In the first phase of matches in the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open in Doha the players to lead the upsets were French: Jeremy PETIOT, Tristan FLORE and Romain LORENTZ. Listed at no.254 on the current Men’s World Rank, In the first phase of matches in the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open in Doha the players to lead the upsets were French: Jeremy PETIOT, Tristan FLORE and Romain LORENTZ. Listed at no.254 on the current Men’s World Rankings, Jeremy PETIOT accounted for Singapore’s YANG Zi, named at no.75 (11-4, 16-18, 11-9, 11-4, 13-11), before Tristan FLORE followed suit by overcoming China’s LIANG Jinkun (11-3, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 13-15, 11-8). Currently Tristan FLORE is at no.175 on the global list, LIANG Jingkun is at no.101. Romain LORENTZ, World ranked no.176, defeated Italy’s Mihai BOBOCICA, World ranked 111 (11-6, 5-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-1, 11-3); the wins meant all three Frenchmen topped their groups. The success for France was not complete; Abdel-Kader SALIFOU, the winner of three Challenge Series GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Tournaments and World ranked no.91, was beaten by Germany’s Ricardo WALTHER, named at no.186. Ricardo WALTHER won in five games (11-5, 5-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8) to secure first place in the group. Austria’s Amelie SOLJA duly secured first places in her respective group as did Germany’s Zhenqi BARTHEL.

The month of February is always the time for the Safir International Tournament in Örebro. In 2014 the five day event, which comprises the Swedish Junior and Cadet Open plus the Safir International, will be held from Wednesday and there will be a new look, The month of February is always the time for the Safir International Tournament in Örebro. In 2014 the five day event, which comprises the Swedish Junior and Cadet Open plus the Safir International, will be held from Wednesday and there will be a new look. The venue, the Idrottshuset has been renovated; a new hall has been built next to the original hall which was constructed in 1946. All matches will be played in the two halls, a change from previous years where up to 44 table tennis tables were in use in five halls on three floors. The first two days will witness the Swedish Junior Open; on Friday 21st February the Elite Class, including Jan-Ove WALDNER, will be held with the concluding two days being dedicated to the Swedish Cadet Open. Notably 40 national associations have sent entries; in addition to Europe, players from the continents of Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America will be present with no less than 121 boys and 92 girls taking part in the competitions organised under the auspices of the ITTF Junior Circuit. Meanwhile, the Elite Class, the Nittaku Cup sees an entry of 148 players with XU Hui, Robert SVENSSON, WANG Dian Yang and Jon PERSSON being the top four seeds. Hampus NORDBERG, Fabian ÅKERSTRÖM, Harald ANDERSSON and Jan-Ove WALDNER complete the top eight names. An impressive entry in terms of both size and quality; it is anticipated that more than 480 players will play over 2,000 games; over 300 players, coaches and managers from foreign shores will be present with in excess of 100 umpires and 200 volunteers combining to facilitate proceedings.

GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, Qatar Open, a Super Series tournament, staged from Tuesday 18th to Sunday 23rd February, it is the first ever six day event in what is now the 19th year of the ITTF World Tour; furthermore, it carries the highest prize mone, GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, Qatar Open, a Super Series tournament, staged from Tuesday 18th to Sunday 23rd February, it is the first ever six day event in what is now the 19th year of the ITTF World Tour; furthermore, it carries the highest prize money in the history of open international tournaments. A total prize fund of a staggering US$ 500,000 is on offer; considerably higher than the next on the list, the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour China Open later in the year boasts a total pot of US$ 350,000. Additionally, for the first time in the history of the tournament, prize money will be awarded in each of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles to players who suffer defeat in the opening round of an anticipated 64 players. First round losers will each receive US$ 1,500. Previously, competitors had to reach the round of 32 players to collect prize money. Meanwhile, the winners of the Men’s and Women’s Singles events will receive US $35,000 each, the runners up US$17,000. In each of the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events, the winning pair secures US$ 9,500, the runners up US$ 4,700; whilst in the Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Men’s Singles events, in each competition the champion gains US$ 3,000, the runner up US$ 1,500. At the Press Conference staged on Monday Adham SHARARA, ITTF President and Khalil Al-MOHANNADI were present to answer questions regarding the impending GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open. Also, they revealed exciting plans for the future. Khalil Al-MOHANNADI explained that the Qatar Table Tennis Association will bid to host the World Team Championships in 2020 and as Adham SHARARA indicated, great benefit may well be derived for the tournament being two years prior to the staging of the Football World Cup in Qatar in 2022.  “We have given deep thought and we plan to bid for the event which will take place two years before the Football World Cup,” said Khalil Al-MOHANNADI. “If Qatar bids for the 2019 event, which is an individual championship, the focus will be on a few players from a few countries, while in the team event, the focus will be on different countries and will reach a much wider audience; Qatar also plan to field a strong team in 2020 Championship.” A most fruitful and positive Press Conference was followed by a meeting with His Excellency Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-THANI, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Fisal Saleh Al-MANSOORI, Director of the Public Relations and Marketing Department. Accompanied by Khalil Al-MOHANNADI, Adham SHARARA congratulated all concerned on the efforts to promote table tennis and sport in general, whilst discussing future co-operation with Qatar.

China’s FAN Zhendong clinched the title in the Men’s Singles Event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open. Top seeded FN beat his compatriot no. two seed YAN An in the final 4:1 (11-7,11-7,13-15,11-3,11-8). At the semi-final stage of proceeding, China’s FAN Zhendong clinched the title in the Men’s Singles Event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open. Top seeded FN beat his compatriot no. two seed YAN An in the final 4:1 (11-7,11-7,13-15,11-3,11-8). At the semi-final stage of proceeding FAN Zhendong beat colleague ZHOU Yu, the no.7 seed, in an all-Chinese affair (12-10, 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7), before YAN An halted the aspirations of Korea’s KIM Minseok, the no.15 seed (11-3, 12-14, 11-6, 11-2, 11-13, 11-2). ZHU Yuling, the no.5 seed in Women’s Singles Event secured the title after 4:1 victory in the final against CHEN Meng (11-9, 11-3, 10-12, 12-10, 11-5). Winner of a full house of titles at the World Junior Championships in Bahrain in November 2011; CHEN Meng caused the great upset. The no.4 seed and currently listed at no.6 on the Women’s World Rankings, she overcame LIU Shiwen, the player who heads the global list and the seeding in Kuwait to secure her place in the final. CHEN Meng accounted for LIU Shiwen in four straight games (11-9, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6) . The contest between ZHU Yuling, the no.5 seed and Kasumi ISHIKAWA, the no.6 seed, ebbed and flowed until the latter stages when ZHU Yuling accelerated to victory. ZHU Yuling won in six games (9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-4).  

At the 2014 Czech Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Premium Junior Circuit in Hodonin Russia and France won gold in Junior Boy’s Teams and Cadet Girls Teams Event. The other two teams event were sealed by the Japan’s success. In Junior Boys Teams Event, At the 2014 Czech Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Premium Junior Circuit in Hodonin Russia and France won gold in Junior Boy’s Teams and Cadet Girls Teams Event. The other two teams event were sealed by the Japan’s success. In Junior Boys Teams Event in all Russia’s final Maxim CHAPLYGIN, Sadi ISMAILOV and Konstantin CHERNOV of A team overcame Stepan SHAPOSHNIKOV, Nikita YARUSHIN and Artem ZIMARIN of Russia B. In the penultimate stage Russia A bat Japan, whilst Russia B overcame Belarus with Vadim YARASHENKA, Aliaksandr KHANIN and Gleb SHAMRUK . In Junior Girls Teams Event Japan prevailed against Romania in the final. Previously Adina DIACONU, Bernadett BALINT and Andreea CLAPA of Romania overcame combination of Puerto Rico and Thailand, whilst Japan beat France with Roza SOPOSKI, Pauline CHASSELIN and Oceane GUISNEL. In Cadet Boys Teams Event Japan A beat Japan B at the last hurdle. In semis Japan A overcame Remi MENAND, Damien LLORCA and Remi MENAND of France, whilst their compatriots beat Ilya ISAKOV and Artur ABUSEV from Russia B. In Cadet Girls Teams Event Nolwenn FORT and Lucie  GAUTHIER of France clinched the title. Anastasia KOLISH and Maria TAYLAKOVA of Russia won silver. Semi finalists Leonie HARTBRICH and Orsolya FEHER of Hungary suffered by the hands of France A, whilst another French team with Romane LE SCOUR and Leili  MOSTAFAVI lost against Russia.

At the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, Kuwait Open (Super) Germany’s players made impressive impact, regarding the results of European representatives. In the quarter final of the Men’s Singles Event Patrick FRANZSKA booked his place among eight best play, At the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, Kuwait Open (Super) Germany’s players made impressive impact, regarding the results of European representatives. In the quarter final of the Men’s Singles Event Patrick FRANZSKA booked his place among eight best players by beating Robert GARDOS of Austria in Round of 16. He joined recent winner of the DHS Europe Cup in Lausanne, Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS. Seeded at position no. five, FREITAS justified his rankings by overcoming another player from Germany Bastian STEGER. In Women’s Singles Event the only remained European players from Europe in Round of 16 were Irene IVANCAN and HAN Ying. HAN suffered in seven games thriller by the hands of SEO Hyowon of Korea, whilst IVANCAN lost against WU Yang of China. Tomorrow in the final of the Men’s Doubles Event Stefan FEGERL of Austria and LIN Gaoyuan of China will meet Taipei’s combination of CHUANG Hung Chiheh and HUANG Sheng Sheng. In the semi final of the Women’s Doubles Event HAN Ying and IVANCAN lost against JEON Jihee and SEOK Haujung of Korea in close duel.

Portugal’s Diogo CHEN and Romania’s Bernadett BALINT clinched the titles in their respective Junior Boys’ and Girls’ Singles event at the 2014 Czech Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Premium Junior Circuit in Hodonin In the final CHEN beat Yuto KIZUKUR, Portugal’s Diogo CHEN and Romania’s Bernadett BALINT clinched the titles in their respective Junior Boys’ and Girls’ Singles event at the 2014 Czech Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Premium Junior Circuit in Hodonin In the final CHEN beat Yuto KIZUKURI of Japan 4:2 (5:11, 10:12, 11:9, 11:6, 11:8, 11:5). Yuto KIZUKURI beat Filip ZELJKO of Croatia in semis 4:1 (11:5, 11:3, 8:11, 11:6, 11:8), whilst Diogo CHEN overcame Tomislav PUCAR also from Croatia 4:3 (11:3, 11:9, 6:11, 5:11, 11:9, 10:12, 11:8). In the final of the Girls Event Bernadett BALINT beat Ekaterina GUSEVA. Russia’s player suffered in six games duel (11:7, 8:11, 4:11, 11:8, 7:11, 6:11). In the semi final BALINT overcame Lea RAKOVAC in full distance match (11:9,10:12,8:11,7:11,11:4,11:9,12:10), whilst GUSEVA succeeded against Kana TAKEUCHI of Japan (11:8, 5:11, 12:10, 8:11, 11:8, 11:3). In the final of the Junior Girls Doubles Event Rira ISHIKAWA and Ayane MORITA of Japan overcame Andreea CLAPA and Adina DIACONU of Romania (12:14, 11:9, 11:8, 10:12, 12:10)

In the qualification stages of the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open, Germany’s Ruwen FILUS and Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN alongside Abdel-Kader SALIFOU of France suffered unexpected defeats. Germany’s Ruwen FILUS named , In the qualification stages of the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open, Germany’s Ruwen FILUS and Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN alongside Abdel-Kader SALIFOU of France suffered unexpected defeats. Germany’s Ruwen FILUS named globally at no.76 was defeated by Frenchman Jeremy PETIOT who stands at no.243 (11-7, 3-11, 11-13, 8-11, 11-6, 16-14, 11-9). The winner some two weeks earlier in Hungary, Daniel HABESOHN suffered defeat at hands of Denmark’s Kasper STERNBERG (11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-1, 6-11, 11-8). Presently, Daniel HABESOHN is at no.85 on the Men’s World Rankings, Kasper STERNBERG is at no.204. Fedor KUZMIN, World ranked no.174 beat Abdel-Kader SALIFOU, World ranked no.103 in six games (11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8). Success for Fedor KUZMIN meant he finished in first place in the group unbeaten; it was the same for Jeremy PETIOT and Kasper STERNBERG Other favorites from Europe, Sweden’s Par GERELL and Austria’s Stefan FEGERL booked main draw places. In Women’s qualifications Polina MIKHAILOVA of Russia booked top place in her Group despite the defeat against top seeded Miyu KATO of Japan. Polina beat Aia MOHAMED of Qatar and PARK Joohyun of Korea.