months ago and returned to the trainings two weeks ago. “There is a possibility that he could join us in the Champions League next Friday when we play against Bogoria. He is not ready for long workouts although the things are improving day by day.”
Paul DRINKHALL tests Rio 2016
Great Britain’s player will be only non-South American at Aquece Rio International Tournament which starts today Table Tennis Test Event – 2015 Aquece Rio International Tournament (November 18-21st) – starts today at the host city of 31st Olympic Games as Great Britain’s top ranked player Paul DRINKHALL emerges as only non-South American in the action. Englishman arrived at Rio on Monday just a couple days after GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open. He is the top seed among 44 participants. World no. 57 and Commonwealth Games winner praised organizers sharing some photos and comments via his Facebook page but also speaking for the 2016 Rio Olympics website (www.rio2016.com). „I’m very happy to be here I’m here to play a tournament and it doesn’t matter who else is here I’m just trying to win. My goal is to qualify for Rio next year so it’s great to come here and experience what the city is like” stressed Paul DRINKHALL who will be free in the first two rounds today at Riocentro Exhibition and Convention Center.
