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.

The first Super Series event, the highest and most prestigious tier of the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, is set to get underway this week in Kuwait City, Kuwait. The qualification at the Kuwait Open starts tomorrow, while the main knockout draw starts o, The first Super Series event, the highest and most prestigious tier of the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, is set to get underway this week in Kuwait City, Kuwait. The qualification at the Kuwait Open starts tomorrow, while the main knockout draw starts on Friday. 219 of the world’s best table tennis players will line up in Kuwait, many of them competing in their first international competition of the season, after a grueling 2013. 17-year-old FAN Zhendong (CHN), who took the world by storm in 2013 by becoming the youngest ever winner of an ITTF World Tour event at the age of 16, will be the number one seed and favourite in the men’s singles. “Last year when I played in the Polish and German Open (FAN won both these events), it was one of my first events on the senior circuit, and I was considered the underdog with nothing to lose and giving it my best shot”, stated the 2012 World Junior Champion. “This year more people know me so I definitely have to play better in order to improve myself. My goal for the 2014 World Tour is to play to win, starting from the Kuwait Open,” concluded FAN, who is still actually eligible for the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. Marcos FREITAS (POR), who won the DHS 2014 Europe Cup last weekend, will love to get a chance to play FAN, after stating that his next goal was the defeat the Chinese players. The 2010 and 2013 Kuwait Open champion and world number one LIU Shiwen (CHN) will be the one to watch in the women’s singles event, after an overwhelming 2013 where she won both the Women’s World Cup and the World Tour Grand Final. “All the opponents here are very strong, and I will have to take it one step at a time, focusing on my own play” stated the 23-year-old. “It’s a new year so I don’t have any extra pressure. I would like to use the GAC Group World Tour to improve my game and mentality, as preparation for the 2014 World Championships.” In addition to the men’s and women’s singles, the players in Kuwait are also battling it out for the men’s and women’s doubles gold medals and the men’s and women’s under-21 crowns at the Kuwait Open. The GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour consists of 22 events in 22 countries, with the world’s best table tennis players battling out for a record USD2,739,700 of prize money and entry to the World Tour Grand Final later in the year. The World Tour is separated into three tiers (highest first): Super (6 events), Major (5 events), Challenge (11 events). The higher the series, the more prize money, World ranking points, World Tour ranking points and higher quality of competition on offer. To find out all the information, statistics, schedule and info on how the Kuwait Open works, download the media preview guide here.

The Luxembourg Table Tennis Association proudly announced the organization of the 7th Luxembourg Open Table Tennis Championships which will be held at the “Centre National Sportif et Culturel” at Luxembourg-Kirchberg, from April 16th to 19th, 2014. The &#, The Luxembourg Table Tennis Association proudly announced the organization of the 7th Luxembourg Open Table Tennis Championships which will be held at the “Centre National Sportif et Culturel” at Luxembourg-Kirchberg, from April 16th to 19th, 2014. The “Luxembourg Open Table Tennis Championships” Event is officially recognized by ETTU and ITTF and all played matches will be taken into account for the World Rankings. Deadline for the preliminary entry form is March 3rd, 2014 and for final entry form March 24th, 2014. There will be a cash price money for both Single Tournaments, the amount depending on the number of players that actually started at the competition. For the competition with more than 48 participants, the price money will be of 3.000. For the competition with up to 48 participants, the price money will be of 2.000 Euros. Click on prospectus and entry forms here.

Marcos FREITAS of Portugal concluded the DHS 2014 Europe Cup unbeaten after three days of fierce battles. In the final he halted the fantastic run of Michael MAZE and beat him for a second time at the tournament. This time he did it in straight games. (11, Marcos FREITAS of Portugal concluded the DHS 2014 Europe Cup unbeaten after three days of fierce battles. In the final he halted the fantastic run of Michael MAZE and beat him for a second time at the tournament. This time he did it in straight games. (11-7,11-6,11-8,11-7). “I am happy that I won this tournament. It is easy to play at the top level one or two months, but so far it has been two season that I keep my performance at the highest level. I beat all the top players here to prove it once again. Now when I prove it to myself too, I can set for another goal; now I need to overcame best Chinese players.” Is that a goal for this season?  “Now, when I speak after this victory, I feel I can rule the World, – admitted Freitas with the smile. – But the point is that it will not happen in two or three weeks. It is my aim and I hope I will be able to do it in recent future.” The player of AS Pontoise Cergy thanked his club. “I did not have special preparations, but my club gave me two weeks off from duties in the team in order to prepare. I grateful for that, because it meant a lot for my success to do the training without interruptions.” In the final game FREITAS gave no chance to MAZE. “Table tennis is the complex sport. The win depends on many factors, but I find the stability in improvement of service and receive game. When you are good in that segment it helps you a lot and it opens the chances.” The defeat is never easy, but MAZE has little to regret after tournament in Lausanne. “I do not want to take anything from Marcos’ win today. He was at the top of the game. I was tired and could not move fast and you need to be in top shape if you want to beat him. His game was mistakes free, and for me there was not much left in the bag. I am satisfied with my performance this weekend, but it will take time before I bring the stability in my game. I need more practice, more matches, more good and even more bad matches to come back and to be better then I was,”said Michael MAZE. In the duel for the third position Dimitrij OVTCHAROV overcame Adrian MATTENET in six games match (11-8, 2-11,11-8, 9-11, 16-18, 10-12). Despite victory, top seed was not very happy at the end of the competition, but had to admit: :”At the end I can not be too disappointed. I concluded the Event at position no. three. In the match against Timo BOLL, here in Lausanne, I proved once again that I could succeed against top level players…” He was unable to settle into right rhythm against French representative. “Match against MATTENET went on my account by I can not say I played well. It was far from my best performances; it started bad and I was struggling all the way until the end.”

Illness caused the unexpected exit of Germany’s star Timo BOLL. Seeded no. two was focused of getting his place for Liebherr Men’s World Cup to be staged later in the year in Düsseldorf, but this morning he was forced to withdraw from the DHS 2014 Europe , Illness caused the unexpected exit of Germany’s star Timo BOLL. Seeded no. two was focused of getting his place for Liebherr Men’s World Cup to be staged later in the year in Düsseldorf, but this morning he was forced to withdraw from the DHS 2014 Europe Cup. “He was up all night due problems with stomach virus. BOLL is totally exhausted and even he will not be able to travel with us tonight. He has to stay and hopefully catch the plane tomorrow,” said coach Jorg ROSSKOPF. Host nation of the forthcoming Liebherr Men’s World Cup might see both best German players at the Event yet. “Dimitrij OVTCHAROV will certainly qualified and we will have opportunity to receive the wild card. Is it essential that we have both players at the event in Dusseldorf.” Timo BOLL finished in sixth place, one place behind Alexander SHIBAEV but ahead of Panagiotis GIONIS of Greece and Portugal’s Tiago APOLONIA. In the contest to determine seventh and eighth places, Panagiotis GIONIS beat Tiago APOLONIA. System of qualifications for the LIEBHERR World Cup A total of 20 players qualify for the Men’s World Cup, the same for the Women’s World Cup. One place in each competition is reserved for the incumbent World champion; likewise there is one “Wild Card” offered at the discretion of the International Table Tennis Federation. Also, there is one place reserved for the host, provided that no player from that association had already qualified via the Continental Cups. Each of the six continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania – holds a Continental Cup or equivalent. Players finishing in the top three places in Asia and Europe qualify for the World Cup tournament, the players concluding matters in first place in Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania also book places. The policy applies to both the Men’s World Cup and the Women’s World Cup. Thus ten players from the Continental tournaments plus the World Champion and an “ITTF World Card” qualify; one more player from the host association may be added to list. Allocation of the remaining places is decided on World Rankings; the highest of the fourth placed players in the Continental Cups in Asia and Europe plus the highest of the second places players in Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania gains the next place.