The TV-images from the 2016 LIEBHER ITTF European Championships in Budapest will go to 138 countries around the world thanks to Eurosport. The TV-coverage of the 2016 ETTC is impressive since there are three pan- territorial networks covering the ETTC.   Sixty-four (64) countries across Europe can watch the ETTC on Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2.   beIN Middle East   Coverage within the Middle-East towards twenty countries in the region.   Star-Times Africa   Towards the entire Sub-African continent and fifty two countries.   South East Asia:   Thailand and Vietnam receiving the signal from 2016 LIEBHER ITTF European Championships     In addition LAOLA1.tv will be covering the event on a daily basis with extensive live streams and highlight videos.   LAOLA1.tv will be covering all matches from tables 1 to 4 via live streams and video on demand. The international online sports TV will also present highlight clips from the LIEBHERR ITTF European Table Tennis Championships featuring „Top Rallies“ „Top Hits“ and the „Point of the Day“ – to name but a few.   LAOLA1 premium members will be able to follow the table tennis matches from Budapest on the move on their smartphones tablets or via Smart TV.  

LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships     Table tennis and fencing are the most successful sports in Hungary and the opportunity to organize the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships Hungarian Table Tennis Association saw as a milestone for the whole table tennis society in Hungary.   In the eve of the opening ceremony in the beautiful Tuskecsarnok the organisers held the press conference. Hosts Roland NÁTRÁN the President of MOATSZ and Dr. Miklós STOCKER Secretary General alongside Ronald KRAMER President of ETTU and Judit FARAGÓ ITTF CEO addressed to the press. Péter ARANYOSI head coach of Hungarian Men’s Table Tennis team and titleholder Elizabeta SAMARA also attended the conference.   “From 1958 Hungary has a major role in table tennis not only with results but also as a great organisers. I hope that our return here after 34 years will give a big boost to the sport. I am very happy that Hungarian Federation took up the challenge to organize first individual Championships after we had the combine one in the Ekaterinburg last year. I am very confident they will stood up to this challenge successfully ” said KRAMER.   Roland NÁTRÁN MOATSZ President said:   “We had to wait 34 years to organise this big event. We have nine out of ten best players from the European Rankings in Men’s and Women’s Event. Our goal is to present the best possible table tennis in order to attract the attention and to entertain our spectators. We want to present the spirit of table tennis in best possible way. “ President NÁTRÁN expected 6 or 7.000 spectators in the hall. MOATSZ offered tickets on special prices for clubs students and senior citizens and special discount for train travelers.   Judit FARAGÓ ITTF CEO had an extra pleasure.   “It is my privilege and great pleasure to welcome you my home town. I was not born on 1958 to see what happened then but in 1982 I supported our national team. I remember the atmosphere and excitement from that period and great joy that followed the success. I hope the new spectators this week in the hall will share the same spirit and determination we felt 34 years ago ” said FARAGO.   Miklós STOCKER Dr. MOATSZ Secretary General presented some of the figures from the 2016 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships.   “In next six days 254 competitors from 44 countries will play here; with 60 umpires on duty. All of this will not be possible without the great support from the City of Budapest Hungarian Government our supply pool and sponsors ” reminded STOCKER.   Women Singles champion Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania said she is feeling ready.   “I am not suffering from the jet leg at all. I came from USA recently but now I feel fine and I am ready for the challenge here.”   Peter TÉGLÁS did not want to put the pressure on his team.   “We are ready and so far on the first day our women team recorded all victories. We hope it will stay that way.”  

LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships   The leading name in the men’s team of Hungary at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships Adam PATTANTYUS had a rough start against Omri BEN ARI of Israel in the opening round of the Men’s Singles Event. Eventually he had won in six games.   “We met for a first time but I studied and analyzed his game. Still I did some mistakes at the beginning. I went back because I expected he would play differently on his spins. I had to move much more then I planed. I did not “feel“ the distance correctly. The service game was a problem for me at the beginning but when I started to feel the ball it got better. “   Adam was two games to three in reverse before he managed to recover.   “I managed to regain mu focus. I visualized the problem correct it in my mind and tried to do it better.”   Asked about his goal in Budapest PATTANTYUS said.   “Let’s go one step in the time. First I want to finish the Group stage successfully. If I reach into Round of 32 it will be good achievement but if I managed to reach the Round of 16 it will be big success.”   Adam said he is very happy to play in front “his” crowd.   “It is a good feeling and when I hear “C’mon” from the stands coming from the kids it is great inspiration for me. It helps me clear my mind and ease the pressure.”    

LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships   In Belgrade 2007 the curtains were closed for Mixed Doubles Event as a part of the “big” tournament. Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC of Serbia and Ruta PASKAUSKIENE of Lithuania left the stage as the last European champions.   However the Event latter continued the life of its own as separate Championships but with fewer countries on the entries lists. In a meanwhile the format of the Continental gathering changed. The Championships was divided to Individual and Teams Event and nine years latter we have the Mixed Doubles Event back on schedule once again at the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships.   KARAKASEVIC and PASKAUSKINE take up where they left in Belgrade. They are the top seeds and strong contenders for the medal.   “Our partnership is very long. We won first European gold in 2000 in Bremen. Year latter we were second in Zagreb before we clinched the gold in Denmark and Belgrade. After that we won gold and silver at the separate Mixed Doubles Championships …” reflects KARAKASEVIC.   How you feel to play again alongside KARAKASEVIC we asked Ruta.   “We have been playing for so long together. We know each other very well and we do not have to put any extra effort to adjust our game. We had a long break because KARAKASEVIC was injured. Last year at the World Championships we finally teamed up but I was not very happy how we played. Now this is our Championships I expect it will be better.”   To make sure it will be before the Championships Ruta spent a week in Serbia on preparation with both Serbia’s national teams.   “For a first time I am without my coach mother here. She told me I have to bring medal home ” admitted with the smile Ruta.   PASKAUSKIENE explained why she is alone in Budapest.   “I think it is time to say Goodbye. I know I have told you that last year but now it is the time for my retirement. Never say never…but now I am close.”   Same words came from KARAKASEVIC.   “Today I am four days away from my final match for the national team. I want to leave Budapest with the medal. I play good in singles but my chances are in Mixed Doubles and Men’s Doubles. With both Bojan TOKIC and Ruta I already proved we can reach the medal. I am optimist we can do it again.”   The preliminary round of Mixed Doubles Event starts tonight at 9 PM local time.  

LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships   The European Championships returns to the origins of the Event. First staged in 1958 in Budapest; the Hungarian capital city is the host for the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships. The city also hosted the event in 1982 and during almost six decades Hungarian team made the history with 73 gold 61 silver and 77 bronze medals at the World Championships as well as 38 gold 30 silver and 44 bronze medals at the Continental gatherings.   The play will commence on Tuesday 18th October and will conclude on Sunday 23rd October. The singles qualifications open the week that will end with the crowning of the new champions in Singles Doubles and Mixed Doubles Events.     Explanation of the Group System     Only 32 top players secured their places in the main draw of the Singles Event; the rest will have to find their way through the qualifications. In the Men’s Singles the 23 group winners will qualify. After that 9 main event places are left. The draw 18 of the 23 runners-up of the groups randomly. These 18 players play one match the winners of these 9 matches qualify. The remaining 5 group runners-up are out.   In the women’s singles event the 19 group winners will qualify. After the matches in qualification groups we draw 7 lucky losers from the runners-up of the groups who will qualify as well. That makes 26. The remaining 12 runners-up play one match the winners of these 6 matches qualify and then we have 32 qualifiers.   Mixed Doubles Event   For the first time after 2007 Mixed Doubles Event is again the part of the Championships.   Laola1.tv and Eurosport coverage   Laola1.tv will cover the live action from four tables during the whole Championships. Eurosport will broadcast the matches from semi-finals and finals for the Men’s and Women’s Singles Events as well as matches in the Doubles Events.  

LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships commences on Tuesday 18th October and will be concluded on Sunday 23rd October   LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships will be opened on Tuesday 18th October as German Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Elizabeta SAMARA from Romania defend most prestigious titles in Budapest`s Tüskecsarnok Hall. Hungarian capital city host tournament third time in its history after inaugural one in 1958 as well as in 1982. This time Budapest will see 132 Men`s players from 43 countries and 112 Women`s players from 40 countries.   Last year in Ekaterunburg some important changes were adopted. Starting from 2016 the Individual European Championships will be played in even numbered years. In addition to the men’s singles the women’s singles the men’s doubles the women’s doubles will be the mixed doubles events. It will be first Mixed Doubles appearance since Serbia’s Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC and Lithuania’s Ruta PASKAUSKIENE won gold in Belgrade in 2007.   Beside Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Elizabeta SAMARA the 2015 champions were also Men´s Doubles Stefan FEGERL Joao MONTEIRO (AUT/POR) and Women´s Doubles HU Melek SHEN Yanfei (TUR/ESP).   OVTCHAROV will be again top seeded player at the Men Singles Event fighting for his third title the score which his team mate from Orenburg Vladimir SAMSONOV actual No. 2 seed already owns. If 28-year-old German takes new gold he will repeat feat of his compatriot Timo BOLL who took three consecutive crowns from 2010 to 2012. But BOLL holds the impressive record of six individual gold medals in total.   Last year`s runner-up Marcos FREITAS is No. 3 seed followed by Timo BOLL (No. 4) Tiago APOLONIA (No. 5) Simon GAUZY (No. 6) Stefan FEGERL (No. 7) Andrej GACINA (No.8) Alexander SHIBAEV (No. 9) and 2013 individual bronze medalist Panagiotis GIONIS (No. 10) among the Top 10 seeds.   Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania upset favorites in Ekaterinburg playing her best table tennis in the amazing final clash against LI Jie of Netherlands – 4:3 (11:6 9:11 3:11 11:7 12:14 11:4 11:4). She will defend her title as No. 7 seed while LI is No. 5. The 2013 bronze medalist HAN Ying (Germany) tops seeding list followed by two her team mates from silver Olympic team Petrissa SOLJA (No. 2) and SHAN Xiaona (No. 3). Other Top 10 seeds are 2005 European champion LIU Jia (No. 4). from Austria Turkey`s HU Melek (No. 6) biggest hope of host nation Georgina POTA (No. 8) Portugal`s FU Yu (No. 9) and the 2013 winner LI Fen from Sweden (No. 10).   In singles events 32 seeded players shall be directly placed in the first round proper. All remaining players shall play in a qualification stage played in groups of not less than 4 players.  

The Eurosport will bring the top class table tennis programming to the viewers next week. We will be able to follow the action from the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships.   Eurosport will broadcast the matches from semi-finals and finals for the Men’s and Women’s Singles Events as well as matches in the Doubles Events.   The play will commence on Tuesday 18th October and will conclude on Sunday 23rd October. It will be the third time that the tournament has been staged in Budapest; last time in 1982 and it was in 1958 when the Hungarian capital city organised the first ever Championships.   It is on the individual events that the focus is centred in 2016; there are no team events on the schedule. Notably for the first time since Serbia’s Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC and Lithuania’s Ruta PASKAUSKIENE won in Belgrade in 2007 alongside Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles is once again on the schedule.     Channel Date Brdcast Dur.(min) Start End Leg EUROSPORT 1 21/10/2016 Live 85 10:00 11:25 Round 3 Double EUROSPORT 2 22/10/2016 Live 105 10:00 11:45 Quarter-finals – doubles EUROSPORT 2 22/10/2016 Live 120 11:45 13:45 Round 3 Women EUROSPORT 2 22/10/2016 Live 180 16:15 19:15 1/4 F EUROSPORT 1 23/10/2016 Live 90 11:00 12:30 Women’s semi-finals EUROSPORT 2 23/10/2016 Live 60 12:30 13:30 Men’s semi-finals EUROSPORT 2 23/10/2016 Live 90 18:00 19:30 Finals EUROSPORT 1 24/10/2016 Delayed 90 11:30 13:00 Finals        The Congress of the European Table Tennis Union will be held on Wednesday 19th October 2016 in the Danubius Hotel Flamenco in Budapest.