It has been announced that table tennis will be a part of the most extensive integrated para-sport program in history for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Following the announcement ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT stated:“It is great that Para Table Tennis is making its return to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 2010. It is a fantastic initiative from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to have Para athletes integrated with able bodied athletes which is something the ITTF has done at previous events.” President of the CGF Louise Martin CBE said:”With the largest-ever number of para-sport events in Commonwealth sporting history we are thrilled that Gold Coast 2018 will deliver an ambitious and welcome growth for the inclusive and integrated para-sport competition first presented at a Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002.” “Today’s announcement ensures that the next edition of the Games will enable sports fans in Australia and across the world to support a record-breaking number of para-athletes at a Commonwealth Games”. There will be 300 para-athletes and 38 medal events across seven sports to be showcased at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. This is an increase of 45% more athletes and 73% more medals compared to the record-breaking para-sport competition at Glasgow 2014. Apart from table tennis other sports being contested by para-athletes at Gold Coast 2018 are Athletics Cycling (Track) Lawn Bowls Powerlifting Swimming and Triathlon. The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be staged from 4-15 April 2018.
PITCHFORD and SIBLEY ready to defend titles
PG Mutual National Championships Reigning champions Liam PITCHFORD and Kelly SIBLEY are striking a confident note ahead of the defence of their title at the PG Mutual National Championships. PITCHFORD last year beat Paul DRINKHALL coming from 3-0 down to win his third title in a row while SIBLEY’S final victory over Tin-Tin HO represented the fifth title of her career. Both athletes arrive in Hatfield this Friday fresh from the World Team Championships in Malaysia where PITCHFORD played a starring role as the Leopards won bronze medals – England’s first at that level since 1983. And the Chesterfield ace said of his Nationals campaign: “It’s not as important as winning the medal at the Worlds but it’s the biggest English tournament and I’ve won it three times in a row so I want to make it four. “I can’t really complain about how I’m playing and I’m always confident but you never know who’s going to play well. “You’ve got to get yourself up for the first match and when it comes to the later stages hopefully I’ll still be playing and get a chance to play on TV.” PITCHFORD was referring to the fact that ITV4 is televising the last three hours of the event with the men’s doubles women’s singles and men’s singles finals to be aired live. He added: “It’s great for English table tennis and hopefully people will tune in and see some great matches and we’ll get some new fans.” PITCHFORD and Paul DRINKHALL will be defending their doubles title and PITCHFORD said: “Me and Paul have won it three times in a row and we go out there as favourites and we’ve proved in the tournaments we’ve played especially the Swedish Open when we reached the semi-finals that we’re a really good doubles pair. We’re quietly confident we can retain it.” Meanwhile SIBLEY goes into the women’s event in good form having won nine of her 11 matches at the Worlds culminating in beating world No 100 Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico. “Everybody wants to be national champion in whatever sport they compete in ” said SIBLEY. “Even though I’ve won it before I’m still hungrier than ever to retain my title and go on to win more. “I didn’t realise until last year that having five titles put me joint third on the all-time list so now I want to get the sixth and get into second place and keep going. “I’m just going to focus on one match at a time and hopefully I can continue my positive form and confidence from the Worlds.” The 27-year-old added: “I think it’s great we’ve got live TV. I think we’ve had highlights before but we haven’t been on live. It’s fantastic and shows table tennis is going in the right direction.” Author: Paul STIMPSON Courtesy of http://tabletennisengland.co.uk
Kuwait shortened the list in Bielefeld
84th National German Championships The 84th National German Championships will take place from March 18-20 in Bielefeld Seidensticker Halle. 48 Women and 48 Men will fight for the titles in Singles and Doubles. The top-seeded players are Sabine WINTER and Ruwen FILUS. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Orenburg) HAN Ying (Tarnobrzeg) SHAN Xiaona and Petrissa SOLJA (both Berlin) cannot be in Bielefeld they are playing at the Kuwait Open. Timo BOLL (Düsseldorf) should also be there but he is still suffering from a cold. Unfortunately Bastian STEGER champion 2012 and 2011 and Irene IVANCAN have cancelled the tournament as well. STEGER is sick IVANCAN has commitments with her Turkish club Fenerbahce. Good chances to win the titles have Sabine WINTER and Kristin SILBEREISEN in the Women’s Singles Ruwen FILUS Patrick FRANZISKA Patrick BAUM Steffen MENGEL and Ricardo WALTHER in the Men’s Singles. “In Bielefeld we will see high-class sport because the German Champion title is a prestigious success. Any professional want to win this title in his career” said Sports-director Richard Prause. Prause himself won silver in 1993 in Men’s singles. The Table Tennis-Fans can watch two tables each day of the National German Championships live on http://www.tischtennis.de/livestream/ By Florian LEIDHEISER Courtesy of DDTB Time Schedule National German Championships 2016 Friday March 18 from 14.00: Qualification Men’s and Women’s Singles Saturday March 19 from 10:00: Main Round Singles and Doubles from 17.30: Beginning Quarter Finals Singles and Doubles Sunday March 20 10:00: Women’s Doubles Semifinal 10.45: Men’s Singles Semifinal 11.30: Women’s Singles Semifinal 12.15: Men’s Doubles Semifinal From 14:00 on: Women’s Doubles Final Men’s Singles Final Women’s Singles Final Men’s Doubles Final Results and Articles: www.tischtennis.de Champions from 2015 Men’s Singles: Timo BOLL (Düsseldorf) Women’s Singles: Petrissa SOLJA (Berlin) Men’s Doubles: Benedikt DUDA / Steffen MENGEL (Bergneustadt) Women’s Doubles: Petrissa SOLJA / Sabine WINTER (Berlin / Kolbermoor)
Pontoise forgets beautiful victory against defending TTCLM champion
„This victory is a small advantage before the return match” stated Pontoise`s coach Christian ADAM after 3:1 semi-final home win against Orenburg Four memorable games were held between Orenburg and Pontoise in previous two TTCLM seasons one more was played four days ago but who can claim that the upcoming clash on April 1st in Russia will not be the most exciting one… „It’s a beautiful victory over the defending champion! The whole team played very well and each player contributed to this result” stated Pontoise`s coach Christian ADAM after the most recent duel against Russian club. The 2014 TTCLM winner beat 2015 champion 3:1 (10:7) in the first semi-final leg held last Friday in France as each of host players contributed with one point: FREITAS – OVTCHAROV 3:1 FLORE – SMIRNOV 3:2 KARLSSON – OVTCHAROV 3:1. Unique Orenburg`s point came from SAMSONOV in the opening game against KARLSSON (3:1) „We know that this victory is a small advantage before the return match and that nothing is done. It will be essential to play our best table tennis in order to preserve our advantage” concluded Christian ADAM. French team upset Fakel Gazproma in the 2013/14 TTCLM final taking the title because of better set-ratio (3:1 1:3 18:16). Last year in the group stage each side surprisingly won 3:0 away. After all Orenburg clinched its third TTCL crown last spring.
FAZEKAS and POTA are top seeded in Hungary
99th Hungarian National Championships The 99th Hungarian National Championships will be held from 19th March to 20th March in the City Sport Hall (Celldomolk). Winners will be awarded in 5 categories Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Adam PATTANTYUS Dora MADARASZ Szandra PERGEL will be absent from the competition because they are taking part in the World-Tour Kuwait Open. Daniel KOSIBA won’t be in Celldomolk because of an injury and Janos JAKAB will miss out the tournament as well. In absence of Adam PATTANTYUS the title holder Peter FAZEKAS is top seeded in Men’s Singles Daniel KRISTON and Nandor ECSEKI follows him. The highest ranked Hungarian player on the ITTF World Ranking Georgina POTA leads seeding list in Women’s Singles category. 2nd seeded is Mercedesz NAGYVARADI and Eva BRAUN is in the 3rd position. Schedule: 19 March – Women’s Doubles (qualification) and Men’s Doubles (qualification) Mixed Doubles Men’s Doubles and Singles – Qualification 20 March – Men’s Doubles and Singles (main draw) Women’s Doubles and Singles (main draw) Result of 2015 Hungarian National Championship Women Singles 1. PÓTA Georgina (TTC Berlin Eastside) 2. MADARÁSZ Dóra Csilla (SVNÖ Ströck (AUT)) 3. NAGYVÁRADI Mercédesz (Postás SE) 3. BRAUN Éva (Postás SE) Women’s Doubles 1. Pergel Szandra (Budaörsi SC) Madarász Dóra (SVNÖ Ströck (AUT)) 2. Ambrus Krisztina (Postás SE) Nagyváradi Mercédesz (Postás SE) 3. Haraszti Nóra (Euromilk Dunajska Streda) Gajdos Borbála (Pénzügyőr SE) 3. Fehér Zsófia (A.S.E Orosháza) Orosz Sára (TURRIS SE Sopron) Men Singles 1. FAZEKAS Péter (Celldömölki Városi és Vasutas SE) 2. JAKAB János (Stockerau (AUT)) 3. PATTANTYÚS Ádám (St. Louis (FRA)) 3. KOSIBA Dániel (Celldömölki Városi és Vasutas SE) Men’s Doubles 1. Fazekas Péter (CVSE) Kosiba Dániel (CVSE) 2. Szudi Ádám (TTC Bietinghem-Bissinghen) Ecseki Nándor (CVSE) 3. Kriston Dániel (Szerva ASE) Varga Sándor (Pénzügyőr SE) 3. Jakab János (Stockerau (AUT)) Molnár Krisztián (Stockeraut (AUT)) Mixed doubles 1. Pergel Szandra (Budaörsi SC) Szudi Ádám (TTC Bietinghem-Bissinghen) 2. Fazekas Péter (CVSE) Varga Tímea (Postás SE) 3. Ecseki Nándor (CVSE) Tóth Kata (Szekszárd AC) 3. Lakatos Tamás (1. FC Saarbrücken) Madarász Dóra (SVNÖ Ströck (AUT)) By Tamas Dobak Courtesy of Hungarian TTA —
ASCHWANDEN aiming another title
Swiss National Championship in Tenero The swiss national championship will start on Saturday 19th in the national sports center of Tenero. During these two days 64 men and 24 women will compete for the 5 titles. In the women competition Rahel ASCHWANDEN will try to defend her title but Rachel MORET will be there to make it difficult. For the men the three players from Kuala Lumpur will be there: Lionel WEBER (the defending champion of 2015) Elia SCHMID and Nicolas CHAMPOD. They will have to be careful with the young juniors Dimitri BRUNNER and Dorian GIROD who have been in a very good shape lately. Saturday March 19th: Mixed Finals Sunday March 20th: Men single finals / Women single finals / Men double finals / Women double finals By Laurent LANGEL
Who will halt Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU
Greek National Championships Who can take the trophy from Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU? At the upcoming weekend 19 and March 20 in Athens (STIGA area at the Peace and Friendship Stadium) at the 68th National championship men and women the key question will be which athlete has the chance to grab the title in singles from PAPAGEORGIOU who dominated for six years! The odds however are this year also in favour of the player of Olympiacos. The cahllengers are Ioannis VLOTINOS George KONSTANTINOPOULOS Kostas LAGOGIANNIS Konstantinos KONSTANTINOPOULOS Dimitris PAPADIMITRIOU Tasos RINIOTIS Konstantinos AGGELAKIS and certainly 16 years old Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS who recently in Malyisia made its debut in the World Championship. In women’s singles Katerina TOLIOU is the clear favorite. Last year she won the first title in her career and now she will try to repeat the success. In the finals in past two years she faced the national team teammate Maria CHRISTOFORAKI and it may be the case this year as well. Other players who seem able to claim the gold medal are Georgia ZAVITSANOU Filareti EXARCHOU Christina FILI and Olga GEORGOPOULOU. The National Championship of Greece include four events: the men’s singles and doubles and the women’s singles and doubles. The finals will start at noon of Sunday. MEN 2006 Ioannis VLOTINOS 2007 Ioannis VLOTINOS 2008 Ioannis VLOTINOS 2009 Ioannis VLOTINOS 2010 Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU 2011 Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU 2012 Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU 2013 Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU 2014 Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU 2015 Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU WOMEN 2006 Laura Nikoulae 2007 Arxontoula Volakaki 2008 Christina Fili 2009 Katerina Ntoulaki 2010 Christina FILI 2011 Katerina NTOULAKI 2012 Filareti EXARCHOU 2013 Christina FILI 2014 Maria CHRISTOFORAKI 2015 Katerina TOLIOU By Ioannis FAKAROS
World Championships team mates turn rivals at 2016 Kuwait Open
Champions and team mates at the recently concluded Perfect World Team Table Tennis Championships the Chinese team now stands at the opposite ends of the table to fight for title at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open from 16-20 March 2016. World number one MA Long (CHN) and LIU Shiwen (CHN) will be heading the seeding and looking to claim an unprecedented third Kuwait Open title to create history. The duo will have to overcome challenges from both international competitors as well as compatriots who stood with them to claim the World Team Championships title in Malaysia earlier this month. MA Long who had an impressive year in 2015 winning all the major World titles on offer will have to face World numbers two to four FAN Zhendong XU Xin and ZHANG Jike in attempt to defend the crown he earned in the same city last year. Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Chinese Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan both whom missed the World Championships due to injuries will make their comeback here and lead the main challenges to MA and his team mates on their quest for gold in Kuwait. The Chinese “Big Four” LIU Shiwen DING Ning ZHU Yuling and LI Xiaoxia will all be present as well to contest for their internal positioning in the lead up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Japanese trio of Ai FUKUHARA Kasumi ISHIKAWA and Mima ITO who won silver at the World Team Championships will have to face off the Chinese team on duty in Kuwait to aim for the crown. Singapore’s FENG Tianwei having a bad year at the 2015 ITTF World Tour will hope to restore her form to claim a title for herself. Considered the closest opponent to the Chinese dominance FENG defeated LIU at the 2015 Asian Cup and during the Asian Championships. The star-studded Kuwait Open is the third of the 20 events on the 2016 ITTF World Tour and the second Super Series event of the year. The ITTF World Tour is categorized into three tiers: Super (six events) Major series (six events) and Challenge (eight events). The higher the tier the higher the prize money better playing conditions and tougher competition for the title. All the players playing ITTF World Tour events are fighting for not only for prize money and world ranking points but also World Tour ranking points to qualify for the lucrative year-ending World Tour Grand Final taking place on 15-18 December 2016 in a location to be announced. The 2016 ITTF World Tour is set to be the most extensively followed tour in history with more events shown live throughout the world on television and all the events being shown live on ITTF’s live streaming platform ITTF.com/itTV. In addition to the men’s and women’s singles event in Kuwait the worldâ’s best players will also be competing in men’s and women’s doubles and the stars of the future will be lining up in the men’s and women’s under 21 events. The qualifications for the ITTF World Tour World Tour Kuwait Open starts today 16 March 2016 with the main draw starting on 18 March and the finals matches on 20 March 2016.
McCreery aiming new title in Tallaght
2016 Butterfly Irish Senior National Championships The National Basketball Arena in Tallaght will play host to the 2016 Butterfly Irish Senior National Championships as competitors will battle it out for the total of 10 National titles on offer. The tournament kicks off on Friday evening as the early stages get underway while all will be brought to a close on Saturday evening 19th March. The big draw for the keen Table Tennis enthusiasts will as ever be the main events of the Men’s and Women’s Singles events as defending Champions Ulsters Paul McCreery and Ashley Givan will be vying to hold on to the titles they won in 2015. McCreery now a three time National Champion on the men’s side has been a dominent figure on the domestic front over the past number of years. The Nottingham University student will have his work cut out to add to his tally though as International team mates Irish ranked number one Gavin Maguire as well as Irelands star performer at the recent World Championships Clogher man Ashley Robinson will be in hot pursuit. Maguire has been in fine form this season particularly on the domestic front having picked up titles at the Senior Classification Leinster Grand Prix Munster and Connacht Opens. Some would say the Dubliner is the man to beat. Robinson though is perhaps the one that has has thrown down the gauntlet of late as his five-star performance in Kuala Lumpur has catapulted him up to number 332 in the World Rankings the highest of any Irish player. Let’s not forget the chasing pack though. While the top 3 will come in to the event as heavy favourites there is talent in abundance as we look down the seedings. Full time players Ryan Farrell (Sweden) and Alexander Gillen (France) will be keen to impress while recently crowned Junior National Champion Zak Wilson will also want to have his say. Keep an eye here for what promises to be a blockbuster event! On the Women’s side we can expect fireworks all-round. Ashley Givan still only 20 years old comes into the event as a 4 time National Champion however Ulsters top female will face wave after wave of young talent in her quest to make it title number 5. Leading the charge is Ladies Irish Number 1 ranked player Katie McGlone who at 16 years old is as dangerous as they come at this level. Also in the mix is Munster’s defensive maestro Chloe O’Halloran who has shown over the years that she is capable of beating any of the top women on her day. Add to the fold our new junior national champion Mia O’Rahilly Egan whose meteoric rise this season makes her a serious threat this time around in Tallaght. Finally lets not discount the Ulster duo Senior Classification winner Rebecca Finn and 2014 champion Emma Ludlow. It is very clear the women’s singles is very much all to play for! By Mark O’Flynn Courtesy of Table Tennis Ireland
Slovak National Championships without defending champions WANG and BALAZOVA.
National Championships Slovak National Championships will start on Friday in the National Table Tennis Center in Bratislava. During the three days for the 5 titles will fight 53 men and 32 women. Defending champions WANG and BALAZOVA are missing this year. Currently they are in Kuwait playing at the World Tour. Also KEINATH and ODOROVA will miss the Championships. For the first time Serbian with a slovak passport Dijana HOLOK will play. The main favorites for title are PISTEJ BAI He SEREDA VALUCH and in women JURKOVA HOLOK KUKULKOVA and more young players. Time Schedule: Friday – qualification Saturday – main competition Sunday – semifinal and final
