Perfect China Company Limited has been announced as the title sponsor of the 2016 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships to be held on 28th February 2016 to 6th March 2016 at Malawati Stadium Shah Alam Greater Kuala Lumpur. This means the second ever ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships to be held in Malaysia after successfully hosting in 2000 will be officially called the Perfect 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships. At the official signing ceremony held yesterday in Kuala Lumpur the ITTF President Mr Thomas WEIKERT stated: “The ITTF is thrilled to have such a perfect partner as Perfect China Company Limited on board for the 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships. We are looking forward to working with them closely as well as our Table Tennis Association of Malaysia and Malaysia Major Events to make the 2016 World Championships the biggest and best ever!” Established in 1994 Perfect China Company Limited has been a major player in China that specializes in health and nutrition food cosmetics as well as personal care products through its network of over 9000 online & physical stores in China. The ITTF is very pleased to have Malaysia as the 2016 World Table Tennis Championships host as they are no strangers to world-class table tennis events having hosted a memorable World Table Tennis Championships in 2000 Women’s World Cup twice in 2008 and 2010 as well as the World Cadet Challenge in 2003. The Perfect 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships was allocated to Kuala Lumpur in 2013 as a successful bid by the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia more than proving themselves as very high level organisers. In hosting the 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships Malaysia are getting the world biggest table tennis event. The 2015 edition in alone achieved over 450 million people followers around the globe. This includes 330 million watching the event live on TV in 170 countries 10 million unique visitors to the ITTF official website 3 million Facebook followers and 7 million YouTube views from 231 countries and not forgetting the impressive coverage from over 1000 media. The Malaysian public will have even more to cheer about due to the recently approved rule that gives the host of the World Championships the option to be drawn in the Championships Division regardless of their qualification position. Table Tennis Association of Malaysia (TTAM) have also decided to make use of the opportunity with both its Men’s and Women’s team playing in the Championships Division among the world’s top 24 teams.
Europe leads 3:2 after Day 1
Robert GARDOS Vladimir SAMSONOV and Andrej GACINA provided three points for the Old Continent on the 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge Europe leads after Day 1 on the 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge in the Jiang Su Gymnasium in the City of Zhangjiagang China. Robert GARDOS Vladimir SAMSONOV and Andrej GACINA secured three points for the Old Continent whilst actual World champion MA Long and the semi-finalist of the 2012 Olympic Games CHUANG Chih-Yuan were successful in Asian side. World`s no. 14 CHUANG Chih Yuan brought early lead to the host side beating no. 26 Bastian STEGER in four games. The latest set was fully exciting but German didn`t manage to provide one more set. These two players met also in the opening day of the 2014 Asia-Euro All Stars Challenge as CHUANG prevailed in straight games. Robert GARDOS repeated what he did last year in Zhangjiagang when he overcame GAO Ning in straight sets. The final outcome is almost same: in 2014 GARDOS won 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:8) now 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:9). Austrian bronze medalist from 2008 European Championships confirmed that he know how to play against former Asian Cup winner from Singapore. Actual World champion and no. 1 on the ITTF World Ranking List MA Long was too strong for the current European team`s champion from Portugal Marcos FREITAS. Chinese confirmed spectators` expectations in the Jiang Su Gymnasium winning in straight games. Three times individual champion of Old Continent Vladimir SAMSONOV defeated Hong Kong player TANG Peng to level the score. Byelorussian needed four sets against quarter-finalist of the QOROS 2015 World Championships in Suzhou. Finally Andrej GACINA prevailed against Iranian Noshad ALAMIYAN in four games. They played close game in the first two sets but Croat easily took next two to secure 3:2 lead for Europeans after Day 1. Day 1 August 1st Asia – Europe 1:0 CHUANG Chih Yuan – Bastian STEGER 3:1 (11:3 4:11 11:9 13:11) Asia – Europe 1:1 GAO Ning – Robert GARDOS 0:3 (6:11 6:11 9:11) Asia – Europe 2:1 MA Long – Marcos FREITAS 3:0 (11:7 11:4 11:7) Asia – Europe 2:2 TANG Peng – Vladimir SAMSONOV 1:3 (8:11 9:11 11:8 6:11) Asia – Europe 2:3 Noshad ALAMIYAN – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (9:11 12:10 5:11 4:11)
Great showdown starts
The 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge sarts today at 08h00 CET (14h00 CST) in the City of Zhangjiagang China. Bastian STEGER and CHUANG Chih-Yuan will face in the opening match European and Asian stars are determined to show their best on the 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge which starts today at 08h00 CET (14h00 CST) in the Jiang Su Gymnasium in the City of Zhangjiagang China. Altogether ten matches are scheduled for two days (August 1st and 2nd) five each day. It will be the 7th clash on Chinese soil between these two most powerful table tennis continents. Since 2009 when this event was established Europeans managed to beat their biggest rivals twice at home but their coach Richard PRAUSE promised good fight against world champion MA Long & Company. Prize money is 100 000 € in total. Winning team will get 60 000 € while the losers will left the field with 40 000 €. Asian team: 1 MA Long (CHN world`s no. 1) 2 TANG Peng (HKG no. 13) 3 CHUANG Chih-Yuan (TPE no. 14) 4 GAO Ning (SIN no. 16) 5 Noshad ALAMIYAN (IRI no. 102). Coach: QIN Zhijian (CHN). European team: 1 Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR world`s no. 8) 2 Marcos FREITAS (POR no. 10) 3 Robert GARDOS (AUT no. 23) 4 Bastian STEGER (GER no. 26) 5 Andrej GACINA (CRO no. 34). Coach: Richard PRAUSE (GER) Asia – Europe Day 1 August 1st: CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Bastian STEGER GAO Ning – Robert GARDOS MA Long – Marcos FREITAS TANG Peng – Vladimir SAMSONOV Noshad ALAMIYAN – Andrej GACINA. Asia-Europe Day 2 August 2nd: CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Andrej GACINA Noshad ALAMIYAN – Robert GARDOS TANG Peng – Marcos FREITAS MA Long – Vladimir SAMSONOV GAO Ning – Bastian STEGER.
European stars try to change bad tradition in China
The 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge will be held this weekend in the Zhangjiagang as Asians won all six previous games on their soil Two most powerful continents in the world of table tennis are ready to fight once again in the 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge. This attractive event will be held in the City of Zhangjiagang this weekend (August 1st and 2nd). In previous six clashes played in Asia (all in China) Europeans have never won. Three times they met in Beijing (2009 – 6:4 2010 – 6:5 2011 – 6:4) once in Tianjin (2012 – 7:3) Qingdao (2013 – 7:3) and Zhangjiagang (2014 – 6:4) The launching edition was held in Beijing in late August of 2009 when Asia led by MA Long and MA Lin beat Europe 6:4. Three months later in the rematch symbolically played in Istanbul – on the cross point of Europe and Asia – The Old Continent managed to win 6:5. The current world’s no. 1 MA Long is coming back in the Asian squad after five years. Three times individual European champion Vladimir SAMSONOV participated in all editions since inaugural one except last year in Zhangjiagang. THE SCHEDULE OF THE 2015 ASIA – EUROPE ALL STARS CHALLENGE Asia – Europe Day 1 August 1st: CHUANG Chih-Yuan (world`s no. 14) – Bastian STEGER (no. 26) GAO Ning (no. 16) – Robert GARDOS (no. 23) MA Long (no. 1) – Marcos FREITAS (no. 10) TANG Peng (no. 13) – Vladimir SAMSONOV (no. 8) Noshad ALAMIYAN (no. 102) – Andrej GACINA (no. 34). Asia-Europe Day 2 August 2nd: CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Andrej GACINA Noshad ALAMIYAN – Robert GARDOS TANG Peng – Marcos FREITAS MA Long – Vladimir SAMSONOV GAO Ning – Bastian STEGER. THE 2014 ASIA – EUROPE ALL STARS CHALLENGE: EUROPE – ASIA 4:6 Europe – Asia Day 1: Robert GARDOS – Jun MIZUTANI 0:3 (9:11 8:11 5:11) Adrian CRISAN – GAO Ning 3:2 (11:9 11:5 7:11 3:11 12:10) Panagiotis GIONIS – XU Xin 0:3 (4:11 5:11 8:11) Bastian STEGER – CHUANG Chih Yuan 0:3 (8:11 6:11 6:11) TAN Riuwu– TANG Peng 3:1 (11:8 8:11 11: 9 11:8). Europe – Asia Day 2: TAN Riuwu– Jun MIZUTANI 1:3 (9:11 8:11 15:13 7:11) Adrian CRISAN – TANG Peng 3:1 (11:8 8:11 12:10 11:5) Panagiotis GIONIS – CHUANG Chih-Yuan 0:3 (9:11 6:11 11:13) Bastian STEGER – XU Xin 0:3 (5:11 6:11 4:11) Robert GARDOS – GAO Ning 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:8).
Egyptian pair set to play in Halmstad
Omar ASSAR and Dina MESHREF secured their places for the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup The Egyptian pair of Omar ASSAR and Dina MESHREF are the 2015 ITTF-Africa Cup Champions and in turn have qualified for the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup’s later this year. To clinch the prestigious World Cup spot for the first time ASSAR defeated the 2014 champion and ITTF Male Table Tennis Star Quadri ARUNA (NGR) 11-4 11-4 11-7 6-11 11-7 in a very entertaining final. ASSAR will be very much at home at the Liebherr 2015 ITTF Men’s World Cup; the tournament will be staged later this year in Halmstad Sweden where he lives. Becoming champion in Cameroon meant that MESHREF is off to her third Women’s World Cup which will be staged in Sendai Japan in late October. To clinch the title she defeated her close friend and teammate Nadeen EL-DAWLATLY in the final 11-5 11-7 9-11 12-10 11-6. The ITTF World Cups are amongst the most prestigious events in the world with only the top 18 players qualifying for the event through the continental cups plus the world champion and one wildcard. The Liebherr 2015 Men’s World Cup will be held in Halmstad Sweden on 16-18 October and the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Sendai Japan on 30 October – 1 November. Qualifications for the 2015 ITTF Men’s & Women’s World Cups: •Current World Champion: MA Long (CHN) DING Ning (CHN) •NN Table Tennis Club 2015 ITTF-Europe Top 16 Cup: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) Marcos FREITAS (POR) Panagiotis GIONIS (GRE) LIU Jia (AUT) Petrissa SOLJA (GER) Irene IVANCAN (GER) •GAC Group 2015 Asian Cup: XU Xin (CHN) Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) FENG Tianwei (SIN) LIU Shiwen (CHN) •K-Sports 2015 ITTF-Oceania Cup: William HENZELL (AUS) LAY Jian Fang (AUS) •Double Fish 2015 ITTF-North America Cup: Jimmy BUTLER (USA) ZHANG Mo (CAN) •2015 ITTF-Latin America Cup: Gustavo TSUBOI (BRA) Caroline KUMAHARA (BRA) •2015 ITTF-Africa Cup: Omar ASSAR (EGY) Dina MESHREF (EGY)
GAO Ning replaces JUN Mizutani
Japanese forced to withdraw from Asia –Europe All Stars Challenge due to injury Coach QIN Zhijan was forced to make one change in Asian team five days before the 2015 Asia-Euro All Stars Challenge in Zhang Jiagang (China). He replaced Jun MIZUTANI with GAO Ning because of an injury of Japanese player. Singaporean is currently no. 16 on ITTF World Ranking List while MIZUTANI is no. 5. Both know very well the best European players having many encounters against them in Table Tennis Champions League. Asia-Euro All Stars Challenge in Zhang Jiagang (China) will be held on August 1st and 2nd. Five players in each Continental teams will fight for honor and 100.000 Euros in total. Winning team will earn 60.000 whilst losing team will left the field 40.000 Euros richer. New schedule announced after Jun MIZUTANI withdrawal is the next: Asia – Europe Day 1 August 1st CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Bastian STEGER GAO Ning – Robert GARDOS MA Long – Marcos FREITAS TANG Peng – Vladimir SAMSONOV Nshad ALAMIYAN – Andrej GACINA Asia-Europe Day 2 August 2nd CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Andrej GACINA Nshad ALAMIYAN – Robert GARDOS TANG Peng – Marcos FREITAS MA Long – Vladimir SAMSONOV GAO Ning – Bastian STEGER
PALINA: Well balanced ECLW
Berlin`s coach commented the 2015/16 ECLW draw Double European Champions League Women winner TTC Berlin Eastside will be one of favorites for the title in the 2015/16 season which starts on August 21st. German side who won the Triple Crown in the 2013/14 is going to play in Group A along French Saint Quentin and Turkish Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyespor. “The ECLW is very balanced this year and it will be on the highest level. Our first aim will be the top spot in the group stage to secure the quarter-final stage” stressed Irina PALINA coach of the ECLW top seed. TTC Berlin Eastside will take on Saint Quentin at the opening day playing at home on August 21st (19h30 CET).
Table Tennis Record Guinness in Spain
A total of 200 players 100 tables have managed to win this record in a unique setting such as the Plaza Mayor of Ocaña The city of Ocaña (Toledo) broke the Guinness World Record for most table tennis players playing outdoor . A total of 200 players on 100 tables set this record in a unique setting such as the Plaza Mayor of Ocaña. Organized by the Table Tennis Club Ocaña everything has gone as planned in this unique event that has served to bring table tennis to the street. That was the the main reason for this initiative led by José María Sáez-Bravo as president of Table Tennis Club Ocaña. It was managed in the cooperation of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation the Table Tennis Federation of Castilla La Mancha the City of Ocaña Toledo and Madrid clubs as well as some other commercial firms. After warming the players began their simultaneous matches at 10:20 and have played for 5 minutes time required by Guinness World Records organization to validate the record to be approved in the coming days at its headquarters in London. This the record was set in 2014 by the city of Inawshasiro in Japan that brought together 138 players playing simultaneously in an outdoor space.
Romania France and Russia at the top of the medal table
Sweden made comeback to the top at the position no. four Total of 56 medals were distributed at the European Youth Championships in Bratislava. Topping the list is Romania close are France and Russia followed by the comeback of Sweden. Medals table Gold Silver Bronze 1 Romania 4.5 1.5 6 2 Russia 3.5 0.5 4.5 3 France 3 5 4.5 4 Sweden 1 3 2 5 Slovenia 1 1 6 Croatia 1 7 Belarus 2 1.5 8 Germany 1 1.5 9 Italy 1 10 Poland 3.5 11 Moldova 1.5 12 Turkey 1 13 Austria 1 14 14 28
World’s no one topping the list at the Asia-Europe All Stars Challenge
Continental clash is scheduled for first two days in August On August 1st and 2nd Europe will faced Asia once again at the Asia-Europe All Stars Challenge. In Jiang Su Zhang Jiagang Gymnasium five players in each Continental teams will fight for honor and 100.000 Euros in total. Winning team will earn 60.000 whilst losing team will left the field 40.000 Euros richer. Last November Asia emerged victoriously at the 2014 Asia – Europe All Stars Challenge. The European team is led by Vladimir SAMSONOV of Belarus World’s no. 8 followed by Marcos FREITAS of Portugal Robert GARDOS of Austria Bastian STEGER of Germany and Andrej GACINA of Croatia. Coach is Richard PRAUSE. Player currently ranked at the position no. one at the World Rankings MA Long of China topping the list of Asian’s stars. Japan is represented by Jun MIZUTANI Hong Kong by TANG Peng Taipei by CHUNG Chih Yuan and Iran by Noshad ALAMIYAN. Coach is QIN Zhijan. At the opening day TANG Peng will meet STEGER in the first of five matches; CHUANG Chih Yuan will play against GARDOS MA Long against FREITAS MIZUTANI against SAMSONOV and ALAMIYAN against GACINA. On the second day GACINA will start first against TANG Peng; the following matches will be ALAMIYAN vs. GARDOS MIZUTANI vs. FREITAS MA Long vs. SAMSONOV CHUANG vs.STEGER.
