Round 2 concluded by Group B clash: LINZ AG FROSCHBERG – UCAM Cartagena 3:1 Double ECLW champion LINZ AG FROSCHBERG the winner of 2008/09 and 2012/13 seasons had a successful start of the 2016/17 edition as it beat UCAM Cartagena at home 3:1. It was a good team work of Austrian side and unexpectedly bad performances of Cartagena`s World No. 8 CHENG I-Cheng who lost both her encounters. Spanish team commenced with the win in the clash between two left-handers as World No. 45 Matilda EKHOLM overcame World No. 21 LIU Jia in five games. The 2005 European individual champion LIU didn’t give up after 3:0 lead of EKHOLM in the fifth set but Cartagena`s player decided the game by winning four points in a row (4:4 8:4). Linz`s newcomer from Canada ZHANG Mo (World No. 94) had an impressive debut beating CHENG in straight games. The second set was decisive when host came from 7:9 to 11:9 taking some points after amazing rallies. Sofia POLCANOVA was better than Tetyana BILENKO in the third match thus host side had an advantage before the clash of LIU and CHENG. After first two sets between two leading players the score was leveled but host reached the third one by narrow margin saving one set ball. Crucial moments came in late fourth game when LIU managed to recover after 5:2 lead of CHENG (7:7 10:7). The 2016/17 ECLW Round 2 LINZ AG FROSCHBERG – UCAM Cartagena 3:1 LIU Jia – Matilda EKHOLM 2:3 (11:8 9:11 11:6 9:11 5:11) ZHANG Mo – CHENG I-Ching 3:0 (11:6 11:9 11:2) Sofia POLCANOVA – Tetyana BILENKO 3:1 (11:8 7:11 11:8 11:8) LIU Jia – CHENG I-Ching 3:1 (9:11 11:6 13:11 11:8)
SK Vydrany and SPG Linz exceeded the expectations
Men ETTU Cup The second round of the Men ETTU Cup concluded with few upsets. Slovakia’s SK Vydrany and Austria’s SPG Linz exceeded the expectations and reached the top of their respective Groups. Among six more group winners and clubs finished on second position they will play in next knock out stage scheduled for November 25th. In Group A the outcome was unknown from the very end. CS Mioveni from Romania put the top seeds TTC Kazan with Ramil MUTYUGULLIN Vitali MURZIN and Alexander VINOKUROV on severe test at the very begining. Romania’s representative Rares SIPOS Ionut SENI and Alexandru CAZACU beat the favorites in the opening match but they suffered by the hands of Martin KHATCHANOV Borna KOVAC and Roel BOGIE from Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo in the next one. Kazan beat Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo. All three clubs concluded the round with two wins each CS Mioveni with 8:4 set ratio Kazan 7:5 and Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo 7:7. Less uncertenty has been seen in Group B. Top seeds SF SKK El Nino Praha with Jakub KLEPRLIK David REITSPIES and Ondrej BAJGER secured all three victories. STK Starr Varaždin lost anly one match against the leaders to preserve the Group order. Dario KRALJIC Nikola HORVAT and Ronald REDJEP booked their place in the next round. SK Vydrany with Zoltan LELKES Samuel NOVOTA and Peter MUSKO created the top upset in the Group C. From the last position in the Grpup they progressed to the top of the standings with all three wins. Croatia’s STK Libertas Marinkolor with Roko TOŠIĆ Miho SIMOVIC and Neven JUZBASIC are second. In Group D SPG Linz with Andreas LEVENKO Lubomir PISTEJ and Thomas GRININGER emerged successfuly at the top of the group. They beat the top seeded Cajasur Priego TM with Alejandro CALVO Carlos MACHADO and Jesus MACHADO whilst Knightswood TTC failed to post single victory.
Seven medals for Europeans in Shanghai
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge At the ITTF World Cadet Challenge 2015 Boys’ Team Champion Europe avenged their loss to the Asian team in the team semifinals with Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (AUT) and Vladimir SIDORENKO (RUS) upsetting top seeded pair CHO Daeseong and Yukiya UDA 3-2 (13-11 7-11 11-4 8-11 11-6) in the final of the Doubles Event. The European girls and boys have collected a fantastic number of seven medals in the individual events at WCC in Shanghai. “In the randomly composed mixed doubles Zdena BLASKOVA partnering Sharon ALGUETTI and Carlo ROSSI with Australia’s TOWNSEND made it to the semi-finals and had clinched bronze medals. Both European pairings BLASKOVA KOLISH and PLAJAN WEGRZYN were beaten in semi-finals by the Asian opposition. In boys singles SIDORENKO broke through to the medal positions by taking the 3rd position. It was 2-4 against CHO Daesong of KOR in semis and 3-0 over Panagitgun YANAPONG THA in a match for position nr 3 ” explained Jarek KOLODZIEJCZYK. The success continued with doubles. ” We also have bronze from ROSSI and ANDRAS in doubles after they beat best Chines doubles in the quarterfinal before losing to Asians in semi-final stage. And finally we’ve had our golden moment: KOLODZIEJCZYK SIDORENKO have done it at the end beating UDA of Japan and CHO of Korea 3-2 in the final!” Team Manager Europe KOLODZIEJCZYK did not forget to mention coaches. “Big congratulations for all the players and their coaches! Both those who were present in Shanghai – Ms.Csilla BATORFI and Mr.Marc CLOSSET – and those who work with them at home day by day! Bravo!” The World Cadet Challenge is the international tournament for world’s best under-15 players to fight for the honor of their continents and has long been a budding ground for young talents around the world. Many World Champions such as Grand Slam Champions ZHANG Jike MA Long and DING Ning all started their debut on the international arena at the World Cadet Challenge. Gold medalists: Girls’ Singles: Miyuu KIHARA (JPN) Boys’ Singles: CHO Daeseong (KOR) Girls’ Doubles: HUANG Yingqi (CHN) / RYU Hanna (KOR) Boys’ Doubles: Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (AUT) / Vladimir SIDORENKO (RUS) Mixed Doubles: CHO Daeseong (KOR) / Amy WANG (USA) Overall Standing Champion: Asia
ECLW Round 2: SAMARA secures victory for METZ
Three out of four Round 2 matches were held: TT SAINT QUENTIN – TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE 0:3 SZEKSZARD AC – BURSA BUYUKSEHIR BELEDIYESPOR 3:1 METZ TT – KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg 3:1 Elizabeta SAMARA continued good performances from the recent LEIBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships securing two points for METZ TT against KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg 3:1. Romanian player won two games beating two best Zamek`s players HAN Ying and LI Qian. It could say that the opening clash was crucial bearing in mind that SAMARA managed to defeat the best ranked ECLW participant (HAN is No. 7 on the ITTF World Ranking list). Reigning ECLW champion TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE had an easy job playing away against TT SAINT QUENTIN. German side won 3:0 after good team work of Georgina POTA Petrissa SOLJA and SHAN Xioaona. SOLJA was stretched to full distance by Daniela DODEAN-MONTEIRO in the crucial second match. It was s second Berlin`s win in a row. Recently crowned European individual champion HU Melek took unique point for BURSA BUYUKSEHIR BELEDIYESPOR which lost away to SZEKSZARD AC 3:1. Polina MIKHAILOVA provided two wins for host side and LIN Ye added one more. The 2016/17 ECLW Round 2 GROUP A TT SAINT QUENTIN – TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE 0:3 ZENG Jian – Georgina POTA 1:3 (11:8 8:11 7:11 9:11) Daniela DODEAN-MONTEIRO – Petrissa SOLJA 2:3 (11:8 6:11 9:11 11:8 6:11) Ran LI KATH – SHAN Xiaona 1:3 (5:11 11:9 5:11 11:13) GROUP C SZEKSZARD AC – BURSA BUYUKSEHIR BELEDIYESPOR 3:1 Polina MIKHAILOVA – Simay KULAKCEKEN 3:0 (11:1 15:13 11:6) LIN Ye – Aleksandra PRIVALOVA 3:1 (6:11 11:5 11:4 13:11) Dora MADARASZ – HU Melek 0:3 (9:11 7:11 8:11) Polina MIKHAILOVA – Aleksandra PRIVALOVA 3:1 (11:3 8:11 11:4 11:9) GROUP D METZ TT – KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg 3:1 Elizabeta SAMARA – HAN Ying 3:2 (11:4 1:11 11:8 6:11 11:8) Pauline CHASSELIN – LI Qian 0:3 (3:11 7:11 9:11) YU Fu – Viktoria PAVLOVICH 3:0 (11:3 11:8 11:4) Elizabeta SAMARA – LI Qian 3:1 (11:8 11:8 10:12 11:7)
TTCLM Round 2: Pontoise preserved unbeaten status in Group B
Three more matches of Round 2 held: ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS – KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK 3:1 AS PONTOISE CERGY – UMMC 3:1 BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI – FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS 0:3 Reigning TTCLM champion AS PONTOISE CERGY preserved unbeaten status in the Group B as they overcame 2012 TTCLM runner-up UMMC 3:1. Two more matches were held tonight ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS – KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK 3:1 BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI – FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS 0:3. Marcos FREITAS was a man of the match in the clash between Pontoise and UMMC. Runner-up of the LIEBHERR 2015 ITTF European Championships beat Andrej GACINA and Alexander SHIBAEV respectively will third point came from newcomer in Pontoise`s line-up Mattias KARLSSON who prevailed against Grigory VLASOV. SHIBAEV took unique UMMC`s points beating Tristan FLORE in the second encounter. Actual runner-up of the TTCLM ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS beat KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK 3:1. Like many times before XU Hui contributed with two points in Eslov`s team. Chinese defeated WANG Yang in four games of the opener and concluded the mach by beating Kaii KONISHI in straight sets. Daniel KOSIBA overcame former Eslov`s player Mattias OVERSJO. The 14-year-old Truls MOREGARDH the runner-up of the 2016 European Youth Championships (Cadet Singles Event) became the youngest TTCLM participant ever playing very intense game against KONISHI who won after four games. FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS beat away BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI 3:0. German side stayed unbeaten while Polish team suffered its first defeat. Patrick BAUM did a nice job in the opening clash when he beat GAO Ning in five games. In the next two encounters Patrick FRANZISKA and Tiago APOLONIA overcame Panagiotis GIONIS and Daniel GORAK respectively. The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 GROUP B ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS – KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK 3:1 XU Hui – WANG Yang 3:1 (7:11 11:6 11:4 11:5) Truls MOREGARDH – Kaii KONISHI 1:3 (12:10 9:11 8:11 12:14) Daniel KOSIBA – Mattias OVERSJO 3:0 (11:6 11:5 11:6) XU Hui – Kaii KONISHI 3:0 (11:6 11:2 11:9) AS PONTOISE CERGY – UMMC 3:1 Marcos FREITAS – Andrej GACINA 3:1 (9:11 11:4 11:9 12:10) Tristan FLORE – Alexander SHIBAEV 2:3 (3:11 6:11 11:9 11:5 9:11) Mattias KARLSSON – Grigory VLASOV 3:1 (8:11 11:9 11:9 11:6) Marcos FREITAS – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:0 (11:9 11:6 11:8) GROUP C BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI – FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS 0:3 GAO Ning – Patrick BAUM 2:3 (9:11 11:5 11:2 7:11 5:11) Panagiotis GIONIS – Patrick FRANZISKA 0:3 (10:12 9:11 6:11) Daniel GORAK – Tiago APOLONIA 1:3 (12:14 10:12 11:9 10:12)
Battle for the place in the knock out phase
Second Round ETTU Cup Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup matches will be played this weekend. Men already played one round in this season whilst women will commenced their journey in the Europe’s club competition tomorrow. In Group A in Men’s ETTU Cup Russia’s TTC Kazan will face the challenge coming from Dutch Enjoy & Deploy Taverzo Italian ASD Marcozzi and Romania’s CS Mioveni. In Group B SF SKK El Nino Praha from Czech Republic will meet Spanish Irun Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa Belgium’s TT Vedrinamur and Croatia’s STK Starr Varaždin. In Group C STK Libertas Marinkolor from Croatia will play against Izrael’s Yroni Givatayim Slovakia’s SK Vydrany and Turkish Istanbul BBSK. In Group D are: Spanish Cajasur Priego TM Austria’s SPG Linz Belgium’s TTC Sokah Hoboken and Scotland’d Knightswood TTC. Women will play only one round in the Group phase. In third round scheduled for November 25th two group winners will progress to the knock out stage of the competition. The system is same for the Women’s ETTU Cup. Eight seeds will wait for the two best-ranked clubs in their respective groups. For two places in Group A will play GDCS Juncal from Portugal Tecnigen LINARES from Spain Istanbul BBSK from Turkey and Onisilos Lakatamias from Cyprus. In Group B will meet Portugal’s A.C.D. DE SAO JOAO Italy’s ASD Tennistavolo Norbello Turkish Tigem SC Ankara Luxembourg’s DT DIDDELENG and Spanish Irun Leka Enea. In Group C are Spanish CAJASUR PRIEGO TM Portugal’s GDCGP Madalena and GDD Toledos Dutch Dozy Den Helder / Noordkop Sweden’s SPARVÄGEN BTK. In Group D are Spanish CTT BALAGUER – VILLART LOGISTIC TTC Rapid LUZERN from Switzerland Portugal’s ADC Ponta do Pargo and TT Vedrinamur.
TTCLM Round 2: BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF tops Group D
Three Round 2 matches were finished: TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN – TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG 1:3 KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN – SPG WALTER WELS 3:2 CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF 2:3 Three Round 2 matches of the 2016/17 Table Tennis Champions League Men have finished as two top seeds TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG and BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF put their places on the top of their groups. In the Group A three times TTCLM champion TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG defeated the 2009 runner-up TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN 3:1. Japanese Jun MIZUTANI the bronze medalist in Singles Event from 2016 Rio Olympics beat Hugo CALDERANO and Simon GAUZY respectively while Vladimir SAMSONOV overcame Jakub DYJAS. Singles Event runner-up from LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships GAUZY defeated Dimitrij OVTCHAROV in the opener and had a 2:0 lead against MIZUTANI in the fourth encounter but Japanese managed to bring second in a row win for his side. KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN and SPG WALTER WELS played very intense and exciting game and Polish club won 3:2. Cazuo MATSUMOTO contributed with two wins against Zsolt PETO and former Pontoise`s player WANG Jian Jun. Austrian team led 2:1 after three matches as Mihai BOBOCICA beat Tomasz KOTOWSKI but MATSUMOTO and Pavel SIRUCEK secured first victory to his side. SIRUCEK managed to defeat PETO in an interesting fifth match. Timo BOLL had a problem with an injury during the recent LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships but tonight he was in a good shape. He beat Par GERELL and Robert GARDOS respectively. Borussia`s newcomer Stefan FEGERL added winning point against GARDOS in the fifth match playing full five games. It was a continuation of a great rivalry between these two clubs which share Group D third season in a row. The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 GROUP A TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN – TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG 1:3 Simon GAUZY – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 3:2 (11:6 8:11 9:11 11:7 11:8) Hugo CALDERANO – Jun MIZUTANI 1:3 (11:9 8:11 9:11 8:11) Jakub DYJAS – Vladimir SAMSONOV 2:3 (8:11 12:10 11:9 3:11 7:11) Simon GAUZY – Jun MIZUTANI 2:3 (11:7 11:5 8:11 7:11 6:11) GROUP D KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN – SPG WALTER WELS 3:2 Cazuo MATSUMOTO – Zsolt PETÖ 3:1 (11:5 12:10 7:11 11:8) Pavel SIRUCEK – WANG Jian Jun 0:3 (8:11 8:11 8:11) Tomasz KOTOWSKI – Mihai BOBOCICA 2:3 (11:8 10:12 11:8 4:11 5:11) Cazuo MATSUMOTO – WANG Jian Jun 3:1 (11:6 11:9 6:11 11:8) Pavel SIRUCEK – Zsolt PETÖ 3:2 (14:12 11:7 9:11 9:11 11:8) CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF 2:3 Par GERELL – Stefan FEGERL 3:2 (11:7 8:11 11:8 9:11 11:9) Robert GARDOS – Timo BOLL 0:3 (9:11 8:11 6:11) Alexandre ROBINOT – Anton KÄLLBERG 3:0 (11:9 12:10 11:5) Par GERELL – Timo BOLL 1:3 (11:7 1:11 5:11 8:11) Robert GARDOS – Stefan FEGERL 2:3 (10:12 10:12 12:10 11:6 7:11)
ECLW Round 2: Medal-winning METZ TT vs. KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg
French side has two medal winners from the recent LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships YU Fu and Elizabeta SAMARA There is no time to relax for the biggest European stars as ECLW follows LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships. Three out of four Round 2 matches will be held this Friday October 28th while fourth one is scheduled for Sunday October 30th: Reigning champion TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE travels to France to meet TT SAINT QUENTIN in the Group A clash. German side defeated POSTAS SPORT EGYESÜLET in the opening round while Saint Quentin`s team is set to play its very firs game in the ongoing season. Both sides have medal winning players from Budapest: Saint Quentin`s Daniela MONTEIRO-DODEAN won Gold in Mixed Pairs and Bronze in Women’s Doubles Event whilst Berlin`s SHAN Xiaona and Petrissa SOLJA took Silver in Women’s Doubles Event. In the Group B two times ECLW winner LINZ AG FROSCHBERG awaits UCAM Cartagena with Silver medalist in Mixed Pairs Matilda EKHOLM. Two leading players of Austrian side LIU Jia and Sofia POLCANOVA lost their Round of 32 matches at LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships. Spanish side showed its strength in the opening ECLW round beating TuS Bad Driburg as World’s No. 8 CHENG I-Ching brought two points. BURSA BÜYÜKŞEHİR BELEDİYESPOR goes to Hungary with a recently crowned European champion HU Melek to meet SZEKSZARD AC in the Group C. Both sides will fight for their first victory as Turkish team unexpectedly lost its Round 1 home game from ALCL TT GRAND QUEVILLY playing without World’s No. 13 YU Mengyu. Group D will see two medal winners in METZ TT squad both in Women’s Singles Event: YU Fu beat her team mate and defending champion Elizabeta SAMARA in the semi-final and lost to Bursa`s HU Melek in the Gold medal contest. French side hosts No. 2 seed and actual ECLW runner-up KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg. Polish champion beat SKST Stavoimpex Hodonin in the Round 1. The 2016/17 ECLW Round 2 (October 28-30th) Group A October 28th 19:30: TT SAINT QUENTIN – TTC BERLIN EASTSIDE Group B October 30th 16:00: LINZ AG FROSCHBERG – UCAM Cartagena Group C October 28th 18:00: SZEKSZARD AC – BURSA BÜYÜKŞEHİR BELEDİYESPOR Group D October 28th 19:30: METZ TT – KTS Siarka-ZOT Tarnobrzeg
Quentin ROBINOT brought first win to Hennebont
Two TTCLM Round 2 matches were held tonight: ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT 0:3 TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT 2:3 First two matches of the 2016/17 Table Tennis Champions League Men were held tonight and both belonged to the guest sides: ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT 0:3 TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT 2:3. Angers won its first match in Group A beating Roskilde away. Newly crowned European champion Emmanuel LEBESSON continued to play with a lot of confidence having an easy job in the opener against ZHAI Yuija who suffered his first loss in the ongoing season. LEBESSON controlled the game in each moment losing just two points in the second set. Former individual European champion Michael MAZE had a comeback after years in which he fought with injuries but lost to Jon PERSSON in straight games. Jens LUNDQVIST defeated Claus NIELSEN in the third encounter to secure win for the French side. The 23-year-old Quentin ROBINOT the former junior champion of Old Continent was a hero of the clash held in Ostrava Czech Republic. Hennebont`s player won both his matches in the Group C game first one against CHIANG Hung Chieh in straight sets while in the last one he overcame Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC by narrow margin to provide the very first victory to his team. Young Briton Liam PITCHFORD took one more point for the guest side. TTCLM Round 2 GROUP A ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT 0:3 ZHAI Yujia – Emmanuel LEBESSON 0:3 (7:11 2:11 8:11) Michael MAZE – Jon PERSSON 0:3 (7:11 6:11 13:15) Claus NIELSEN – Jens LUNDQVIST 2:3 (9:11 5:11 11:9 12:10 7:11) GROUP C TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT 2:3 CHIANG Hung Chieh – Quentin ROBINOT 0:3 (5:11 6:11 7:11) Alexandar KARAKASEVIC – Liam PITCHFORD 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:7) Tomas TREGLER – Kalinikos KREANGA 3:2 (11:8 8:11 11:4 3:11 11:6) CHIANG Hung Chieh – Liam PITCHFORD 0:3 (10:12 5:11 9:11) Alexandar KARAKASEVIC – Quentin ROBINOT 2:3 (11:9 10:12 12:10 7:11 12:14)
Brave performance of Team Europe in Shanghai
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge The first part of the 2016 ITTF World Cadet Challengein Shanghai is over. Both European Teams – girls and boys – managed to clinch the bronze medals. This year’s edition is a very special one for double Asian opposition since China as host nation has a team too. They played alongside the traditional Continental teams of Africa Oceania Latin America North America Asia and ITTF Hopes Team. The performance of European team was just enough to overcome every opposition except the Asians. Girls have beaten Latin America and Ocenia and boys prevailed against Africa and Hopes Team in the group but both faced the defeats against China; girls 0-5 boys 2-3; which lead to an early semi-final clash against Asia. “Girls Coach Csilla BATORFI decided Tanja PLAJAN (ROU) Anastasia KOLISH (RUS) and Zdena BLASKOVA (CZE) will play. After opening defeat of PLAJAN against Asian Nr 1 JPN Miyuu KIHARA KOLISH gave a hard fight the Chinese HUANG Yingqui however she lost in a 5-set battle and couldn`t level the match up. It was still not over as BLASKOVA tried her best to come back in the fourth game against HGK Lee Ka Ye to turn the things around. However the opponent proved to be too strong and after saving set points the Hong Kong player sealed the generally comfortable win of Asian Team (3-0) ” explained Team Manager Europe Jarek KOLODZIEJCZYK. All credit for girls; despite semi-final disappointment they were back at the table and have put together a very impressive performance in a bronze medal match against North America. After more than two hours Europe prevailed 3-2 with KOLISH BLASKOVA and WEGRZYN (POL) each contributing with one point. The Pole paid back the credit given her by coach Csilla BATORFI in this match by playing her best table tennis to decide the last match against CAN Ivy Liao in four sets in Europe’s favour and thus making the two wins of North America’s Nr 1 Amy Wang not enough to steal the victory for the USA/CAN combination. In the final Asia dominated China and won 3-0. “It was the same result but bit different scenario in boys campaign. Already in the group the match against China was lost with the narrowest margin (2-3) with Russia’s Vladimir SIDORENKO and Italy’s Carlo Rossi earned the points for Europe while Austria’s Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK was unable to contribute. The semi-final against Asia was extremely close. After storming come back from 0-2 in the opening match performed by SIDORENKO against Korea’s CHO Daeseong Europe took the lead. Carlo ROSSI has put great pressure on Asia’s Nr 1 JPN Yukija UDA but failed to execute in deciding moments of the 3rd and 4th set. In the third encounter Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK came back from 1-2 in sets and 2-6 in the fourth against THA PANAGITGUN Yanapong to earn himself two match points in the decider (10-8) but failed to account on it. This proved to be the turning point of the match as UDA having 2-1 lead of his team has put a mighty performance in the encounter between the number ones beating SIDORENKO 3-1 and sealing Asia`s victory ” reported Team Manager Europe Jarek KOLODZIEJCZYK. Coach Marc CLOSSET did great job to raise the heads after this disappointment and motivated boys to a convincing 3-0 win over North America in a bronze medal match. Carlo ROSSI has shined beating Victor LIU 3-0 SIDORENKO overcame Sharon ALGUETTI USA (3-0) before Csaba ANDRAS (HUN) finished the business by overcoming CAN Edward Ly in five sets to give Europe’s Team the third place overall. Asia clinched gold after convincing 3-0 win in the final against China.”
