Club from Poland beat French Metz in the second leg of the ETTU Cup final Four times runners up in the Women’s ETTU Cup KTS Tarnobrzeg finally clinched the title in the Women’s ETTU Cup. In the second leg of the final Polish club repeated the success from the previous encounter and overcame Metz TT. However this time French club made it harder for the hosts. Tarnobrzeg was stretched to full distance. HAN Ying was the back-bone of the club’s success. She overcame both Yunli SCHREINER and WU Jiaduo after very close matches. Renáta ŠTRBÍKOVÁ maintained her focus and won decisive match against Yunli SCHREINER after previously struggled to find the game for WU JIaduo. LI Qian and FU Yu repeated the result from the opening leg – straight games victory for FU. ETTU Cup final KTS SPAR Zamek Tarnobrzeg – METZ TT 3:2 HAN Ying – Yunli SCHREINER 3:1 (11:2 11:6 7:11 11:5)Renáta ŠTRBÍKOVÁ – WU Jiaduo 1:3 (11:8 12:14 6:11 8:11)LI Qian – FU Yu 0:3 (3:11 7:11 4:11)HAN Ying – WU Jiaduo 3:2 (14:12 11:7 9:11 8:11 13:11) Renáta ŠTRBÍKOVÁ – Yunli SCHREINER 3:0 (11:3 11:8 11:9) First leg may 8thMetz TT -KTS SPAR Zamek Tarnobrzeg 1:3 FU Yu – LI Qian 3:2 (4:11 11:7 9:11 12:10 11:8)WU Jiaduo – HANG Ying 0:3 (6:11 7:11 9:11)Yunli SCHREINER – Renata STRBIKOVA 2:3 (11:6 11:9 6:11 5:11 6:11)FU Yu – HANG Ying 0:3 (5:11 4:11 9:11)
Orenburg clinched its 3rd MECL title
After 3:1 away defeat Russian champion managed to beat Borussia 3:0 at home Fakel Gazproma Orenburg is the 2014/15 Men’s European Champions League! After 3:1 away defeat three weeks ago Russian champion managed to beat Borussia 3:0 in today’s rematch. This is for sure one of the most amazing comebacks in the final MECL clashes so far. One more big fact is that Orenburg did it against ten times European champion and most decorated European clubs ever. Host coach Valery SALABAEV decided to play for all or nothing posting Vladimir SAMSONOV on the first spot in the Orenburg`s line-up. It was the clear sign that the Russians will hunt 3:0 victory instead to calculate with set-ratio in case of 3:1. Vladimir SAMSONOV who improved his individual record on 11 titles prevailed against Patrick FRANZISKA in the opener. Young German took the first game but great Byelorussian responded by three in a row. One of crucial moments appeared in the third set when host managed to take several consecutive points after 5:3 lead of guest. Two best ranked European player met in the second encounter as actual individual champion of Old Continent overcame six times gold medalist of ECH: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Timo BOLL 3:0. Host did an impressive turn in the late first set (6:9 11:9) while in the other two controlled the game all the time. This victory brought a big lead for Orenburg but also provided the best individual score for OVTCHAROV (14-2 BOLL 15-3). Finally Alexey SMIRNOV confirmed why he is considered as the best team’s no. 3 player of MECL in last couple of years. Former EURO Top 12 winner defeated Panagiotis GIONIS in five games. Greek did everything he could to extend the match and give a new chance to Timo BOLL but after exciting fourth set (SMIRNOV saved four set balls) he easily lost the ultimate one. This is the 3rd MECL crown for Orenburg who was the champion in 2012 and 2013. In its very first final (2011) they was beaten by Borussia who continues as the most decorated European club ever (64 titles in total: 4 out of it MECL 6 Cup of Champions). Men`s ECL final 2nd leg Fakel Gazproma Orenburg – Borussia Dusseldorf 3:0 Vladimir SAMSONOV – Patrick FRANZISKA 3:1 (7:11 11:5 11:3 11:6) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Timo BOLL 3:0 (12:10 11:9 11:7) Alexey SMIRNOV – Panagiotis GIONIS 3:2 (9:11 11:7 11:6 10:12 11:6) Men`s ECL final 1st leg (May 10th) Borussia Dusseldorf – Fakel Gazproma Orenburg 3:1 Timo BOLL – Vladimir SAMSONOV 3:0 (11:3 11:7 14:12) Patrick FRANZISKA – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 1:3 (2:11 11:6 8:11 7:11) Panagiotis GIONIS – Alexey SMIRNOV 3:1 (11:3 11:5 8:11 11:4) Timo BOLL – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 3:2 (7:11 11:7 8:11 11:7 12:10)
Borussia targets the Triple!
„We won both Bundesliga and German Cup but we would like to do the last step in Champions League on Friday to win the Triple” stressed Borussia`s manager Andreas PREUSS Borussia Dusseldorf is determined to overleap its last hurdle and repeat the history winning its new Triple Crown but Fakel Gazproma Orenburg is not afraid by 3:1 advantage of German club in the first leg of 2014/15 MECL final. The returning final match will be held tomorrow (13h20 CET live on LAOLA1.tv) on Russian soil. „We played a great year in Bundesliga and German Cup and we won the Double. But we would like to do the last step in Champions League on Friday to win the Triple” stressed Bprussia`s manager Andreas PREUSS. „This would be the high point of an incredible season. Orenburg is the highest ranked team with great players OVTCHAROV and SAMSONOV. They are able to beat us and to win the title too. So we have to play extreme concentrated and with full power.” Coach Danny HEISTER is sure that recent victory in German League final against Fulda will put a good energy inside the team: „I hope that we can take the positive result of winning the German Bundesliga last Sunday to Orenburg. Our whole team our whole club is willing to make history.” Youngest player in Borussia`s line-up Patrick FRANZISKA added: „We know that the match in Orenburg will be tough and the host team will fight for every ball. Their fans will make noise and it will be a special atmosphere in the hall. But it´s our chance to win the Triple which you don’t get often. It would be the first time for me Panos (GIONIS) and Kamal (ACHANTA) to win Champions League and to win this historical Triple.”
Welcome to the new ETTU Website!
Welcome to the completely new website of the European Table Tennis Union. I am very proud to present it to you. You will see many differences compared to the former website. The navigation structure has changed but most important is that the site has many more interactive opportunities. Of course the main news is still at the core of ETTU.ORG but you will see many more possibilities to watch table tennis directly on your devices. Not just the European Championships but also quite extensively the Table Tennis Champions Leagues. The philosophy behind the site is that we want to contribute to intensifying the connection between our events and our players and their fans and followers thus creating a European Table Tennis Community including all associations clubs and individuals. We are grateful to the experts from LAOLA1 and tsmg for having guided us and who have worked very hard to get our new website ‘on air’ in time. Compliments are of course always welcome but if we want this website to get better over the time please do not hesitate to inform us of errors and possible mistakes you find or run into. As you will see a special Member Area for which our associations will receive a login and password. Here our member associations will be able to find all relevant documents relating to our Congresses etc. For efficiency reasons in this member area there is a special tab for the Executive Board members where only EB members have access to information and documents that have not yet reached a state of publication. In the member area you will also find our online entry system for our events. This welcome message will stay on this homepage for a limited period of time. Later you will find our real news headers as you were used to. Please look around on this website and enjoy what you find! You can send your remarks relating to this new website to Ms. Ana Antic mail address: ana.antic.ettu@gmail.com. Ronald Kramer President
The ultimate MECL showdown: Orenburg – Borussia
This Friday (13h20 CET live on LAOLA1.tv) returning final leg will be held in Russia after 3:1 home win of German champion After the returning final TTCLM leg this Friday (13h20 CET live on LAOLA1.tv someone will become 11th time European club’s champion Borussia Dusseldorf or Fakel Gazproma`s player Vladimir SAMSONOV who did it three times with German side. The ultimate MECL showdown will be held in Russian city Orenburg where these two title contenders closed the 2010/11 season (German champion took its last crown). Borussia went to Russia with a big advantage from ARAG CenterCort 3:1 (10:6) thanks to Timo BOLL who defeated two Top 10 players from ITTF World ranking list Vladimir SAMSONOV and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. Greek Panagiotis GIONIS prevailed against Alexey SMIRNOV while OVTCHAROV brought unique point to his side beating Patrick FRANZISKA. In the crucial moment for the 1st game’s outcome BOLL saved match ball in the fourth encounter against OVTCHAROV. The finalists successfully defended their titles in the national leagues last Sunday and both are approaching to the upcoming meeting in a good shape. Three weeks ago it was clear that German club has to continue until the end of the season without Indian Kamal ACHANTA due to injury that he got on the 2015 QOROS World Championships in Suzhou. Borussia amazingly survived twice this season first in the MECL and recently in the Bundesliga thus they are now fully determined to avoid destiny of Pontoise and Saarbrucken who both missed a big advantages against Timo BOLL & Company in the MECL quarter-final and German League semi-final respectively. Dusseldorf`s team has eliminated the reigning MECL champion thanks to better set-ratio (1:3 3:1 17:16) while they did one more unbelievable comeback against Saarbrucken who won 3:0 (9:4) first leg (in the second one Borussia beat them 3:0 9:3). German side is the record holder being 10 times European champion (6 Cup of Champions era 4 MECL era). There is just one club in all sports who did it more times CSKA Moscow in the volleyball (13 titles). Real Madrid also has 10 in football basketball department of this Spanish club lifted the trophy nine times Barcelona did it eight times in handball Pro Reco Mladost Zagreb and Partizan Belgrade 7 times in vater polo… On the other side Vladimir SAMSONOV has the best individual table tennis score fighting now for his 11th European title. Great Byelorussian took two Cup of Champions and eight MECL: 1997 1998 2000 with Borussia 2001 2002 2003 2004 and 2007 with Charleroi and 2012 and 2013 with Fakel Gazproma Orenburg. In last six editions the actual finalists were five times in total MECL winners: Borussia 2009 2010 and 2011 Orenburg 2012 and 2013. French Pontoise beat all predictions last year defeating Russian champion in the final. The ultimate MECL match will determine the best individual score in the 2014/15 season. Timo BOLL enters upcoming clash with 15-2 whilst Dimitrij OVTCHAROV has 13-2. It could be expect that one of these two Germans will be a man of decision. Men’s ECL final 2nd leg (May 29th 13h20 CET) Fakel Gazproma Orenburg – Borussia Dusseldorf Men`s ECL final 1st leg (May 10th 13h00 CET) Borussia Dusseldorf – Fakel Gazproma Orenburg 3:1 Timo BOLL – Vladimir SAMSONOV 3:0 (11:3 11:7 14:12) Patrick FRANZISKA – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 1:3 (2:11 11:6 8:11 7:11) Panagiotis GIONIS – Alexey SMIRNOV 3:1 (11:3 11:5 8:11 11:4) Timo BOLL – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 3:2 (7:11 11:7 8:11 11:7 12:10)
New titles boost self-confidence of MECL finalists
Orenburg and Borussia who will meet this Friday succesfully defended their crowns in Russia and Germany respectively Two European biggest trophy collectors in last ten years will meet in the ultimate clash of the 2014/15 Men`s European Champions League this Friday in Orenburg (May 29th 13h20 CET) aiming their second titles in just five days! Last Sunday both defended their crowns in national leagues Borussia Dusseldorf in Germany and Fakel Gazproma Orenburg in Russia but now they will fight for the most prestigious trophy in the club`s competition of Old Continent.Borussia secured a big advantage for the returning leg beating at home Russian side 3:1 (10:6). Timo BOLL contributed with two points against two Top 10 players on ITTF Ranking list (Vladimir SAMSONOV and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV) while Panagiotis GIONIS added one against Alexey SMIRNOV.“Of course it will be difficult to win back after 3:1 defeat but we`ll know the MECL winner only after the second final match. Our team is aimed at winning the second match” stressed Orenburg`s coach Valeriy SALABAEV.Borussia goes to Russia in super mood with 27th title of Bundesliga in its history. Two days ago in Frankfurter Fraport Arena they defeated Fulda 3:1 playing in front of 3.200 spectators. BOLL again did his job against WANG Xi and former Borussia`s player Christian SUSS as well as Greek GIONIS who prevaileg against Ruwen FILUS. Borussia`s manager Andreas PREUSS repeated that it was like in previous games the success of all players including Patrick FRANZISKA who brought some important wins during the season (despite he missed few months due to injury):“Now we are focused on one more big step to win TTCLM”.In the same time Orenburg defended its title in Russia after exciting final encounters against its biggest rival UMMC. The final tournament of Russian League was held in Yekaterinburg and as it was expected these two clubs fought for the crown. Verkhnaya Pyshma`s side won first final match 4:3 last Saturday but next day Orenburg secured new title by 4:2 victory. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV won all his four games beating twice Jun MIZUTANI and Alexander SHIBAEV.
Patrick FRANZISKA entered Top 10
May’s European rankings are available now At the European rankings in May Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Timo BOLL holds the top two positions on Men’s list however at the lower positions in Top 10 there are few changes. Vladimir SAMSONOV of Belarus took Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS position no. 3 whilst from place no. 8 Panagiotis GIONIS of Greece moved to spot no. 5. Patric BAUM of Germany Tiago APOLONIA of Portugal and Robert GARDOS of Austria all moved down for one place. Patrick FRANZISKA of Germany entered the top 10. He moved from position no. 21. HAN Ying of Germany and LIU Jia of Austria still stands on the top of the Women’s’ Rankings with Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania at the position no. three. LI jie of Netherlands progressed to position no. 6 and SHEN YAnfei of Germany also moved up to Top 8. At the top of the U21 lists are Simon GAUZY of France and Petrissa SOLJA of Germany. The best ranked Junior Boy is Anton KALLBERG of Sweden whilst in the Junior Girl’s category Adina DIACONU of Romania is at the top. Romania is once again at the top in the Cadet Boys list with Cristian PLETEA being no. one again. In Girls category Russia’s Maria TAYLAKOVA is the best ranked cadet.
37th Flanders International Tournament in Oostende
The 17th Flanders ITT Ostend Masters is on Saturday 15 August 2015 with Jean-Michel Saive The 37th Flanders International Table Tennis Tournament will be held in Oostende. The tournament starts on Friday August 14th with the competition for veterans. The 17th Flanders I.T.T. Ostend Masters Players with Jean-Michel SAIVE will be on program next day whilst Flanders Youth Cup and 13th Flanders Seniors Cup will be played from Monday 17th. The tournament will be played on 50 tables with white 40 mm new plastic balls new rankings will be used and one player can enter only for up 2 series each day.
Nearly 2.000 veterans on their way to Tampere
Veterans European Championships will be played from June 28th to July 4th in Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre. The final number of the officially registered participants is 1 850. They are coming to compete on 90 brand new Stiga Expert tables in the main hall plus 40 more in the practice hall. Tampere 180 km from Helsinki to North is the biggest midland city in the whole Scandinavia with more than 200.000 inhabitants.Finnish Table Tennis Association and the local organizer PT 75 expects more than 2 500 guests from 35 European countries in total. German team is the biggest group with close to 700 players.“The competition brings in Tampere many former Continent’s top players. One of the most famous of them is probably Austrian DING Yi. One of the best Finnish players ever Jukka IKONEN is also going to show his famous defensive skills again in his hometown after a few years break” announced FTTA President Esko HEIKKINEN.
Baku 2015 completes final tests of all 20 European Games sports
Baku 2015 European Games yesterday held successful sport tests in Volleyball and 3×3 Basketball completing its preparatory programme for all 20 sports which will feature at the inaugural event.Mr Simon CLEGG Chief Executive Officer of Baku 2015 said: “The successful close of the sport test series together with our test events brings us one step closer to the start of the Games on 12 June. Delivering the first European Games has been a massive undertaking for BEGOC and our partners in the Azerbaijani government involving preparations on a city-wide basis but we have always kept a strong focus on the athletes’ experience. “Our test events and sport tests have allowed us to learn some important lessons based on a philosophy of ‘plan implement execute review and refine’ and we are now better placed to deliver a successful Games as a result of these collective learnings. It is my firm belief that great sporting competitions make for successful sporting events and at Baku 2015 we have spared no effort to ensure the stage will be perfectly set for Europe’s competitors to deliver the performances of a lifetime.”Sport tests are events designed to ensure the readiness of Baku 2015 from a sport competition perspective while test events are stand-alone competitions in their own right with a broader range of functional areas involved.Mr Pierce O’CALLAGHAN Baku 2015 Director of Sport explained: “The series of sport tests has confirmed our readiness to host the European Games ensuring that everything is in place for the athletes to shine across all 20 Baku 2015 sports. The sport tests have complemented the six major test events that we held which allowed us to simulate Games-time operations across the full range of functional areas. By combining test events in key venues with a full series of sport tests we have fully tested our operational readiness in the most resource-effective manner.”
