By Duncan Mackay at the InterContinental in Prague Russia will host the 2019 European Games providing they address the serious doping problems which has led to them being banned it was announced here today. The Games are expected to be shared between Sochi host of last year’s Winter Olympics and Paralympics and Kazan which staged the 2013 Summer Universiade. They will follow the first-ever edition held in Baku earlier this year. An official announcement had been due to be made by European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Patrick Hickey here today until the publication last week of the report from the World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Commission which found evidence of state-supported doping. That led to the suspension of the All-Russia Athletics Federation by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) putting their participation at Rio 2016 in jeopardy. The scandal appears only to have temporarily halted Russia however being chosen to host an event which it was claimed here today was watched by a total of 1.7 million people in 145 countries during Baku 2015. Complete article you can see here
Timo BOLL returns soon
Left knee injury forced German star to withdraw from the 2015 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships two months ago Speaking for TTBL (ttbl.de) Borussia Coach Danny HEISTER announced possible return of Timo BOLL next Friday in the TTCLM Round 4 against Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (November 27th in Poland). Dusseldorf side was faced with several injuries since the start of the season but Timo BOLL absence has appeared as the main problem for the team which plays very important Bundesliga match today at Bergneustadt (19:00). Asked about actual medical report HEISTER stated: “This is still an open question. Patrick FRANZISKA has started again with the training this week as well as Panagiotis GIONIS who just returned from Greece. Kamal ACHANTA is still on track while Timo BOLL is not yet planned for this Friday”. Left knee injury kept Timo BOLL out of the 2015 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships. Doctors suggested him that he should undergo surgery as he announced via his Facebook page those days. He had a surgery two months ago and returned to the trainings two weeks ago. “There is a possibility that he could join us in the Champions League next Friday when we play against Bogoria. He is not ready for long workouts although the things are improving day by day.”
Paul DRINKHALL tests Rio 2016
Great Britain’s player will be only non-South American at Aquece Rio International Tournament which starts today Table Tennis Test Event – 2015 Aquece Rio International Tournament (November 18-21st) – starts today at the host city of 31st Olympic Games as Great Britain’s top ranked player Paul DRINKHALL emerges as only non-South American in the action. Englishman arrived at Rio on Monday just a couple days after GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open. He is the top seed among 44 participants. World no. 57 and Commonwealth Games winner praised organizers sharing some photos and comments via his Facebook page but also speaking for the 2016 Rio Olympics website (www.rio2016.com). „I’m very happy to be here I’m here to play a tournament and it doesn’t matter who else is here I’m just trying to win. My goal is to qualify for Rio next year so it’s great to come here and experience what the city is like” stressed Paul DRINKHALL who will be free in the first two rounds today at Riocentro Exhibition and Convention Center.
Terrorist attack should not lead to a disruption of sport competitions
ETTU’s Executive Board issued the statement regarding the recent tragic event in Paris “ETTU’s Executive Board (EB) is shocked by the recent terrorist atrocities in Paris. ETTU conveys its condolences to all concerned. Under the present circumstances ETTU’s EB understand the call from table tennis clubs and organisations not to travel to France to play matches for our European competitions. After having consulted the French Table Tennis Federation ETTU’s EB hold the following opinion: however serious the situation may be in our opinion while respecting the emotions involved and understanding a period of mourning a terrorist attack should in general not lead to a disruption of sport competitions.”
Extremely popular Finlandia Open
Finlandia Open – played on the 3rd- 6th of December in Kisakallio Sports Institute in Lohja – is going to be super popular. There’s no fewer than 40 countries. In Men´s singles due to a special competition system the number of the players is limited to 128 and the list is already completed. Waiting list too has a dozen or so players. In Women’s singles there are more than 80 players. In singles the so-called progressive knock-out system guarantees a lot of matches. The participants are playing for every position. The competition however is starting with the team competition. – The number of the matches and excellent Sports Institute conditions has made the competition very popular all over Europe. Coaches like our competition and our tournament has priority when they make their choices. Finland is very high on the list for all the future players of the national teams to acquire experience said vice-president Sonja GREFBERG from FTTA. Benedek Olah the best player of Finland at the moment has already reached world ranking position 151 and is probably going to be top-seeded in the competition. For him Finlandia Open will very important: Olah is fighting for his way to Rio de Jainero Olympic Games next summer. A home wins would straighten this way greatly. By Esko HEIKKINEN
KRAMER congratulates the 70th anniversary of the Federazione Italiana Tennistavolo
ETTU President Ronald KRAMER congratulates Francesco SCIANNIMANICO with the 70th anniversary of the Federazione Italiana Tennistavolo celebrated in Genoa November 15th. During the whole day long celebration numerous distinguished guests were present; beside table tennis champions and officials CONI President Giovanni MALAGÒ accompanied with Secretary General Roberto FABBRICINI also joined the celebration.
Team spirit leads Saarbrucken
Coach Slobodan GRUJIC comments 7-0 score in Bundesliga and importance of TTCLM victory against Walter Wels „Seven games seven wins! Brilliant performance so far in 2015/16 Bundesliga! Bravo Saarbrucken” This comment of Saarbruecken`s leading player Tiago POLONIA on his Facebook profile shows actual atmosphere in that German club. We asked Coach Slobodan GRUJIC to explain this winning streak. „Good play in Bundesliga is result of steadily performances of all three our leading players. Especially Adrien MATTENET who played unstable in the previous season. If I say that we have a strong team spirit this is not something new” stressed GRUJIC. Saarbrucken missed great chance to enter 2014/15 Bundesliga final having 3:0 (9:4) victory against Borussia in the first semi-final leg but now they are again on the right direction. Tiago APOLONIA Bojan TOKIC and Adrien MATTENET have had an unconvincing start in the TTCLM as they lost first two rounds (Angers 2:3 Orenburg 0:3) but in the Round 3 they managed to win very important away clash against Walter Wels (3:0). „The TTCLM Round 1 was our worst match in the ongoing season. In that moment players were not able to find a right rhythm of games. They lacked confidence they got after that period. Victory against Walter Wels returned us on the right way and gave us more self confidence”. When we asked him about favorites for the 2015/16 TTCLM crown he replied: „Orenburg and Borussia”. And who are biggest surprises so far (player/club) he added… „Zolt PETE and Walter Wels”! Regarding Saarbrucken goals in this season its coach said: „Our aims are TTCLM quarter-final play-off in Bundesliga and Final-4 in German Cup (we already did it)”. On November 22nd Saarbrucken hosts Fulda-Maberzell in the Round 8 of Bundesliga. Five days later they will play in France against Angers in the TTCLM Round 4.
XU ends Swedish dreams new title goes to FAN
Kristian KARLSSON was beaten by the top seed player in the semi-final of GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open (Major) at Stockholm The final day of GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open at Stockholm brought second consecutive title to new world`s no. 2 and second seed FAN Zhendong from China who overcame top seeded compatriot XU Xin in six games. XU who beat host player Kristian KARLSSON in the semi-final of the proceedings won opening game 11:1 in the final clash taking two out of first three sets but FAN confirmed that he likes to play in this event (it was his third final in a row here). It was successful tournament for host country as Sweden had two players in quarter-final of Men`s Singles Event: Jens LUNDQVIST (he defeated reigning Olympic champion ZHANG Jike in the Round of 16) was beaten in the next stage by his compatriot Kristian KARLSSON who had no power to extend Swedish dreams against XU. Chinese won in straight games (11-5 11-4 11-3 11-8). MU Zi is a surprising winner of Women`s Singles Event. The no. 26 seed defeated her compatriot no. 3 seed ZHU Yuling playing all seven games (11-8 9-11 11-9 11-8 4-11 5-11 11-3). MU also won Women`s Doubles playing alongside CHEN Meng. The best Men`s pair consist FANG Bo and XU Xin who prevailed against FAN Zhendong and ZHANG Jike in the all-Chinese final .
LUNDQVIST beat ZHANG Jike before Kristian KARLSSON beat him
GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm Swede Kristian KARLSSON will play in the semi final of the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm. In the quarterfinal the no.30 seed beat his compatriot Jens LUNDQVIST who caused the major upset only one round earlier. KARLSSON prevailed in straight games (12-10 11-6 11-6 11-3). Previously against the odds required to compete in the qualification stage of proceedings Jens LUNDQVIST beat China’s ZHANG Jike former World champion reigning Olympic Games champion and the third seed to reserve his place in the quarter-finals. LUNDQVIST with some 1 500 fans on their feet beat ZHANG Jike in six games (11-6 5-11 11-9 11-3 5-11 12-10). Kristian KARLSSON beat Canadian qualifier Eugene Wang in six games (11-6 5-11 11-9 11-3 5-11 12-10). There was also success for colleague Anton KÄLLBERG but it was defeat for Pär GERELL. Anton KÄLLBERG beat fellow qualifier Russia’s Vasiliy LAKEEV (11-6 11-9 11-9 11-4) the match concluding prior to the defeat of Pär GERELL the no.15 seed at the hands of China’s LIANG Jinkun the no.24 seed (11-5 11-6 11-13 11-9 5-11 11-3). In the quarterfinal KALLBERG lost his encounter against FAN Zhendong of China. Frenchman Tristan FLORE and Japan’s Yui HAMAMOTO won the respective Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles titles in Stockholm. It was for FLORE his second such career title having won in Qatar in 2014; for Yui HAMAMOTO it was her third. She emerged successful in the Czech Republic in 2013 and early this year in Hungary. In the final FLORE the no.11 seed accounted for Croatia’s Filip ZELJKO a player had been required to negotiate the preliminary stages and was not seeded (11-7 11-9 5-11 11-6). In the semi final FLORE beat Hong Kong’s HO Kwan Kit the top seed by the narrowest of five game margins (9-11 6-11. 11-7 11-4 15-13).In the counterpart semi-final Filip ZELJKO had beaten Sweden’s Elias RANEFUR the no.15 seed (11-8 12-10 9-11 8-11 11-6). Yui HAMAMOTO duly clinched the title by overcoming Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS the no.10 seed at the final hurdle (11-8 11-5 6-11 11-9); the Romanian in the counterpart semi-final having overcome Singapore’s ZHOU Yihan the no.2 seed (6-11 9-11 11-5 11-4 11-7).
Portugal awaits big guns
The list of Qualifiers for Grand Finals A total of 16 players compete in each of Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals to be staged in Lisbon Portugal from Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th December. In order to qualify a player must have played in a minimum five ITTF World Tour tournaments during the calendar year. Portugal as the host association receives one place. The qualifiers are: Men’s SinglesMA Long (China) XU Xin (China) JUNG Younsik (Korea) FAN Zhendong (China) Maharu YOSHIMURA (Japan) Vladimir SAMSONOV (Belarus) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) ZHANG Jike (China) WONG Chun Ting (Hong Kong) CHUANG Chih-Yuan (Chinese Taipei) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Jun MIZUTANI (Japan) LEE Sangsu (Korea) Koki NIWA (Japan) Yuya OSHIMA (Japan) KIM Donghyun (Korea) Women’s SinglesAi FUKUHARA (Japan) ZHU Yuling (China) Mima ITO (Japan) DING Ning (China) JEON Jihee (Korea) LIU Shiwen (China) HAN Ying (Germany) FENG Tianwei (Singapore) Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) CHEN Meng (China) YANG Haeun (Korea) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) SEO Hyowon (Korea) SHAN Xiaona (Germany) Misako WAKAMIYA (Japan) Host Association (Portugal) Eight pairs compete in each of the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. Each pair must have competed as a partnership in a minimum of four ITTF World Tour tournaments in the calendar year. Portugal as the host association receives one place. The qualifiers are: Men’s DoublesJung Youngsik / Kim Minseok (Korea) Chiang Hung-Chieh / Huang Sheng-Sheng (Chinese Taipei) Jeong Sangeun / Lee Sangsu (Korea) Marcos Freitas / Andrei Gacina (Portugal / Croatia) Tang Peng / Wong Chuin Ting (Hong Kong) Masataka Morizono / Yuya Oshima (Japan) Cho Eonrae / Kim Donghyun (Korea) Host Association (Portugal) Women’s DoublesJeon Jihee / Yang Haeun (Korea) Lin Ye / Zhou Yihan (Singapore) Ding Ning / Zhu Yuling (China) Shan Xiaona / Petrissa Solja (Germany) Jiang Huajun / Tie Yana (Hong Kong) Doo Hoi Kem / Lee Ho Ching (Hong Kong) Miu Hirano / Mima Ito (Japan) Host Association Pair (Portugal)Eight players compete in each of the Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. A player must have played in a minimum four ITTF World Tour tournaments and in two continents during the calendar year. Portugal as the host association receives one place. The qualifiers are: Under 21 Men’s SinglesJIANG Woojin (Korea) ZHAI Yujia (Denmark) Yuya OSHIMA (Japan) KIM Donghyun (Korea) Benjamin BROSSIER (France) Masaki YOSHIDA (Japan) Kohei SAMBE (Japan) Host Association (Portugal) Under 21 Women’s SinglesHitomi SATO (Japan) Yui HAMAMOTO (Japan) DOO Hoi Kem (Hong Kong) LI Ye (Singapore) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) ZENG Jian (Singapore) ZHOU Yihan (Singapore) Host Association (Portugal)
