Finlandia Open – played on the 3rd- 6th of December in Kisakallio Sports Institute in Lohja – is going to be super popular. There’s no fewer than 40 countries. In Men´s singles due to a special competition system the number of the players is limited to 128 and the list is already completed. Waiting list too has a dozen or so players. In Women’s singles there are more than 80 players.   In singles the so-called progressive knock-out system guarantees a lot of matches. The participants are playing for every position. The competition however is starting with the team competition.   – The number of the matches and excellent Sports Institute conditions has made the competition very popular all over Europe. Coaches like our competition and our tournament has priority when they make their choices. Finland is very high on the list for all the future players of the national teams to acquire experience said vice-president Sonja GREFBERG from FTTA.   Benedek Olah the best player of Finland at the moment has already reached world ranking position 151 and is probably going to be top-seeded in the competition. For him Finlandia Open will very important: Olah is fighting for his way to Rio de Jainero Olympic Games next summer. A home wins would straighten this way greatly.   By Esko HEIKKINEN

Kristian KARLSSON was beaten by the top seed player in the semi-final of GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open (Major) at Stockholm   The final day of GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open at Stockholm brought second consecutive title to new world`s no. 2 and second seed FAN Zhendong from China who overcame top seeded compatriot XU Xin in six games. XU who beat host player Kristian KARLSSON in the semi-final of the proceedings won opening game 11:1 in the final clash taking two out of first three sets but FAN confirmed that he likes to play in this event (it was his third final in a row here).   It was successful tournament for host country as Sweden had two players in quarter-final of Men`s Singles Event: Jens LUNDQVIST (he defeated reigning Olympic champion ZHANG Jike in the Round of 16) was beaten in the next stage by his compatriot Kristian KARLSSON who had no power to extend Swedish dreams against XU. Chinese won in straight games (11-5 11-4 11-3 11-8).   MU Zi is a surprising winner of Women`s Singles Event. The no. 26 seed defeated her compatriot no. 3 seed ZHU Yuling playing all seven games (11-8 9-11 11-9 11-8 4-11 5-11 11-3). MU also won Women`s Doubles playing alongside CHEN Meng. The best Men`s pair consist FANG Bo and XU Xin who prevailed against FAN Zhendong and ZHANG Jike in the all-Chinese final .

GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm   Swede Kristian KARLSSON will play in the semi final of the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm. In the quarterfinal the no.30 seed beat his compatriot Jens LUNDQVIST who caused the major upset only one round earlier. KARLSSON prevailed in straight games (12-10 11-6 11-6 11-3).   Previously against the odds required to compete in the qualification stage of proceedings Jens LUNDQVIST beat China’s ZHANG Jike former World champion reigning Olympic Games champion and the third seed to reserve his place in the quarter-finals. LUNDQVIST with some 1 500 fans on their feet beat ZHANG Jike in six games (11-6 5-11 11-9 11-3 5-11 12-10). Kristian KARLSSON beat Canadian qualifier Eugene Wang in six games (11-6 5-11 11-9 11-3 5-11 12-10).   There was also success for colleague Anton KÄLLBERG but it was defeat for Pär GERELL. Anton KÄLLBERG beat fellow qualifier Russia’s Vasiliy LAKEEV (11-6 11-9 11-9 11-4) the match concluding prior to the defeat of Pär GERELL the no.15 seed at the hands of China’s LIANG Jinkun the no.24 seed (11-5 11-6 11-13 11-9 5-11 11-3). In the quarterfinal KALLBERG lost his encounter against FAN Zhendong of China.   Frenchman Tristan FLORE and Japan’s Yui HAMAMOTO won the respective Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles titles in Stockholm. It was for FLORE his second such career title having won in Qatar in 2014; for Yui HAMAMOTO it was her third. She emerged successful in the Czech Republic in 2013 and early this year in Hungary.   In the final FLORE the no.11 seed accounted for Croatia’s Filip ZELJKO a player had been required to negotiate the preliminary stages and was not seeded (11-7 11-9 5-11 11-6). In the semi final FLORE beat Hong Kong’s HO Kwan Kit the top seed by the narrowest of five game margins (9-11 6-11. 11-7 11-4 15-13).In the counterpart semi-final Filip ZELJKO had beaten Sweden’s Elias RANEFUR the no.15 seed (11-8 12-10 9-11 8-11 11-6).   Yui HAMAMOTO duly clinched the title by overcoming Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS the no.10 seed at the final hurdle (11-8 11-5 6-11 11-9); the Romanian in the counterpart semi-final having overcome Singapore’s ZHOU Yihan the no.2 seed (6-11 9-11 11-5 11-4 11-7).  

The list of Qualifiers for Grand Finals   A total of 16 players compete in each of Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals to be staged in Lisbon Portugal from Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th December. In order to qualify a player must have played in a minimum five ITTF World Tour tournaments during the calendar year. Portugal as the host association receives one place. The qualifiers are: Men’s SinglesMA Long (China) XU Xin (China) JUNG Younsik (Korea) FAN Zhendong (China) Maharu YOSHIMURA (Japan) Vladimir SAMSONOV (Belarus) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) ZHANG Jike (China) WONG Chun Ting (Hong Kong) CHUANG Chih-Yuan (Chinese Taipei) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Jun MIZUTANI (Japan) LEE Sangsu (Korea) Koki NIWA (Japan) Yuya OSHIMA (Japan) KIM Donghyun (Korea) Women’s SinglesAi FUKUHARA (Japan) ZHU Yuling (China) Mima ITO (Japan) DING Ning (China) JEON Jihee (Korea) LIU Shiwen (China) HAN Ying (Germany) FENG Tianwei (Singapore) Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) CHEN Meng (China) YANG Haeun (Korea) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) SEO Hyowon (Korea) SHAN Xiaona (Germany) Misako WAKAMIYA (Japan) Host Association (Portugal) Eight pairs compete in each of the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. Each pair must have competed as a partnership in a minimum of four ITTF World Tour tournaments in the calendar year. Portugal as the host association receives one place. The qualifiers are: Men’s DoublesJung Youngsik / Kim Minseok (Korea) Chiang Hung-Chieh / Huang Sheng-Sheng (Chinese Taipei) Jeong Sangeun / Lee Sangsu (Korea) Marcos Freitas / Andrei Gacina (Portugal / Croatia) Tang Peng / Wong Chuin Ting (Hong Kong) Masataka Morizono / Yuya Oshima (Japan) Cho Eonrae / Kim Donghyun (Korea) Host Association (Portugal) Women’s DoublesJeon Jihee / Yang Haeun (Korea) Lin Ye / Zhou Yihan (Singapore) Ding Ning / Zhu Yuling (China) Shan Xiaona / Petrissa Solja (Germany) Jiang Huajun / Tie Yana (Hong Kong) Doo Hoi Kem / Lee Ho Ching (Hong Kong) Miu Hirano / Mima Ito (Japan) Host Association Pair (Portugal)Eight players compete in each of the Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. A player must have played in a minimum four ITTF World Tour tournaments and in two continents during the calendar year. Portugal as the host association receives one place. The qualifiers are: Under 21 Men’s SinglesJIANG Woojin (Korea) ZHAI Yujia (Denmark) Yuya OSHIMA (Japan) KIM Donghyun (Korea) Benjamin BROSSIER (France) Masaki YOSHIDA (Japan) Kohei SAMBE (Japan) Host Association (Portugal) Under 21 Women’s SinglesHitomi SATO (Japan) Yui HAMAMOTO (Japan) DOO Hoi Kem (Hong Kong) LI Ye (Singapore) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) ZENG Jian (Singapore) ZHOU Yihan (Singapore) Host Association (Portugal)

GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open   Success of young European champion Anton KALLBERG of Sweden highlighted the day three at the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm. Against the odds Swede reached the third round of the event.   In seven games in the round of 32 KALLBERG overcame no. 8 seed YAN An of China (13-15 11-8 11-13 11-6 11-6 9-11 9-11). Earlier today Anton KÄLLBERG caused an upset of note by overcoming England’s Liam PITCHFORD the no.26 seed (11-6 11-7 12-10 7-11 11-5).   Jens LUNDQUIST the player who also require qualifications accounted for Denmark’s Michael MAZE (11-13 6-11 12-10 11-8 11-3 9-11 11-7) in the opening round of the main draw. In next one he beat Soumyajit GHOSH of India (6-11 8-11 6-11 11-8 11-4 7-11). Previously GHOSH accounted for Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia the no.10 seed in a seven games thriller (12-10 11-7 8-11 5-11 6-11 11-4 13-11).   Success for Kristian KARLSSON followed. In full seven games he beat Alexander SHIBAEV of Russia the player seeded at the position no. 16 in Stockholm (5-11 11-6 11-8 7-11 11-13 11-9 11-9). In the previous round Swede overcame Japan’s Hiromitsu KASAHARA (11-5 11-9 14-12 9-11 9-11 11-6).   The list of close matches went on with the victory for Benjamin BROSSIER of France. He overcame Yuya OSHIMA of Japan (9-11 11-3 11-7 8-11 8-11 17-15 11-6). BROSSIER succeeded after the great victory over Germany’s Patrick Baum the no.20 seed (11-9 12-10 11-9 9-11 11-9).   Vasily LAKEEV of Russia joined them after the victory over Ryotaro OGATA of Japan in straight games (11-9 11-9 11-5 12-10).   There are only four European players left in the Round of 16 in Women’s Singles Event. Seeded no. 12 Germany’s SHAN Xiaona beat Japan’s Hitomi SATO seeded no. 28 in straight games (10-12 7-11 5-11 9-11) to secure her place in tomorrow’s round. Previously SHAN overcame former European champion Lithuania’s Ruta PASKAUSKIENE.   HAN Ying another ace from Germany seeded no. 9 beat Russia’s Yana NOSKOVA on her way to the Round of 16. She also needed only four games (7-11 6-11 7-11 8-11). LI Qian of Poland succeeded against JEON Jihee of Korea (6-11 5-11 13-11 11-4 8-11 7-11).Portugal’s YU Fu needed two mores against Tetyana BILENKO of Ukraine (10-12 11-4 11-9 12-10 5-11 11-7). Earlier today BILENKO was the player to cause the major upset; she beat Singapore’s FENG Tianwei the no.7 seed in a gruelling full distance seven games contest (6-11 11-7 6-11 11-6 6-11 11-9 11-5).   There were three further seeds in the lower half of the draw who departed; the nation to suffer the most being Sweden. Both Matilda EKHOLM and Linda BERGSTRÖM bid farewell; Matilda EKHOLM the no.31 seed was beaten by Poland’s Natalia PARTYKA (11-9 11-2 11-5 3-11 12-10); Linda BERGSTRÖM suffered at the hands of Japan’s Miyu KATO (11-6 11-9 11-6 11-6). In Round of 64 Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu the no.29 seed was beaten by Russia’s Yana NOSKOVA (11-7 6-11 7-11 11-5 5-11 11-6 11-8).