After a six-year hiatus the Academic European Table Tennis Championship is making its return to Olomouc. In 2017 the Academic European University Championship was held at the sports hall of Palacký University but this year the tournament will take place at Olomouc’s Omega Centre for Sport and Health from July 3rd to July 10th. Table tennis players who are university students from all corners of Europe will once again gather in Olomouc. The participant list comprises eighteen men’s teams and eleven women’s teams from thirteen European countries. This year the largest foreign teams will be from Great Britain and Germany and we can also expect the presence of traditionally strong universities from Poland where university sports particularly table tennis are highly popular. For instance the Wrocław University of Economics will be represented by two renowned Polish players sisters Anna and Katarzyna WEGRZIN. The British universities also boast some intriguing names on their rosters such as WANG Jinghao ZHAO Jiameng and YU Tianyi who are young Chinese table tennis players studying in Bristol and London England. The Czechia will be represented by table tennis players from two universities in Ostrava. Among them Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ who participated in the World Championships in Durban South Africa in May will compete alongside defender Markéta ŠEVČÍKOVÁ and Jana VAŠENDOVÁ all donning their uniforms. The Academic European Table Tennis Championship is celebrating its 10th edition. After the inaugural tournament hosted by Ostrava in 2008 the battle for university medals in table tennis took place in Olomouc in 2017. This year the academic championship returns to the Haná region. The Omega Centre for Sport and Health where the ITTF World Series Table Tennis Tournament – Czechia Open – is held annually will serve as the venue for this year’s tournament. The 10th AME in Olomouc will feature a total of six competitive disciplines. The first three days of the tournament will be dedicated to team competitions while Saturday and Sunday will showcase individual competitions including men’s singles women’s singles men’s doubles and women’s doubles. Once again Vít Ratajský chairman of the table tennis committee of the Czechia Association of University Sports (CAUS) will lead the organizing committee of the “Olomouc” Academic European Championships. Framework programme of the AME 2023 competitions in Olomouc Wednesday 5 July at 9:30 am: Opening ceremony opening of the team competitions Thursday 6 July Team competitions (continued) Friday 7 July Team competitions (conclusion) Saturday 8 July individual competitions Sunday 9 July Individual competitions (conclusion) closing ceremony For complete information about the 10th Academic European Table Tennis Championships in Olomouc visit: https://tabletennis2023.eusa.eu/ Here is an overview of the hosting countries for the AME in table tennis: 2007 – Ostrava 2008 – Latina (Italy) 2009 – Niš (Serbia) 2010 – Kazan (Russia) 2011 – Madeira (Portugal) 2013 – Zonguldak (Türkiye) 2015 – Geneva (Switzerland) 2017 – Olomouc 2019 – Camerino (Italy) 2023 – Olomouc
Diane SCHÖLER has passed away at the age of 90
Diane SCHÖLER the Oldest Living Table Tennis World Champion has passed away at the age of 90. The ETTU sends its most sincere condolences to her family and loved ones. Diane SCHÖLER passed away on June 19. Known as “Lady Table Tennis ” she won 20 medals at World Championships between 1951 and 1971 including gold medals in the doubles event in 1951 and 1954 alongside her twin sister Rosalind CORNETT. She held the distinction of being the oldest living table tennis world champion. “Hans Wilhelm GÄB Honorary President of the German Table Tennis Association a close friend and companion of the Schöler family describes Diane as someone who fought alongside her sister Rosalind as an athlete and world champion with self-control and composure even in defeat. He says that she approached her serious illness with the same attitude. Eberhard her husband and their children Cindy and Christian were by her side when she lost her final battle ” says GÄB. “She will be remembered as a graceful and elegant master of our sport and as a personality who brought honor to our cause in the DTTB uniform.” DTTB President Claudia HERWEG also had a special connection with Diane Schöler. “Diane led my first youth training camp in the West German Table Tennis Association and from then on for decades I always considered her as a role model as a woman as a person and as a lover of table tennis. My condolences go out to her husband Eberhard and her children Cindy and Christian!” Diane and Rosalind ROWE the twins’ maiden name were considered pioneers for women in sports and represented the younger generation with progressive views and the courage to express their opinions. Their success in the doubles event alone reaching the finals five times in a row between 1951 and 1955 is a record that still stands today. Diane WEBB the archivist of the English Table Tennis Association recalls the early days of the twins: “Two excited 14-year-old twins woke up on Christmas morning in 1947 hoping to receive bicycles as gifts and were somewhat disappointed when they received table tennis rackets ‘only.’ The disappointment didn’t last long because soon the two teenagers Ros the right-hander and Di the left-hander were hitting a ball back and forth across the dining table ” says WEBB. “On that Christmas morning it would have been unimaginable that less than three years later they would become world champions for the first time and on April 14 1954 on their 21st birthday the day they reached adulthood they would win their second title.” And they achieved this in 1954 at the Wembley Arena where the “ROWE twins ” as they were called everywhere had a true home advantage. After all they were born in the Marylebone neighborhood of London just a half-hour drive from Wembley. The twins had captured the hearts of the spectators who enthusiastically supported them in the only all-English final in the history of the Women’s Doubles event at the Table Tennis World Championships against Kathy BEST and Ann Haydon-jones in a thrilling match that ended 19-21 21-10 21-19 and 22-20. The “Wembley fairy tale” was born as historians describe their triumph in 1954.
Prishtina Open 2023 Exceeded the Expectations
On June 18 2023 the “Prishtina Open 2023” tournament was held at the Palace of Youth and Sports in Prishtina. This senior tournament attracted a significant number of participants including athletes from Kosovo as well as international representatives from prominent countries such as England Bulgaria Egypt France Germany Iran North Macedonia Poland Romania Albania Montenegro and Türkiye . President of Priping Table Tennis Club and the organizer of the tournament Kastriot ORANA expressed his satisfaction with the first edition of Prishtina Open 2023: “We are thrilled with the overwhelming success of the tournament which surpassed our expectations. The level of participation sportsmanship and the quality of matches were exceptional. We extend our gratitude to everyone involved in making this event a resounding success. The positive feedback from participants reaffirms Prishtina’s standing as a premier table tennis destination. We look forward to welcoming more players and visitors in the future.” In the women’s division the first semifinal witnessed a rematch between Lene OSMANI from Kosovo and Samanda AGOLLI from Albania replicating the previous day’s final (U19). Once again Lene OSMANI emerged triumphant with a flawless 3-0 victory. In the other semifinal Shega HASHANI who had defeated Liridona REXHA of Albania in the round of 16 secured a convincing 3-0 win against Alma MEHMET. The final showcased a captivating showdown between two exceptional players. Shega initially claimed the first set but Lena demonstrated her exceptional form once again securing a 3-1 victory and capturing her second championship title in this prestigious international tournament. In the battle for third place Alma MEHMETI defeated Samanta AGOLLI with a commanding 3-0 scoreline. The men’s division witnessed a series of fiercely contested matches starting from the group stage all the way to the grand final where the eventual winner remained uncertain until the very end. In the first semifinal Christopher DORAN from England and Zihni BATUHAN Sahin from Türkiye clashed in what could be deemed a virtual final before the actual final. Doran initially gained a two-set advantage and consistently held the lead in the subsequent three sets. However under the guidance of coach Besart DOMANIKU Sahin managed to mount a comeback and secured a narrow 3-2 victory. The second semifinal featured Fatih KARABAKHAKU who had previously defeated Nahom ASGEDOM from England in the round of 16 facing off against Romanian player Bogdan POSTUDOR. The Romanian exhibited experience and composure ultimately prevailing against the resilient KARABAKHAKU. Despite displaying skill and maturity Fatih’s efforts were overshadowed by POSTUDOR’S expertise. The highly anticipated final attended by numerous spectators including Prishtina’s mayor Përparim RAMA pitted Türkiye’s player Zihni BATUHAN Sahin against Romanian competitor Bogdan POSTUDOR. The match showcased a display of powerful and rapid shots from both players. Sahin a left-handed player from Türkiye secured the first two sets while Postudor claimed the third set. The fourth set marked the deciding factor culminating in Sahin’s victory and earning him the title of champion. The tournament’s organization reached exceptional standards leaving a lasting impression on the majority of participants who will undoubtedly consider visiting Kosovo in the forthcoming years.
ETTU launches the European Virtual Table Tennis Challenge
ETTU is pleased to announce the launch of the European Virtual Table Tennis Challenge to be organised in fall 2023 in collaboration with the French Table Tennis Federation (FFTT). This exciting new competition will be played on cutting-edge virtual reality headsets using the award winning Eleven Table Tennis game. The inaugural edition of the event will mark a significant milestone in the evolution of table tennis and sports entertainment. The growing popularity of Eleven Table Tennis worldwide attributed to the convenience of playing from the comfort of home and the realistic nature of the game has inspired ETTU to adopt this digital transformation. FFTT successfully organized the inaugural French Virtual Table Tennis Championship in December 2022 and ETTU will look to their expertise to elevate the growth of this form of table tennis to new heights. All the virtual table tennis players in Europe are expected to gather to showcase their skills and level during the event. As they compete for the title their performances will transcend physical and geographical boundaries creating a vibrant community of table tennis fans. Up to 1000 players will be allowed to compete in this first edition of the event. “We are absolutely thrilled to jointly announce the European Virtual Table Tennis Challenge in partnership with the FFTT ” expressed Pedro MOURA Acting President of ETTU alongside Gilles ERB FFTT President. “This event represents an exciting opportunity to embrace the digital era and unite table tennis enthusiasts across Europe. We are eager to see how Table Tennis is adaptable to the new challenges of tomorrow’s world.” Award winning Eleven Table Tennis continues to grow with players worldwide as it is a jaw-droppingly realistic way to play table tennis from anywhere in the world. “Partnering with prestigious organizations like ETTU to create large scale tournaments for players has been on our roadmap and we are excited to hit this milestone ” says Roman REKHLER CTO of For Fun Labs and creator of Eleven Table Tennis. ETTU will release further details regarding the European Virtual Table Tennis Challenge including entry information event format and the schedule in the coming weeks. Fans and table tennis lovers are encouraged to stay updated by visiting the ETTU website and following official social media channels for announcements and developments.
France – leading nation at the medal standings in Zagreb
After five days of exciting clashes thrilling duels and a schedule packed with matches the curtain has closed in Zagreb. The leading nation in the medal standings is France with two gold medals. Türkiye emerged successfully in the Mixed Team’s event with Danilo FASO of Italy and Alexia NODIN of France as the singles champions while Titouan MOREL-GONZALES and Eva LAM of France triumphed in the mixed doubles event. European U13 Championships 2023 Medals table Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 France 2 0 0 2 2 Italy 1 2 0 3 3 Türkiye 1 0 1 2 4 Poland 0 1 1 2 5 Czechia 0 1 0 1 6 Germany 0 0 3 3 7 Hungary 0 0 2 2 8 Spain 0 0 1 1
Gold for Danilo FASO in Zagreb
The inaugural European Under-13 Championship in Zagreb concluded with Danilo FASO from Italy justifying his status and clinching the gold medal in the Boys Singles event. In an all-Italian final he overcame the second-seeded Francesco TREVISAN. “Before the competition began I hoped to reach the semifinals. That was my goal. However I knew I was capable of more. I am happy that I also performed well dropping only one game on the way to the gold. My match against Morel-Gonzales was the toughest but we prepared a good strategy ” highlighted FASO. The top-seeded Danilo FASO has already won three titles in the WTT Contenders this year. He triumphed in the U15 event in Vila Real and the Under 13 event in Varazdin in Linz. FASO also reached the semifinals of the Under 15 event in Linz. His teammate Francesco TREVISAN had clinched the title at the WTT Contender in the Under 13 event in Wladyslawowo and he was a finalist in Linz and Berlin. “Danilo and Francesco entered this European Championship as the first and second seeds but the rankings heavily depend on tournament activity. Being ranked number one or two does not necessarily mean being the strongest player especially at this age. Many players do not participate in WTT tournaments but join the European Championship. I had confidence in the abilities of my players but I was uncertain about the level of competition and the possibility of surprises. We recently competed in a tournament in Havirov where the competition was quite strong. For example I first saw that left-handed player from Türkiye there and he is a very dangerous player. This is definitely a fantastic result and I am overjoyed. It is a dream come true ” stated coach DELSANTE. In the final the Italian coaches enjoyed the match from the sidelines as Faso and Trevisan battled for the championship. “This is my first singles final in the European Championships and it was definitely the easiest final. I hope every final will be like this ” joked DELSANTE continuing “I am glad that we managed to stay mentally strong. We have been here for five or six days and each day has been challenging and competitive. In this format every match is important and the boys have been truly excellent. Faso’s toughest match was the one to reach the quarterfinals against Morel-Gonzales while Trevisan faced a tough challenge against MRUGALA.” “Last year in Podgorica FASO lost in the quarterfinals in a fifth game with a score of 11-9. Danilo does not like to lose. Well nobody likes to lose but he is special in that regard. While we watched the final I told him to remember the podium and let it be his motivation in the future. Especially because he will have a new opportunity in Zagreb next year ” shared an interesting anecdote from coach DELSANTE. It seems Faso remembered that podium well as he ascended to the top step of the victory podium in Zagreb. In the semifinals Danilo FASO defeated Kenan KAHRAMAN from Türkiye in straight games. Kenan was the finalist in the Under 15 events in Antalya and the Under 13 event in Havirov. He also reached the semifinals of the Under 13 event in Antalya. In the other semifinal match Francesco TREVISAN overcame Jan MRUGALA from Poland. “It was a very intense semifinal. Francesco had played against him two months ago in Poland where they also faced each other in the semifinals. It was a tough match but as before Faso emerged victorious. Jan is a strong player growing stronger and more powerful whereas Francesco does not possess that kind of power yet. Therefore he cannot rely on strength alone but must focus on technique playing with his mind and heart ” emphasized Italian coach Emmanuele DELSANTE. DELSANTE did not watch the other semifinal only briefly following the score as he wanted to remain focused on their own match. Jan MRUGALA won the WTT Contender Under 13 event in Metz and he was a semifinalist in Wladyslawowo. Final Boys Danilo FASO of Italy – Francesco TREVISAN of Italy 3-0 (11-3 11-8 11-2) Semi Final Danilo FASO of Italy – Kenan KAHRAMAN of Turkiye 3-0 (12-10 11-6 11-8) Francesco TREVISAN of Italy – Jan MRUGALA of Poland 3-1 (13-11 11-7 10-12 11-5)
Alexia NODIN of France won the title in Girls Singles
Alexia NODIN from France emerged as the champion in the Girls Singles Event at the Under 13 European Championships. In the final she defeated the second-seeded Hanka KODETOVA from Czechia. Seeded number 11 Alexia NODIN of France reached the final with a flawless record winning all her matches by a score of 3-0. Not only did she defeat the second-seeded player but she also emerged victorious against the top seed in the event. NODIN played a total of 15 matches winning all of them. The game score was 45-3 with a point tally of 510-245. The only points she lost were in her matches against KODETOVA. The final was a different match compared to the team phase of the competition where Alexia had secured a 3-1 victory. This time she was pushed to a full five-game encounter. “Yes it was a different match than two days ago. Alexia had the lead in the first and third games but lost both after reaching 10-10. However she remained calm for most of the match which was not easy and she was very focused in the fifth set. I am truly happy for her ” said coach GUILLAUME. Prior to the European Championship Alexia had hoped to secure a medal. “Yes I wanted to stand on the winner’s podium but I also aimed to deliver my best performance in Zagreb. I was under immense stress before the final but after it ended I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I feel great now ” expressed the victorious NODIN. This year NODIN reached the semifinals of the Under 13 event in Spa and the quarterfinals in Metz. Hanka KODETOVA reached the final of the Under 15 event in Linz where she also claimed the Under 13 title. She reached the quarterfinals of the Under 15 events in Tunis and Berlin as well. Alexia defied the odds and overcame the number one seed Josephina NEUMANN from Germany in the penultimate stage of the event. NEUMANN struggled to find a response to NODIN’s defensive style of play. “It was an excellent semifinal for Alexia. Josephina has a powerful shot and we knew that controlling the first two shots was crucial followed by seeking opportunities for an attack. Of course we had to avoid rushing the attack because Josephina is very dangerous with fast balls. I didn’t have any specific expectations regarding the results; as always my only desire was for Alexia to play her best table tennis. We knew her weaknesses in the game and we tried to exploit them which worked this time ” emphasized French coach Simonin GUILLAUME. Before securing the bronze in Zagreb Josephina NEUMANN had already achieved good results this year. The German player reached the final of the WTT Contender in Cairo in the Under 17 event played in the quarterfinals of the U15 events at Contenders in Vila Nova de Gaia Podgorica and Tunis and even reached the Round of 16 twice this year in U19 events in Cairo and Linz. She had not lost a game until the semifinals of the Under 13 Championships. In the semifinals Hanka KODETOVA easily prevailed against Lizett FAZEKAS. “I am very happy with Hanka’s performance. Lizett is the youngest player here in the event so we expected this win. What we did not expect was the seventh position at the end of the Team’s event ” said Czechia’s coach Alena VACHOVCOVA. Only 10 years old Hungarian player was previously severely challnged in the quarters against Romania’s Patricia STOICA but after five games no. three seed prevailed. Lizett won two titles in Under 11 events at the Contenders in Linz and Berlin this year. She is finalists from Spa and also reached the semifinal of the Under 13 event in Spa Berlin and Havirov. Girls final Hanka KODETOVA of Czechia – Alexia NODIN of France 2-3 (14-12 5-11 13-11 9-11 6-11) Semi Final Josephina NEUMANN of Germany -Alexia NODIN of France 0-3 (9-11 11-13 7-11) Hanka KODETOVA of Czechia – Lizett FAZEKAS of Hungary 3-0 (11-7 11-6 11-8).
Titouan MOREL-GONZALES and Eva LAM clinched gold in Mixed doubles
On the last day of play at the Under 13 European Championships in Zagreb Titouan MOREL-GONZALES and Eva LAM of France clinched the gold medal in the Mixed Doubles Event. In the final they emerged victorious against Jan MRUGALA and Julia CZAJA of Poland. The French pair played superbly delivering an outstanding performance throughout the entire event. They maintained a flawless record by not dropping a single game on their way to claiming the title. In the final against the Polish pair of Jan MRUGALA and Julia CZAJA who were the sixth seeds MOREL-GONZALES and LAM triumphed convincingly with a resounding 3-0 victory (6 8 8). “I am absolutely thrilled. We have proven ourselves to be the best in Europe and this success will give us great self-confidence ” expressed a jubilant MOREL-GONZALES. LAM added “Not only have we secured the championship crown but we did it in a big style with a 3-0 win in the final. Moreover we came here as the 17th pair on the list.” The French coach Stephane HUCLIEZ highlighted the exceptional synergy they share as a pair. “It is an excellent result especially considering that we didn’t reach the medal in the team competition even though we came very close. Titouan and Eva make a great pair. Titouan has a strong serve and won a lot of points with it while Eva has a solid game at the table and blocks well ” said HUCLIEZ. Previously the sixth-seeded Jan MRUGALA and Julia CZAJA halted the progress of the number one seeds Lukas WANG and Josephina NEUMANN of Germany. The Polish pair managed to recover from being down 0-2 to secure their place in the final. “It was a very close match and the main point is that we didn’t change our tactics. It was important to stick to our plan and wait for the preferable position on the table. We maintained our focus and it paid off ” said coach Alan WOS. In the penultimate stage Titouan MOREL-GONZALES and Eva LAM prevailed without due alarm. They defeated Lenard SZABO and Lizett FAZEKAS of Hungary in straight games. “I am very happy not only because of their performance but also because of the atmosphere within the whole team from Monday until today. They listened very carefully were focused on the tasks and tactics we agreed upon. Titouan and Eva had never played together in Mixed Doubles before nor had they even trained together for this event but they displayed a very mature game here ” said coach Stephan HUCLIEZ. Mixed Doubles final Jan MRUGALA and Julia CZAJA of Poland – Titouan MOREL-GONZALES and Eva LAM of France 0-3 (6-11 8-11 8-11) Semi final Lukas WANG and Josephina NEUMANN of Germany – Jan MRUGALA and Julia CZAJA of Poland 2-3 (11-8 11-9 9-11 6-11 9-11) Lenard SZABO and Lizett FAZEKAS of Hungary – Titouan MOREL-GONZALES and Eva LAM of France 0-3 (8-11 1-11 9-11)
Turkiye won the title at the first-ever European Under 13 Championships
Türkiye will be written in the history books as the first-ever champion of the Team’s Mixed event at the Under 13 European Championships. In Zagreb Türkiye composed of Gorkem OCAL Kenan KAHRAMAN Buse KOCAK and Nil BASARAN prevailed against Italy in straight matches. The silver medalists from Italy included Danilo FASO Francesco TREVISAN Gioia PICU Matilde BUZZONI Giulio CAMPAGNA and Federica INTERLANDI. Spain and Germany secured the bronze medals. Türkiye was in the fast lane right from the beginning. Both teams understood the importance of the opening duel in the Mixed Doubles and when Gorkem OCAL and Buse KOCAK took control the chances for victory significantly increased. Türkiye’s pairings overcame Danilo FASO and Matilde BUZZONI losing only one game in the duel. Nil BASARAN widened the gap with a convincing victory over Gioia PICU. The match moved to the stage where Francesco TREVISAN had to fight to keep Italy in the game but Kenan KAHRAMAN had different ideas. Although TREVISAN won the second game he failed to withstand the pressure. “We are very happy to win this medal. It is a great honor to be the first winners of the Championships. Our team showed great unity and the players had excellent team spirit ” explained coach Gökmen OCAL. In the play off match for the position no. five France overcame Hungary 3-0 whilst in the match fpor the position no. 7 Czechia prevailed against Ukraine 3-0. Poland overcame Switzerland 3-0 to secure the position no. 9 and Romania beat Sweden 3-2 to book 11th place. Bulgaria overcame Israel 3-1 in their duel for the 13th position. Italy – Türkiye 0-3 Danilo FASO Matilde BUZZONI – Gorkem OCAL Buse KOÇAK 1-3 (8-11 11-7 6-11 8-11) Gioia PICU – Nil BASARAN 0-3 (3-11 7-11 5-11) Francesco TREVISAN – Kenan KAHRAMAN 1-3 (6-11 11-7 9-11 3-11) Final standings 1 Turkiye 2 Italy 3 Spain 3 Germany 5 France 6 Hungary 7 Czechia 8 Ukraine 9 Poland 10 Switzerland 11 Romania 12 Sweden 13 Bulgaria 14 Israel 15 Belgium 16 Austria 17 Portugal 18 Greece 19 Moldova 20 Azerbaijan 21 Croatia 22 Bosnia and Herzegovina 23 Slovakia 24 Estonia 25 Lithuania 26 Island 27 Lavia 28 Kosovo
The Draw for the Orlen 2023 European Youth Championships
The Draw for the Orlen 2023 European Youth Championships was conducted today in Zagreb during the European U13 Championships. The Orlen 2023 European Youth Championships will be played between 14th and 23rd July in Gliwice Poland.
