ETTU’s Ordinary Congress During ETTU’s Ordinary Congress on Wednesday 19th October in Budapest Stefano BOSI (ITA) Camille GONDERINGER (LUX) and Jean-François KAHN (FRA) were appointed Honorary Members of ETTU. President Ronald Kramer said: “Everyone is aware of the troublesome situation in 2013. However the Congress accepted the proposal of the Executive Board because the three laureates have contributed to and worked hard for the development of our Union and our sport for many years.” The awarding ceremonies will take place at the ETTU Ordinary Congress next year in Luxembourg.
Asia beats host Chinese team for Gold at ITTF World Cadet Challenge
Asia struck Gold at the 2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge after winning both the Cadet Boys’ and Girls’ team event against the Chinese host team of young talents today 25 October 2016 at the Shanghai University of Sports’ Chinese Table Tennis College (CTTC). The World Cadet Challenge has been known to be the cradle for World Champions with Grand Slam Champions ZHANG Jike (CHN) & MA Long (CHN) both claiming victory from the first & second edition of the prestigious event respectively and many top players around the world starting their route to international stardom. The event which commenced on 24 October started with eight teams vying for gold: one team from each of the six continents (Africa Asia Europe Latin America North America Oceania) a Hopes team (comprised of the best young talent around the world) and China as the Host team with four boys and four girls in each team. The Asian girls’ team of Miyuu KIHARA (JPN) HUANG Yingqi (CHN) and LEE Ka Yee (HKG) took on the challenge of the Chinese team of XU Fan FANG Xiaoyu & CHEN Yi in a heated match in front of the capacity local crowd. In the cheers and support of the local crowd the Chinese team trailed closely behind the Asian Team through the match but were unable to upset the top seeded Asian team losing 0-3 to settle for silver. After the team victory HUANG shared “We are very happy with the victory this is my first time representing the Asian team in this tournament. I’m very thankful to our team even though we came from different countries and speak different languages we are very bonded. Whenever any of us faced any problems during the matches we will always encourage and cheer for each other.” As was the case with the girls’ team final the boys’ team final was a hot contest between top seeded Asian team and the local favorites host team. Despite the Chinese trio of YIN Tianyue SONG Zhuoheng and GAO Shentong’s fight to secure Gold in front of their friends & relatives in the arena the Asian team led by Under-15 world number two Yukiya UDA (JPN) and world number 10 CHO Daesung (KOR) proved too strong for them and the Asian team secured a convincing 3-0 victory to win the title. Sealing the final point for the team victory Yanapong PANAGITGUN (THA) shared “Now I’m happy to win the match I think it’s my lucky year. You know China is a strong team I played hard tonight. I have to concentrate on the match every minute.” Europe who took home the team Gold and Silver respectively at the 2015 World Cadet Challenge in Sharm el-Sheikh last year failed to advance to the final after losing both semifinals to the eventual Champions. Recovering from their shock defeat in the semifinals the European team came back stronger in the Bronze medal match to defeat a spirited North American team 3-0 in the boys’ event and 3-2 in the girls’ event. With the conclusion of the team event the cadets get a day to tour the city of Shanghai tomorrow before the commencement of the singles events on 27 October 2016.
TTCLM Round 2: Group A welcomes four medalists from Budapest
The upcoming round will be held from October 26th to 28th with a taste of recent LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 commences just three days after the ending of LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest gathering four medalists in Group A: Angers` Emmanuel LEBESSON (Gold medal in Singles Event) and Ochsenhausen`s trio Simon GAUZY (Silver medal in Singles Event) Jakub DYJAS (Bronze medal in Singles Event Doubles Event runner-up) and Joao GERALDO (Doubles Event bronze medalist). VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT goes to Denmark to meet ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 as both sides fight for their first victory in the ongoing season. „We were pleased with our performance in Ochsenhausen our first player ZHAI Yulia won two matches and make the match interesting we were not able to take the last point for a win” stressed Roskilde`s Allan BENTSEN. „But over all we are very satisfied now we are looking forward to Round 2 at home in Roskilde. If we can continue our good play maybe we can make some surprises. ZHAI was very happy but also now know that the next matches they will have a look at him before they play. Coach Finn TUGWELL was very satisfied but of course also a little disappointed when Zhai won two that we could not make the last one.” TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN with three 2016 ECH medalists hosts TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG which has two 2016 Olympic medalists Jun MIZUTANI (Bronze in Singles Event) and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Silver in Team Event) as well as one Olympic individual semi-finalist Vladimir SAMSONOV. It will be for sure one of the most exciting clashes in this round and just one will stay unbeaten. Defending TTCLM champion AS PONTOISE CERGY hosts the 2012 runner-up UMMC in the fight between two top names of Group B. Both teams won their Round 1 matches by narrow margin and now want to show their real power. Pontoise`s leading player Marcos FREITAS didn’t fulfill his aims at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships while his team mate Mattias KARLSSON took two medals: Bronze in Doubles Event Silver in Mixed Doubles. The 2015/16 TTCLM runner-up ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS welcomes KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK. Group C also has four medalists from Budapest: Saarbrucken`s Patrick FRANZISKA (Gold medal in Doubles Event) and Tiago APOLONIA (Bronze in Doubles Event) Bogoria`s Daniel GORAK (Silver in Doubles Event) and Ostava`s Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC (Bronze in Mixed Doubles). Two unbeaten teams so far will meet in Poland BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI vs. FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS while TTC OSTRAVA 2016 hosts G. V. HENNEBONT TT. One Gold medalist from Budapest Joao MONTEIRO (Mixed Pairs) will play against two Bronze medalists Timo BOLL (Singles Event) and Kristian KARLSSON (Doubles Event) in the super clash of Group D: CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF. These two clubs used to play one against another in the last couple of seasons and many times nuances decided. In same group KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN and SPG WALTER WELS will try to reach their first victories. The 2016/17 TTCLM Round 2 (October 26-28th) GROUP A ROSKILDE BORDTENNIS BTK61 – VAILLANTE SPORTS ANGERS TT (October 26th 19:00 CET) TTF LIEBHERR OCHSENHAUSEN – TTC FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG (October 27th 18:30 CET) GROUP B ESLOVS AI BORDTENNIS – KS UNIA AZS AWFiS GDANSK (October 28th 18:00 CET) AS PONTOISE CERGY –UMMC (October 28th 20:00 CET) GROUP C TTC OSTRAVA 2016 – G. V. HENNEBONT TT (October 26th 19:00 CET) BOGORIA GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI – FC SAARBRUCKEN TISCHTENNIS (October 28th 19:00 CET) GROUP D KST ENERGA-MANEKIN TORUN – SPG WALTER WELS (October 27th 19:00 CET) CHARTRES ASTT – BORUSSIA DUSSELDORF (October 27th 19:30 CET)
Emmanuel LEBESSON reached the new hights
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest New European champion Emmanuel LEBESSON of France reached the Continental hights at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest after the fantastic run he had in the past year. “It started with the European Games in Baku last year. I went there as a third or fourth player since we followed the rankings. That is why I played only in the Team’s Event. No one expected we could clinch the silver medal. It was a great tournament for us. Portugal’s team were better in the final but in the semis we beat Germany and I prevailed against Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. The victory over the top player gave me extra boost of confidence and it also proved how dangerous I am in the best of five matches”explained LEBESSON. For the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur played earlier this year LEBESSON has mixed emotions. “We played in the quarterfinal of the Team’s Event against England. Few hours before that quarters I became father. I was overwhelmed with the emotions.” In the full distance nail biting match it was France who had dream start -Simon GAUZY beat Paul DRINKHALL. Liam PITCHFORD brought England back to the game with the victory over LEBESSON. In the decisive match DRINKHALL overcame LEBESSON. Paul took a fifth match point in the deciding game to secure the victory. DRINKHALL stated after: “Yes I was 10-6 in the fifth but I won 13-11 and that is what counts!” LEBESSON addmitted:”That defeat haunted us for days weeks…hope the bitter taste will not last for years.” At the Olympic qualifications he succeded and booked his place in Rio. “It was a dream come true but unfortunately I am not very happy with my performane in Brazil. I lost to Adrian CRISAN in the second Round. For the place in the quarters we lost against England again. It was the extension of the nightmare “said LEBESSON. LEBESSON beat Paul DRINKHALL but eventualy France lost full distance duel. “After Rio I did not have enough time to practice for the European championships. In addition I did not beleive I could be very good in the seven games duels. The best I could hope was the place in the quarterfinal. I could not imagine I will reach the gold. However already in the first round which is usually very difficult for me I felt my game is on the top. I though I could do something in Budapest but for sure I was not thinking about the gold “added LEBESSON. In all French final he beat Simon GAUZY and on Monday he was welcomed at the at the Airport Charles de Gaulle as a hero. “I still can not realize what happened on Sunday. Seeing all these people at the airport helped me realize what I did all the friends who came to welcome me warmed my heart.”
Emmanuel LEBESSON at the top of the Europe
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest French player Emmanuel LEBESSON clinched the title in the Men’s Singles Event at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest. In the final he beat Simon GAUZY of France (14:12 9:11 11:7 11:3 11:6). For the first time after 18 years France has the player at the medal rostrum in the Men’s Singles Event at the European Championships. Last time it was Jean-Philippe GATIEN in Eindhoven 1998. In addition last time when France made it double was in 1976 in Prague – Jacques SECRÉTIN won gold whilst Christian MARTIN clinched bronze. “I did not start the match very good and that is the last thing I wanted to happened. When you gave Simon chance to lead he will just increase the pressure. By the end of the opening game I managed to won only one point on my service. Only God saved me to win that game. Latter Simon recovered but I raised my game to higher level. From the third game I played the best table tennis of my life. It was incredible game ” said LEBESSON. In the semis Emmanuel LEBESSON of France halted the fantastic run of Poland’s Jakub DYJAS 1:4 (8:11 5:11 11:5 6:11 5:11) in the semi final. Despite his brave effort DYJAS could not find the game for determened French player. Only in third game we saw LEBESSON being under pressure. « At that moment he started to play better. He was 5:1 in the lead very qickly. There was no use of wasting energy. I decided to let that game off and to focus of next one » said LEBESSON. The player with the record number of medals at the World Championships – 24 could not concluded his semi final match against Simon GAUZY. On his way to the 18th gold Timo BOLL he was halted by the neck injury. Still with the record of 25 medals 17 gold four silver and four bronze medals it is less likely any one will catch up with him soon. «We faced the same situation as we had at the Olympics in Rio. Then we solved it temporeraly with the injection but he had to make a five weeks break. He came back and doctors warned him to be very carefull and to try not to make the condition worst in case he feel the same problem again. It happened in the semis and we decided to end the match. We wanted to prevent any further serious problems » said coach Jorg ROSSKOPF. GAUZY said:«BOLL is a great player my idol and I am sorry I had to win this way. I feel bad about all what happened.»
HU Melek crowned European champion
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships Newly crowned European champion HU Melek of Turkey showed no mercy in the final of the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest; at the penultimate stage of the Women’s Singles Event she overcame FU Yu of Portugal 4:1 (11:3 11:2 11:4 10:12 11:7). LI Jie of Netherlands and Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania won bronze medals. “I am happy the way I played today. I am not afraid any more of the penholders. I was very confident and I had right feeling for the ball ” said HU. YU just said:”She was very fast. I had no answer to her game.” In the semi final HU Melek showed no trace of fear in the match against LI Jie of Netherlands 4:0 (11:5 11:3 11:3 11:6). She was in fast lane for final. Turkish player had a lot of chances for practising in past few days against defenders even yesterday she played two matches against HAN Ying and Polina MIHKAILOVA so she was ready for the challenge. With her top spin and killing short ball that followed she was a nightmer for LI. It was risky but it paid off. «For sure LI showed very little from her usual game. She was far from her best. Yesterday I had to play long matches and to use my back spin so today I decided to be more aggresive and to attack » said HU. As opposed to first semi final the duel between Elizabeta SAMARA and YU Fu was everything but one way fast affair. The European champion from 2015 streched YU to full sistance 3:4 (8:11 12:10 5:11 13:11 14:12 8:11 11:8) but after firce battle she lost her crown. In phusical aspect of game it was YU who dominate SAMARA was one step behing all the time. «We both struggled with the receive of service. In addition I had a difficulties with the ball. It bounced a little bit strange » said YU.
Tritle for FRANZISKA and GROTH in men’s Doubles
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships In a clash for a first ever title in the Doubles Event at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships Patrick FRANZISKA of Germany and Jonathan GROTH of Denmark clinched gold. In the final they beat Jakub DYJAS and Daniel GORAK of Poland 4:2 (4:11 11:4 11:5 7:11 11:7 12:10). Tiago APOLONIA and Joao GERALDO of Portugal and runners up from Herning 2012 Kristian KARLSSON and Mattias KARLSSON of Sweden clinched bronze medals. It was the only third appearance for the winners at the big events. Previously they clinched the title in Croatia open and reached the semifinal of the Czech Open. “We did not have much experiences. That is why we were little bit nervous in the final. To be honest last time I played the final it was in 2010 against Timo BOLL and Christian SUSS ….In addition DYJAS and GORAK played very good. They are very dangerous on short and long balls. It was hard to keep them under the control ” said GROTH. Sixth game was very important. Polish pairings had three game balls for the decisive game but GROTH and FRANZISKA converted it into their victory. “Patrick received very good at that point. Also we were already with our minds in the seventh game ” said DYJAS. Even after defeat in the final Polish player had fantastic Championships. Bronze in the Singles Event and Silver in Doubles is great achievement. “Everything will look better tomorrow. I played good and the results are great but it will take time before I recovered from todays defeats. It is not easy..”
WINTER and SILBEREISEN clinched the title in Women’s Doubles
LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships In 2013 in Austria’s Schwechat Petrissa SOLJA and Sabine WINTER were doubles partners when they clinched the gold at the European Championships. This time they were at the opposite sides of the table in the all – German clash for the crown in the Women’s Doubles Event at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships in Budapest. Partnering Kristin SILBEREISEN it was Sabine who reached the top of the medal rostrum once again. SOLJA and SHAN Xiaona won silver 4:3 (12:10 8:11 11:8 11:8 3:11 7:11 11:8). “Like now in Austria I also faced my teammates. I used to it. The match is over and now we will be together and having good time together again ” said WINTER. In the final it was very close game at the beginning; WINTER and SILBEREISEN won the opening game by the narrow margin before SOLJA and SHAN Xiaona promptly responded. In next two games WINTER and SILBEREISEN dominated but in fifth their adversaries put the pressure on. With 9:0 on the scoreboard the fifth game was decided very fast in favor of SOLJA and SHAN. In the same pace they continued and pushed to the decider. “In the seventh game after 8:8 the umpire ruled the fault service. I do not want to judge was this decision correct or not but the fact is that we played few very good points before and after that. It was important moment but before that we already melted their advantage and leveled the game ” said SILBEREISEN. SOLJA added: ”I am very disappointed.“ The only medal for the host nation has been won by Dora MARADARASZ and Szandra PERGEL. They shared the bronze with European champions from 2012 in Herning and 2009 in Stuttgart Daniela MONTEIRO DODEAN and Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania.
BTTF and Tibhar partnership
Belarus TT Federation and Tibhar company have signed a Memorandum for cooperation for the next four years During the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Table Tennis Championships in Budapest Vladimir AMARIN the President of the Belarus Table Tennis Federation and Roland BERG Director of Tibhar company have signed a Memorandum for cooperation for the next four years. Due to the signed Memorandum the Tibhar company has obliged of providing to the Belarus Table Tennis Federation equipment for the following tours – ITTF World Tour Belarus Open Challenge Series and equip the whole national teams (senior youth and juniors).
Bergen will host Youth Top 10 in 2018
With great pleasure ETTU Executive Board announced that the city of Bergen will host the European Youth Top 10 Tournament in 2018. It will be the first Top 10 event to be staged in Norway. “It is our honour to welcome talented table tennis players from all over Europe to the beautiful city of Bergen in the October 2018. Our City has a long tradition for the table tennis sport. The sport came to Bergen in the mid 20s. Bergen was one of the first cities in Norway to take up this sport ” said Mayor of Bergen Marte Mjos PERSEN.
