Marie MIGOT will also play for Austrian club The transfer time for the international competitions was almost over but in the very nick of time the sensational transfer for SVNÖ STRÖCK –the Austrian national team champion 2014 and Champions League semi-finalist 2014/2015 –was completed. Sayaka HIRANO national team player from Japan who could win several medals at World Championships and Olympic Games and Japan National Championships currently number 16 in the world will reinforce the Austrian top team in the next season. Hirano 30 years old is a right-handed attacker who is the first so called wunderkind in the Japanese table tennis sports history. But she is not the only newcomer for SVNÖ STRÖCK: Marie MIGOT the 16 years old “golden hand” from France is one of the most promising European players has decided to move to Schwechat and to practice at the Werner Schlager Academy as well as to play for the SVNÖ STRÖCK. Another international superstar is under contract with SVNÖ STRÖCK but as the last details are not clarified we do not publish the name now. The players Dora MADARASZ (HUN) and Daniela DODEAN-MONTEIRO (ROU) will not continue playing for SVNÖ STRÖCK. The Romanian still lives and practices in Schwechat but she plays for a French club in the next season. SVNÖ STRÖCK aims high in the next season! Besides Fenerbahce Istanbul Berlin eastside Metz (FRA) Tarnobrzeg (POL) and Linz-Froschberg the team from Schwechat hopes to compete for the big European title: the victory in the European Champions League.
ITTF World Tour Korea Open Goes Ahead as Scheduled
The GAC Group 2015 World Tour Korea Open has started in Incheon The US$3 000 000 GAC Group 2015 World Tour continues today with the qualification for the Korea Open (Super Series) beginning in Incheon. Despite some teams pulling out of the 12th World Tour stop of the year due to the MERS outbreak the ITTF is confident that the health of the players and officials is not at risk.ITTF’s CEO Judit FARAGO stated: “We are happy that the Korea Open is going ahead as planned. ITTF and Korean Table Tennis Association have been very consciously checking on the situation and we will do everything to ensure the health of all players and officials. “We have been in close contact with FISU as the Universiade takes place in Korea at the same time as the Korea Open and the World Health Organisation (WHO).Both organisations have suggested precautious health practice but does not recommend travel restrictions to Korea.” The Korea Open will be the first major event that YANG Haeun will be playing in her home country since she was crowned Mixed Doubles World Champion in Suzhou.The 6th seed stated: “t is a nice thought to be playing in my home event as a World Champion! I will be doing my best to make my country proud. Winning my first World Tour title here in my home country would be a dream come true.” The 21 year old’s biggest threat will come from the ever dangerous Japanese trio of Kasumi ISHIKAWA Ai FUKUHARA and Mima ITO who have all tasted success already on the World Tour in 2015. Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) is the top male seed here in Incheon and will be looking for a better result than his second round exit last week at the Japan Open. This will be no easy task for the world number five as he is due to meet the surprise finalist of the Japan Open Maharu YOSHIMURA (JPN) in the second round. The local crowd will be hoping for the Australian Open Champion JUNG Youngsik and the legendary Joo Saehyuk to bring home the gold for Korea. The Korea Open being held on 1-5 July 2015 is the 12th stop of the US$3 000 000 GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour with all players pushing for Race to Lisbon points in a bid to qualify for the World Tour Grand Final later in the year. The qualification rounds beginning today 1 July 2015 at the Namdong Gymnasium. The prestigious event sees participation of 115 men and women all vying to be the 15th Korea Open Champion. The GAC Group 2015 World Tour is offering a record US$3 000 000 in prize money and will also be the most viewed 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. The Korea Open is one of six GAC Group World Tour Super Series events in 2015 which is the top tier on the World Tour. The rest of the World Tour events are split into Major series (6 events) and Challenge (11 events) The top 16 singles and top eight doubles pairs on the Race to Lisbon Standings will be invited to the prestigious 2015 World Tour Grand Finals to be held in Lisbon Portugal on 10-13 December 2015.
Marc DURAN and Maria XIAO – Spanish Champions
UCAM Cartagena won in Men’s and Women’s Teams events The Spanish Championships for all categories was playing in Antequera. At 42 Butterfly tables new champions in main senior and junior categories are crowned whilst the disabled categories weere scheduled for week latter. In the Men’s Singles Event Marc DURAN won his first title and Maria XIAO secured the main prize for the second time. Duran the DKV Borges Vall’s player beat 4-0 Endika DÍEZ (Irun Leka Enea). It was second final for DIEZ and the fifth final for DURAN; previously suffered four times against MACHADO. Álvaro ROBLES (ASV Grünwettersbach) and Jesus CANTERO (UCAM Cartagena) lost in semi-finals. In the Women Maria XIAO (UCAM Cartagena) clinched the title of Absolute champion of Spain by beating Sara RAMIREZ (Vic TT). XIAO won 4-3 against Ramirez in a final that needed to resolve in 7 sets. Gloria PANADERO (Peralto Salud Linares) and Raquel BONILLA (Arteal TM) won the bronze medal. In doubles competition Marc DURÁN and Oriol MOZÓ in Men’s and Raquel BONILLA and Laura RAMIREZ in Women’s become Spanish champions. In the team competition UCAM Cartagena won in Men’s and Women’s Teams events. In Men’s UCAM Cartagena beat CajaSur Prigo 3-1 and in Women’s UCAM Cartagena succeeded against Balaguer Villart Logistic.
DING Yi still in good shape
Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre has become the all-time largest “the whole venue by one sight” table tennis hall with 90 tables in the main hall. European Veteran’s Championships with more than 1800 players has participants from 35 countries. Monday and Tuesday were spent with qualifying groups in singles and doubles and the knock-out matches in main draw and consolation will start on Thursday. All the well-known players from the past like Austrian DING Yi (MS50) Russian Dimitri MAZUNOV (MS40) and Croatian Branka BATINIC (WS50) will continue their playing in the main draw. The most interesting player so far however is German Inge-Brigitte HERRMANN who just turned 94 years. Herrmann playing women´s singles and doubles over 85 years is forced and pleased to give several interviews every time after entering the arena. She started her table tennis career at the age on 72. The Finns seem to manage well with the organization. ” I have interviewed at least 100 European veterans. They are all telling me that the competition has been running brilliantly. The venue is superb with all similar tables and the lighting is good ” said Zdenko KRIZ Chairman of the ETTU Veteran Committee.
Ito & Hirano’s Record Recognized by Guinness World Records
Mima ITO and Miu HIRANO’s record breaking women’s doubles win at the GAC Group 2014 World Tour German Open has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records ITO and HIRANO became the youngest ever winner of an ITTF World Tour event when they became the women’s doubles champions in Magdeburg Germany when they were just 13 years old with a combined age of 27 years and 145 days. The talented duo received plaques commemorating their achievements in a special ceremony organized by Guinness World Records during the GAC Group 2015 World Tour Japan in Kobe Japan. During the ceremony a Guinness World Records representative stated: “This record is very special due to the immense talent of these two girls. Today is a bright day celebrating this exceptional record which I am sure will not be broken for a long time.” ITO who has now ranked 9th in the world at just 14 years of age stated: “I am very grateful to everyone who helped me break this record. The day we won in Germany was very emotional and a day that I will never forget.” ITO is used to breaking records with the Japanese superstar already becoming the youngest ever winner of an ITTF Junior event at 10 years of age the same age that she won a match at the Senior Japan National Championships which has never been done before. HIRANO who also has a bright future ahead of her added: “I am so proud of this record. I will continue practicing hard so I can be the best table tennis player that I can and create more history for Japan.” Both players are now heading to the GAC Group 2015 World Tour Super Korea Open being held in Incheon where they will hope to add more titles to their ever growing collection.
Referees happy with the start of the competition in Tampere
The European Veterans Championships is playing according to the international table tennis rules of ITTF. ETTU-Regulations for the EVC according to the ETTU Handbook are respected. That means the organizer provides umpires for the European Championships Competition and the final stages of the Consolation Competition. In the qualifying groups members of the groups who are not playing makes themselves available as umpires. In Tampere Germany’s SCHNABEL Estonia’s Poru BAZZI of Switzerland MIETTINEN of Finland ZAPATA of Spain and WADSTEN of Sweden are on duty . ” The beginning of the tournament was nearly perfect without any doubt! Small issues und discussions are normal but all players are very friendly and fair. The first two days we are playing without international Umpires. So the table managers have sometimes a very hard job” explained Umpires and Referees Committee Chairman Gerhard SCHNABEL.
Finns even arranged good weather for European Veterans Championships
Proceedings were officially opened in a ceremony on the centre of Tampere which is incredibly warm considering we are in the frozen north European Veterans Championships in Finland was officially open. Yesterday on a training day there was not a spare table in the competition and the training area as nearly 2 000 competitors from more than 30 countries on more than 130 tables learnt how to say ‘Do you want a knock’ in everyone’s languages. Friendships and camaraderie were the order of the day . Proceedings were ‘officially opened’ in a ceremony on the centre of Tampere which is incredibly warm considering we are in the frozen north. The Finns even arranged good weather for event. There is also a music festival this week so the table tennis fraternity took over the vast marquee in the centre with about 1 000 players coaches and partners participating in the official opening ceremony. President of Finnish Table Tennis Association Esko HEIKKINEN welcomed the visitors from home and abroad to Tampere. He expressed his pride in hosting the biggest table tennis event ever to take place in Finland and wanted everyone not only to enjoy the table tennis but to experience the midnight sun and the unique atmosphere from this united veterans table tennis community. Zdenko KRIZ Chairman of the ETTU’s veteran’s committee came straight from the airport to add his thanks support and best wishes to the European table tennis family. He spoke of renewing old friendships and making new contacts experiences and memories. Entertainment was provided by a male voice choir who served us some typical Finnish ballads and a few foot stomping hand clapping numbers. The artistic gymnasts also performed a few twists and turns and had everyone sharing the mood in their last number of ‘And I’m feeling good…..’ Finally the deputy mayors told us about the sporting traditions of Tampere mainly as a city united by sport and divided by two ice hockey teams….. and then declared the event officially open to a spontaneous round of applause. Last night friendship and a united veterans table tennis community has a good feeling of ‘love-all’ as drinks and stories and pictures are shared in the Finnish sunshine. Today a different ‘love-all’ starts the competitive side of the tournament when players begin the road to medals.
European Games was an unforgettable moment in history
Chair of the Baku 2015 European Games Organising Committee and First Lady of Azerbaijan Merhiban ALIYEVA last night praised all those who took part for ‘making the European Games an unforgettable festival of sport.’ The flame was extinguished in a spectacular Closing Ceremony in Baku tonight which saluted those that had contributed to 17 days of sporting and organizational excellence. In her closing address to the packed 68 000-seater Olympic Stadium in Baku the First Lady said: “We are proud that the first European Games were held in our country. We are proud that within only two and a half years Azerbaijan has turned its commitment into a reality and delivered a sporting event of the highest standard. Over the last 17 days we witnessed unity solidarity and friendship between European nations. As the curtain falls on this celebration of sport and friendship I’m overwhelmed by an enormous sense of pride in our country and our people. The past 17 days will live forever in our hearts. It will be an unforgettable moment in our history that passes down through the generations.” She thanked the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham ALIYEV and the entire population of the country for the support they gave the Azerbaijan athletes who finished second in the medal table. “The entire nation is proud of our athletes. They have won a total of 56 medals – including 21 gold medals – and finished second in the overall medals table. Athletes of Azerbaijan your success makes you a great example to the next generation ” she added. To the cheers of the packed stadium the First Lady continued with praise for the European Olympic Committees the volunteers from both Azerbaijan and abroad as well as the Games Organising Committee. She thanked EOC President Patrick HICKEY for his ‘vision and determination (that) turned the idea of a European Games into a reality’ and the Chair of the Coordination Commission Spyros CAPRALOS for ‘his invaluable guidance during our preparations.’ And a special thanks were reserved for the ‘wonderful volunteers’ when the First Lady said: “We could not have staged this event without you. Your enthusiasm and professionalism has helped us to bring the spirit of Baku 2015 to life. A country which has such a talented youth has a great future. “A big thank you also to our international volunteers. You travelled to Azerbaijan from across Europe to help us organise this historic event and to be a part of this festival of sport and friendship. We will miss you and hope you will come back. Azerbaijan opened its arms and its heart to Europe. We welcomed old friends and made new ones. This evening we say goodbye to you all. But we hope to see you back in Azerbaijan for future events.” In 2016 Baku will host the forty-second Chess Olympiad and the Formula One European Grand Prix. In 2017 it will stage the Fourth Islamic Solidarity Games. And in 2020 four matches in the European Championships.
Players from 35 countries on duty in Tampere
The venue with 90 brand new STIGA tables awaits tomorrow’s matches at Exhibition and Sports Centre Two years ago in the ÖVB-Arena Germany clinched 17 gold medals tomorrow when the battles starts at Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre at the European Veterans Championships we will see if anyone can surpass this result. The venue with 90 brand new STIGA tables is open for players from 35 countries. In most interesting over 40 category last year’s champion Mukhamed KUSHKHOV will not be on duty in Finland but vice champion Dmitrij MAZUNOV arrived in Tampere. YI Ding of Austria will play in over 50 category. In Women’s 40 Singles Elena LAMONOS of Germany the medal winner from Germany will not play but Doubles Champions Elena CHUNIKHINA and Larisa LAVRUKHINA of Russia arrived. Here you have the link for draw & results.
XU Xin Wins 11th ITTF World Tour Title at Japan Open
XU Xin has broken the hearts of the capacity Japanese crowd by defeating local hero Maharu YOSHIMURA at the GAC Group 2015 World Tour Japan Open men’s singles final Chinese XU won his 11th ITTF World Tour title over the surprise finalist 22 year old YOSHIMURA who made his way to the final from qualification stage 9-11 11-2 14-12 11-7 11-7 today in Kobe Japan. XU who won both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles World Championships crowns earlier this year stated “This is my first Japan Open so it is very special for me to win here. Yoshimura played amazingly well. He is still young and is going to be a big rival to me and the Chinese team in the future.” “He surprised me in the first set and the large crowd supporting him put me off my game a little. I made some adjustments in the second game and I was very relieved when I won it to make it 1-1 as then I believed I could win. Winning ITTF World Tour titles are always a great feeling!” CHEN Meng proved that she is still a top force in women’s table tennis despite not being selected for the singles line-up at the recent World Championships team by becoming the women’s champion. Making the title even sweeter for CHEN is that she shocked the current World Champion and world number one DING Ning in the semi final to show her strength.In the women’s singles final CHEN won a tight seven-games battle against compatriot ZHU Yuling who she also beat in the 2011 World Junior Table Tennis Championships final 13-11 6-11 5-11 11-4 11-5 6-11 11-7 to win her fifth ITTF World Tour title. After her victory the excited 21 year old stated “To win the tournament is very important but more than that is to improve as a player in each match which will hopefully lead me to becoming the World Champion one day.” “I am happy to win this championship. My last two matches were very tough this victory will give me a lot of confidence in the future.” World Champion MA Long (CHN) made up for his shocking secondround defeat in the singles which was also his first defeat in 2015 by winning the men’s doubles with teammate and singles champion XU Xin. The due had too much experience in the crucial moments against their Chinese colleagues FAN Zhendong & SHANG Kun in the final winning 11-8 13-11 7-11 10-12 11-8 to ensure the reigning World Champion does not go home empty handed. China’s defensive pair of LIU Fei & WU Yang continued China’s golden day by defeating Singapore’s LIN Ye & ZHOU Yihan 11-6 7-11 11-9 11-5 to win the Women’s doubles title on their first partnership. With China sweeping the titles in the senior’s events it was Japan’s time to shine in the under 21 category. Hitomi SATO (JPN) won her fourth consecutive under 21 women’s title to score a record of 7 titles under her belt. Teammate Yuya OSHIMA (JPN) made up for losing the under 21 finals at the two previous ITTF World Tour events to become the champion in front of his home crowd. The world’s best table tennis players now head to the GAC Group 2015 World Tour Korea Open (Super Series) being held in Incheon to fight for more Race to Lisbon points.
