AS Pontoise Cergy beat Eslovs Al Bordtennis 3:1 (10:5) in the returning final leg and won its second title thanks to better set ratio. Young Frenchman took two points beating XU Hui in decisive clash Dream came true for the 21-year-old Frenchman Tristan FLORE who had a main role in the 2015/16 TTCLM final returning leg as AS Pontoise Cergy beat at home soil Eslovs Al Bordtennis 3:1 (10:5). Just one set decided the new TTCLM champion counting first match in which Swedish club won 3:1 (9:5). In total 4:4 15:14. After the final ETTU President Ronald KRAMER handed over the trophy to the coach of the winning team Christian ADAM. All witnesses of tonight’s clash in Pontoise hall will not forget it for sure. Coach Christian ADAM chose a risky tactics but it opened the way to the title. It could say: everything will work properly in case that Tristan FLORE is capable to manage such big pressure. Two youngest players met in the opening game as FLORE defeated Mattias OVERSJO in straight games. Usually both have 3rd position in the line-up but this time they started thrilling showdown. When Marcos FREITAS beat XU Hui after four games Pontoise was one step to its second TTCLM title (first one in 2014). Chinese had a huge chance to level the score and maybe prevent French club to repeat best success in its history but he missed three consecutive set balls in the second set as well as chance to lead 2:0 against Portuguese. Almost same thing repeated in the fourth set when host player saved three set balls. In the moment when Pontoise had 2:0 in its favor it looked like Kristian KARLSSON has a nice chance to conclude the final against his compatriot Robert SVENSSON. But SVENSSON showed one of his best games in the last couple of seasons to reduce the lead of Pontoise to 2:1. KARLSSON reached opening set but guest responded by three in a row (crucial moment in the fourth set from 7:7 to 10:7). Fourth match has promised a lot to Eslovs bearing in mind that well experienced XU Hui the player with the best individual score before the second final game (he had 17-4) was the favorite against Tristan FLORE. But the 2011 European Junior Championships gold medalist played his best table tennis so far ending the final by five points in a row (6:7 11:7) in the fourth set. FLORE also secured the victory against defending champion Orenburg in the semi-final beating Alexey SMIRNOV in five games of the third match. He finished the 2015/16 TTCLM with six wins and just one defeat from XU in the opening encounter of the first final leg. For sure this season will be always something special in his carreer. The 2015/16 TTCLM final 2nd leg AS Pontoise Cergy – Eslovs Al Bordtennis 3:1 (10:5) Tristan FLORE – Mattias OVERSJO 3:0 (11:8 11:9 11:7) Marcos FREITAS – XU Hui 3:1 (6:11 13:11 11:8 15:13) Kristian KARLSSON – Robert SVENSSON 1:3 (11:4 5:11 7:11 9:11) Tristan FLORE – XU Hui 3:1 (11:6 13:11 6:11 11:7) The 2015/16 TTCLM final 1st leg Eslovs Al Bordtennis – AS Pontoise Cergy 3:1 (9:5) XU Hui – Tristan FLORE 3:1 (11:7 11:5 5:11 11:4) Robert SVENSSON – Marcos FREITAS 0:3 (9:11 11:13 11:13) Mattias OVERSJO – WANG Jian Jun 3:1 (11:4 11:6 9:11 11:9) XU Hui – Marcos FREITAS 3:0 (11:7 11:9 11:7)
ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly won ETTU Cup in photo finish
With 5:5 in matches and and 18:16 in games French side clinched the title By narow margin with two games difference after two legs of the final French CP Lyssois Lille Metropole clinched the title in the ETTU Cup. Turkish Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyes suffered defeat in the second leg played today in Turkey. Like three weeks before the duel was strecehed to full distance and that was not the only similarity. In both occasions hosts failed to take advantage of playing at home. Thanks to HU Melek and Sibel REMZI hosts had a better start. Bernadette SZOCS and Agnes LE LANNIC both were defeated. Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor had advantage twice; at 1:0 and 2:1 but YANG Xiaoxin showed no mercy. She beat Polina MIKHAILOVA and HU Melek. In the decisive match Bernadette showed she has better finish and beat Polina in straight games but all three concluded by two points difference 11:9. Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor – CP Lyssois Lille Metropole 2:3 HU Melek- Bernadette SZÖCS 11:3 / 16:14 / 11:9 Polina MIKHAILOVA – YANG Xiaoxin 8:11 / 8:11 / 9:11 Sibel REMZI – Agnes LE LANNIC 11:5 / 11:5 / 11:9 HU Melek – YANG Xiaoxin 8:11 / 11:7 / 6:11 / 10:12 Polina MIKHAILOVA – Bernadette SZÖCS 9:11 / 9:11 / 9:11
OVERSJO in his best shape enters the ultimate TTCLM showdown
Eslovs` player stressed that „daily performance will be the deciding thing” in the returning final leg against Pontoise (Sunday 17:00 CET live on laola1.tv) Mattias OVERSJO opened the 2016 year as world’s no. 199 but that ranking does not match with his current play. The 24 year-old player of Eslovs beat Chinese WANG Jian Jun four weeks ago in the first final leg of Table Tennis Champions League Men helping his team to achieve maybe historic win (3:1). This Sunday Swedish champion plays returning match in Paris against the 2014 TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy hence we asked Mattias OVERSJO to give us a short interview… How do you comment victory in the first leg? “I think we played a really good match in the first leg. It was a hard match and we had a great audience in the hall that helped us win the first leg”. What do you expect from the game in France? “I expect a really hard game of course like the first match. It is the final now so every match is really hard”. What could be crucial for the TTCLM title? “I think it is really close between these teams so the daily performance will be the deciding thing”. Are you satisfied with your play in the last couple of months? “I think that I have found my game a little bit the last couple of months and played some of my best matches in my career so far. But now there is one more match to go. So I need to reach the same level that a have played the last couple of months”.
Tomislav PUCAR clinched U 21 gold at home soil
2016 ITTF World Tour Zagreb Open Germany’s Patrick FRANZISKA and Denmark’s Jonathan GROTH won the Men’s Doubles title at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Zagreb Open. Not named amongst the eight seeded outfits they accounted for the top seeded Korean duo of JUNG Youngsik and LEE Sangsu to arrest the title; the duo emerged successful by the minimal two point margin in the deciding game (13-11 11-7 11-13 4-11 11-9). In the second preliminary round they were not required to play in the first they needed the full five games to beat the Japanese teenage combination of Tomokazu HARIMOTO and Yukiya UDA (11-8 9-11 11-1 7-11 11-7). In the semi final FRANZISKA and GROTH overcame Germany’s Ruwen FILUS and Ricardo WALTHER in straight games (4-11 6-11 5-11). Hong Kong’s DOO Hoi Kem and LEE Ho Ching emerged as the surprise winners of the Women’s Doubles event. At the final hurdle they caused a major upset by beating Korea’s JEON Jihee and YANG Haeun the top seeds to claim the title. Tomislav PUCAR won the Under 21 Men’s Singles title. On his way to the title the no. 5 seed beat Portugal’s João GERALDO the no. 2 seed and in the final PUCAR overcame Poland’s Jakub DYJAS the top seed. He beat João GERALDO in three straight games (11-9 11-5 11-6) prior to overcoming Jakub Dyjas in a thrilling full distance duel decided by the minimal two point margin in the fifth game (8-11 11-8 6-11 11-7 14-12). In the opposite half of the draw Jakub DYJAS had beaten Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG the no. 3 seed (11-9 11-5 9-11 13-11). Defeat for the top seed in the Under 21 Men’s Singles event but not in the Under 21 Women’s Singles competition where Japan’s Mima ITO reigned supreme. At the semi-final stage she beat Singapore’s LIN Ye the no. 8 seed before securing the title by overcoming Yui HAMAMOTO the no.6 seed. In Korea’s Men’s Singles final JOO Saehyuk overcame JUNG Youngsik to clinch the title (11-4 11-5 6-11 8-11 11-6 11-13 7-11) whilst in the Japan’s final of the Women’s Singles Hitomi SATO overcame Miu HIRANO (11-6 9-11 11-6 12-10 11-6).
Niederisterreich crowned champion of ETTU Cup Men
Austrian champion beat Werder Bremen 3:1 in the second final leg Wienvierter Niederosterreich won ETTU Cup Men after 3:1 home win against Werder Bremen in the returning final match. The same score was seen in the first leg. Chinese HOU Yingchao collected four points in both final clashes repeating tonight victories against both Bastian STEGER and KirIll SKACHKOV. The score was tied after the first two tonight`s games. First HOU beat STEGER in straight games and then SKACHKOV defeated FEGERL after full five games. Daniel HABESOHN prevailed against Constantin CIOTI to secure the title for the 2008 TT Champions League winner. HOU just confirmed the ETTU Cup title by beating SKACHKOV. It was Niederosterreich`s second trophy this month after they got national championships. The 2015/16 ETTU Cup Men final 2nd leg Wienviertel Niederosterreich – Werder Bremen 3:1 HOU Yingcho – Bastian STEGER 3:0 (11:5 11:6 11:6) Stefan FEGERL – Kirill SKACHKOV 2:3 (9:11 11:4 15:13 8:11 10:12) Daniel HABESOHN – Constantin CIOTI 3:1 (12:10 11:4 4:11 11:9) HOU Yingcho – Kirill SKACHKOV 3:0 (11:9 11:7 11:7)
Berlin beats Zamek to secure a historic 3rd ECLW title
German club won 3:0 in the second leg of the final and became the very first triple champion of ECLW TTC Berlin Eastside goes down in history as the very first triple winner of the European Champions League Women! They beat KTS SPAR-Zamek Tarnobrzeg 3:0 in the returning final leg played in front of 500 people in Berlin`s home. ETTU President Ronald KRAMER handed over the trophy to the winning team. Berlin won first game 3:2 held four weeks ago on the soil of 25th times champion of Poland. SHAN Xiaona overcame Natalia PARTYKA in straight games of the opening game but it wasn’t so easy as result speaks. Two sets were finished by narrow margin (host saved three set balls – one in first two in the third game) but host after all showed why he tops the list of the invididual achievements in the actual ECLW: SHAN ended the 2015/16 edition with 13 victories and just one defeat. Petrissa SOLJA pushed her side one step closer to the title as she beat LI Qian in straight sets. Third game was one of the most important in this final when guest came from 3:7 to 8:7 but host responded by three points in a row to secure two consecutive match balls. SOLJA needed six match balls in total to provide 2:0 lead to German side. The third match between Georgina POTA and HAN Ying was decided after two sets (1:1) when guest was forced to give up due to back injury. Berlin entered record books in many aspects. They won all three possible titles in the 2015/16 season having 32-0 score in total: 10-0 in ECLW 18-0 in Bundesliga 4-0 in German Cup. Irina PALINA`s side celebrate its second triple crown (2014 2016) and third ECLW title after 2012 and 2014. The 2015/16 ECLW final second leg TTC Berlin Eastside – KTS SPAR-Zamek Tarnobrzeg 3:0 SHAN Xiaona – Natalia PARTYKA 3:0 (13:11 11:5 14:12) Petrissa SOLJA – LI Qian 3:0 (11:5 11:7 15:13) Georgina POTA – HAN Ying 3:1 (7:11 11:4 11:0 11:0)
Chance for Weinviertel Niederösterreich and Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor to celebrate their titles at home
Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup Austria’s Weinviertel Niederösterreich and Turkish Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor recorded opening leg victories in their respective Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup finals three weeks ago. On their home soil on Friday Weinviertel Niederösterreich will play for the title after they overcame SV Werder Bremen in Germany 3:1. The only player to scored for Germany’s team was Bastian STEGER. He overcame Stefan FEGERL before HOU Yingcho leveled and beat Hunor SZÖCS. In the fourth match HOU overcame STEGER. Daniel HABESOHN overcame Constantin CIOTI “I think in Ruhe we commenced the opening duel in very powerful style. I had 2-2 and 10-4 against STEGER. However after I lost HOU made a good job and won two points. Against STEGER he was 1-2 down. So it was another very close match. Danny played at position no. three he was one game in reverse and 9:10 down “ explained FEGERL. The forthcoming duel will not be exception. Everyone expects close final. “It is 50/50 match. We are favorites but so many things could go wrong. If we manage to make a good draw win first or second game then the chances are on our side. I am optimistic but by no mean we will not underestimate Bremen with STEGER ” said FEGERL. Werder will fight until the last ball. “Weinviertel were the expected heavy opponents with very strong players at all three positions. Weinviertel have made a good game in Bremen we will give everything in the second leg the players are highly motivated. We will fight to the last point and hope the sensation will come. The team will be accompanied by many fans we are looking forward to the game ” said Manager Sascha GREBER. Turkish club Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor clinched victory against CP LYSSOIS Lille Metropole in the opening leg in Lille. On Sunday on their home soil they will have the chance to celebrate the title. “We had our chances in the opening leg. It is a shame we did not seized the opportunities we had. The atmosphere was great with 700 fans in the hall ” reflected Bernadette SZOCS.”We have been a little bit unlucky three weeks ago but I feel and I know that we can beat them now in Turkey. I came close to beat Polina MIKHAYLOVA. She played last time against me like she have nothing to lose but she will not surprise me again. Of course the toughest task will be to stop HU Melek.” In opening leg YANG Xiaoxin gave hosts a dream start but HU Melek was at the top of the game. After YANG Xiaoxin beat Polina MIKHAYLOVA HU brought back guests in game. She beat Bernadette SZOCS. The scenario repeated once again. Agnes LELANNIC overcame Maria DOLGIKH in close three games before HU beat YANG Xiaoxin to level the score. In the last duel Polina MIKHAYLOVA overcame SZOCS.
FREITAS: TTCLM final is not over!
Pontoise`s best player looks forward to the second leg of the 2015/16 final against Eslovs Al Bordtennis this Sunday (May 29th 17:00 CET live on laola1.tv) Two years ago TTCLM champions are faced now with a huge challenge starting with 1:3 deficit in the returning final leg this Sunday in France: AS Pontoise Cergy – Eslovs Al Bordtennis (May 29th 17:00 CET live on laola1.tv). Swedish champion upset Marcos FREITAS & Company thanks to XU Hui who got two points in the 3:1 (9:5) victory. “Eslovs was the better team in our last match and a fair winner. They are a strong team and they proved it during all the season. The final is not over and off course we will fight to win the title in our home” stressed FREITAS the 2015 ITTF European Championships runner-up. Pontoise needs a good team work in order to take their second TTCLM title. Marcos FREITAS replies on question about his current form: “I have been good last months and I just want to be in my best shape for the last game of the season against Eslovs”. Newly crowned champion of France for the second consecutive season targets its first ever double crown (ProA and TTCLM in same time). Coach Christian ADAM explains: “We have not made the match we thought doing in Sweden and have made the situation difficult but to our public we will do the maximum and try to reverse the situation. We have already done in the past why not this time”! ROAD TO THE FINAL AS Pontoise Cergy (7-4) Group stage (A) Werder Bremen 2:3 (A) Energa-Manekin Torun 3:1 (H) Eslovs Al Bordtennis 2:3 (H) Werder Bremen 3:1 (H) Energa-Manekin Torun 3:1 (A) Eslovs Al Bordtennis 3:1 Quarter-finals (A) Borussia Dusseldorf 3:2 (H) Borussia Dusseldorf 3:1 Semi-finals (H) Fakel Gazproma Orenburg 3:1 (A) Fakel Gazproma Orenburg 2:3 Final (A) Eslovs Al Bordtennis 1:3 (H) Eslovs Al Bordtennis ? Eslovs Al Bordtennis (7-4) Group stage (A) Energa-Manekin Torun 3:0 (H) Werder Bremen 3:1 (A) AS Pontoise Cergy 3:2 (H) Energa-Manekin Torun 3:1 (A) Werder Bremen 2:3 (H) AS Pontoise Cergy 1:3 Quarter-finals (A) Chartres AS TT 3:1 (H) Chartres ASTT 2:3 Semi-finals (H) Olimpia Unia Grudziadz 2:3 (A) Olimpia Unia Grudziadz 3:1 Final (A) Pontoise Cergy 3:1 (H) Pontoise Cergy ?
HAN: We have a real chance to win ECLW
Leading Zamek`s player speaks about returning leg of the 2015/16 ECLW final against Berlin (Friday May 27th 18:30 CET live on laola1.tv) The 2015/16 European Champions League Women will be concluded this Friday in Germany by the clash between TTC Berlin Eastside and KTS SPAR-Zamek Tarnobrzeg. German champion and top seed has a slight advantage from the first game held three weeks ago in Poland. They won 3:2 (9:9) thanks to SHAN Xiaona who provided two points. The best ranked ECLW participant and leading Zamek`s player HAN Ying believes that her side is capable to go down in history as the very first Polish club at the top of this prestigious competition: “The first match was not so bad for us even we lost it. We did everything what we could. What I expect for the match in Germany: to play everything what I can and try to win the match! It’s difficult for us but we still have chance to win the title” stated HAN Ying world`s no. 9 who has 12-6 individual ECLW score this season. Berlin`s SHAN Xiaona beat both Natalya PARTIKA and HAN Ying in the first leg improving her individual record to 12-1 (the best one in the current ECLW). One of decisive moments in the second match should be the encounter between SHAN and HAN two who many times contributed with two points in the victories of their sides. German team is still undefeated so far having 31-0 in all three competitions: 18-0 Bundesliga 4-0 German Cup 9-0 ECLW. They have a chance to become the first triple ECLW winner after 2012 and 2014. On the other side Zamek tries to win one more European trophy after 2015 ETTU Cup. ROAD TO THE FINAL TTC Berlin Eastside (9-0) Group stage (H) TT Saint Quentin 3:1 (A) Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyespor 3:0 (A) TT Saint Quentin 3:0 (H) Bursa Buyuksehir Belediyespor 3:0 Quarter-finals (A) SVNO STROCK 3:1 (H) SVNO STROCK 3:1 Semi-finals (A) Linz AG Froschberg 3:2 (H) Linz AG Froschberg 3:1 Final (H) Zamek Tarnobrzeg 3:2 (A) Zamek Tarnobrzeg ? Zamek Tarnobrzeg (6-3) Group stage (H) CP Lyssois Lille Metropole 1:3 (A) Linz AG Froschberg 3:2 (A) CP Lyssois Lille Metropole 3:1 (H) Linz AG Froschberg 3:2 Quarter-finals (A) Fanerbahce Sport Club 3:1 (H) Fenerbahce Sport Club 2:3 Semi-finals (A) UCAM Cartagena 3:1 (H) UCAM Cartagena 3:1 Final (H) TTC Berlin Eastside 2:3 (A) TTC Berlin Eastside ?
Europe need a more knowledgeable and scientific approach to coaching
University Degree Study Program in Sports Coaching Faculty of Kinesiology University of Split in cooperation with International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) launched the University Degree Study Program in Sports Coaching especially designed for table tennis players and coaches. About this Project we talked with Assistant Professor Goran MUNIVRANA PhD – Head of the Study Programme. Why did you start the whole process what was your main professional and personal aim? “The idea about launching this project has come pretty naturally to me as a logical part of my table tennis pathway since my childhood till these days. In my younger days I was nation team level player and coach (in cadet and junior ranks) and these days I am a sports scientist and assistant professor at university so the idea has arisen as an integral part of the process of my personal development. And as I’ve been a part of table tennis family for so many years (almost my whole life) and have been involved in table tennis word in multiple roles (firstly as a player and coach and now as an organiser scientist and lecturer) I thought I can do something for the sport that has given so much to me. As a former player and coach who has spent a lot of time on the road in my playing and coaching days and has personally experienced difficulties when trying to coordinate between obligations that I had as a pupil and later as a student and my sports career I am well aware of the problems that lots of players/coaches have encountered when trying to balance between the two. I’ve also personally experienced how difficult it is to live and play for a club at one location and study at another hundreds of miles away. This is a problem that still persists as players/coaches these days even more frequently change clubs and countries and that is very often the cause that prevent them to acquire university education and benefit from it. But one thing has changed in my school/student days there were no such communication possibilities as are offered today and with this project I’ve been hoping to provide table tennis coaches and players with education possibility that hadn’t been available to me. So my main aim both professionally and personally (as it’s hard for me to distinguish between the two when we speak about table tennis) have been to provide the players and coaches within our community with a new education possibility which will hopefully be of benefit to them and enable them to acquire both a necessary knowledge and a formal degree ” stated Professor Goran MUNIVRANA. Who was involved in the developing process of the Project? “From its start it has been a joined project of ETTU Development program ITTF Development and Education & Training and ITTF Sports Science and Medical Committee. So if I need to highlight the key figures for the program’s birth and development they are on ETTU behalf; Deputy president Ivo-Goran MUNIVRANA General secretary Richard SCRUTON and Development manager Neven CEGNAR and on ITTF behalf; former ITTF President Adham SHARARA Deputy CEO Glenn TEPPER Director of Education Polona ČEHOVIN SUŠIN and my dear friend and colleague ITTF SSMC chairman Miran KONDRIČ. I believe they are all well-known figures in table tennis circles and I can say for sure that without their contribution and support the project would have never come to this phase. Of course they are just a tip of an iceberg as this project involves large parts of our table tennis community and there are lots of other people that have been involved and a lot of my table tennis friends and colleagues (players coaches scientist officials etc.) that have been providing me and the project with their help and support. It would be impossible to mention all of them here.” How is your experience with the Program in Croatian language? “In general I am satisfied with the results of the pilot program and what is the most important we’ve learned from the experience. The pilot program started in the Academic Year 2014/15 for the group of South Eastern European (Balkan) countries in which the same or similar languages are spoken and thanks to former ITTF President Adham SHARARA the project has been recognised and supported by ITTF consisting in co-financing scholarships for the first year of study for 9 students. Twelve students were successfully enrolled in the program and the majority of them were former or active national team level players. The biggest name amongst them was Tamara BOROŠ a former world’s number 2. I think the experience we’ve gained with the pilot program will certainly help us now when the program is going to grow exponentially as it starts in English language and becomes truly globalised. What are the objectives of the Program? The main objective of the Program is to provide an opportunity to table tennis players and coaches to gain well-rounded professional knowledge and acquire a university degree while pursuing their professional careers. Beside the main aim of the Program there are multiple other objectives as well like making quality studying accessible to a wider/global table tennis community and helping athletes to integrate more successfully to their communities following the conclusion of their sports careers. What I am most proud of is that we managed to establish a large international cooperation between people that are connected with table tennis community and are coming from different academic institutions countries and cultures worldwide but are all willing to contribute to the cause for a benefit of our sport. I believe that is important as it shows unity within the global table tennis family and its ability to carry out vast projects by using its own human and organisational resources.” One of the reasons of launching the Program is to help coaches and athletes who are most of the time on
