Hungary has had an impressive run with five victories over the course of two days in the Mixed Team’s event at the Under 13 European Championships. Tonight they will face Spain in a direct clash for a spot in the semifinals which will be played tomorrow. In the opening stage Hungary defeated Lithuania (5-0) Turkey (3-2) and Croatia (4-1). In Stage Two they emerged victorious against Switzerland (5-0) and Israel (3-2). “We have a fairly young team. Lizett FAZEKAS is only 10 years old while Benjamin VAMOSI is 12. The combination of our number one player Lenard SZABO and Lizett has proven to be very successful despite the fact that they had never played together before this tournament ” explained coach Peter Fazekas. Their 3-2 victory over the favorites Turkey yesterday disrupted the standings. “It was a very close match and we managed to defeat both of their top players. Lenard beat their best player Kenan KAHRAMAN while Lizett prevailed against Nil BASARAN. This win propelled us to the top spot in our group ” added Fazekas. Fazekas has no doubt that the match against Spain which will decide the semifinalist will be closely contested. Spain defeated Germany (3-2) Bosnia and Herzegovina (5-0) and Moldova (5-0) on the first day and continued their winning streak with victories over Israel (3-2) and Switzerland (5-0).
Germany is back on track at full throttle
After a shaky start at the Under 13 European Championships in Zagreb Germany began day two with full determination. The team consisting of Jonathan GAISER Amelie JIA Anna WALTER and Lukas WANG defeated Romania 4-1 in the opening round of the day. Romania’s team had a stronger start as Alexandru Lazar IONEL and Patricia STOICA won their opening match against Jonathan GAISER and Amelie JIA. “They played very well. In the second game they targeted Amelie with their serves causing significant trouble for our team. However Anna played her best match of the tournament so far followed by a very convincing performance from WANG who was at the top of his game. Amelie lost the opening game against STOICA but then found her rhythm and won the next two games. After the fourth game she decided to change her service which turned out to be a good decision. We experienced a little déjà vu from the match against Spain in the duel between GAISER and IONEL. Jonathan had a convincing 2-0 advantage before IONEL managed to level the score. Jonathan was playing too far from the table but in the decisive game he adjusted and turned the match around to win ” explained coach SABO. On the opening day of play in Zagreb Romania the number 8 seeds upset the order in Group F and emerged as the leaders after defeating the number 6 seeds Ukraine (5-0) Greece (4-1) and Estonia (5-0). They advanced to the next stage to face Czechia and Germany. Germany failed to live up to their leading position on day one losing to Spain (3-2) but managed to bounce back with victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova both with a score of 5-0. “Before the match we knew that our chances were 50-50 and we anticipated a long match. Samuel KUHL and Anna WALTER couldn’t capitalize on all the chances they created against Ladimir MAYOROV and Renata SHYPSHA. In addition Amelie JIA struggled against Jiaqi GUO. She won the opening game but after that GUO deciphered her service game and with better reception GUO emerged victorious. Lukas managed to bring us back with a secure victory over Roc GILBERT while Anna added another point to the scoreline with a victory over SHYPSHA. However in the decisive match MAYOROV pushed Spain to victory in a close five-game duel against KUHL ending with a score of 14-12 in his favor ” explained coach Katharina SABO. Coach SABO emphasized that the mixed team event provides valuable experience for the young players. “Last year we had the Challenge but participating in the European Championships takes it to a whole new level” In the opening round of Stage Two Ukraine defeated Sweden (3-2) Turkey prevailed against Poland (3-2) France beat Bulgaria (5-0) Spain defeated Israel (3-2) and Hungary overcame Switzerland (4-1).
Good start for favorites in Zagreb
The Under 13 European Championships in Zagreb commenced today with favorable outcomes for the favorites in the opening round. Topping Group A Italy represented by Francesco TREVISAN Danilo FASO Federica INTERLANDI and Matilde BUZZONI overcame Switzerland by a score of 3-2 and achieved the same margin of victory against Portugal. In Group B Czechia prevailed over Bulgaria with a score of 4-1 and narrowly defeated Belgium 3-2. Poland defeated Azerbaijan convincingly with a score of 5-0 and secured a close victory against Sweden with a score of 3-2. France began their journey at the Under 13 European Championships in victorious fashion. In the opening match of Stage One in Mixed Teams Titouan MOREL-GONZALES Noah TESSIER Alexia NODIN and Eva LAM overcame Austria represented by Louis FEGERL Bela CSOMOR Sophia PICHLER and Mariia LYTVYN with a convincing 5-0 scoreline. Despite the absence of the world’s second-ranked player Nina GUO ZENG France still possesses a very strong team. Titouan MOREL-GONZALES reached the finals of the Metz 2023 WTT Youth Contender Noah TESSIER achieved the semifinals in Spa and the quarterfinals in Liguanu at the WTT Youth Contender this year while Alexia NODIN reached the semifinals in Spa and Eva LAM made it to the finals in Platja d’Aro and the quarterfinals in Spa. Coach Stephane HUCLIEZ who previously served as a head coach for seniors juniors and cadets is now leading the youngsters at the Under 13 Championships. “We have a very talented team although Nina is absent. The Federation decided she should participate in the European Youth Championships and compete in the Under 15 event. For the other players this is a new and valuable experience to play in mixed teams ” said HUCLIEZ. The opening match against Austria was more closely contested than the result suggests. “Austria has a very strong team so we had a slow start with Eva and Titouan going the distance. Four games were decided by the narrowest of margins and the third game could have gone either way before finishing 16-14 in our favor. Also the match between Eva and Mariia was crucial for the team and it’s great that she managed to win it 3-2. It instills a lot of confidence in the other members of the team ” added HUCLIEZ.
2023 European Under 13 Championships Set to Begin in Zagreb
Following the successful inaugural Under 13 event in Podgorica last year the European Table Tennis Union is eagerly anticipating the start of the 2023 European Under 13 Championships. The tournament is scheduled to take place from Wednesday June 14th to Sunday June 18th 2023. Organized by the Croatian Table Tennis Association the Championships will be held at the Dom Sportova Zagreb in Hall 2 and Hall 3. The tournament will feature Mixed Teams U-13 Boys Singles U-13 Girls Singles and U-13 Mixed Doubles events. In the Mixed Teams event the top eight seeded teams are Italy Czechia Poland Germany France Ukraine Turkiye and Romania. The Boys Singles category will see intense competition among 83 players from 33 countries. The top two players from June’s European Rankings Danilo FASO and Francesco TREVISAN from Italy lead the list. Following closely behind are Kacper PIWOWAR from England ranked fourth in Europe and his teammate Abraham SELLADO who holds the fifth position. In the Under 13 Girls Singles the host nation Croatia boasts a representative from the top of the latest rankings. Lana BENKO Europe’s number one player in June leads the list of 77 talented players who will compete in Croatia’s capital city Zagreb. Joining her on the courts will be Hanka KODETOVA from Czechia Nil BASARAN from Turkiye and Diana KOLIENNIKOVA from Ukraine who hold the second and third positions respectively in the rankings. Players come from 30 countries.
Sporting CP Secures 15th Trophy in Club History
After an intense final series in the Portugal League play-off Sporting CP emerged victorious over CTM Mirandela clinching their 15th title in the club’s history. The defending champions handed over the trophy to the new winners. In the opening match Sporting CP defeated Mirandela by a close score of 3-2. However Mirandela quickly leveled the score setting the stage for a decisive clash. Once again Sporting CP found themselves pushed to the limit but ultimately came out on top. The pivotal moment in the quest for the title came during the opening duel. In the fifth and final game of the fifth match Galia DVORAK of Sporting CP triumphed over Annamaria ERDELYI of Mirandela sealing the victory with a score of 15-13. “I believe that the moment that truly made the difference was the first match when we won 3-2 and sealed it with a 15-13 victory in the deciding game. The level of both teams was incredibly even and winning two matches in a row seemed unlikely for either side. Despite our loss in the second encounter we remained positive and knew that if we capitalized on our chances we could secure the title… and we did ” expressed Galia DVORAK. She further added “I am incredibly satisfied because I wasn’t sure if I could still perform at this level but I proved that I could! We have faced each other many times in the past so we both understand the intensity of this battle.” Sporting CP’s triumph in securing their 15th trophy highlights their dominance in Portuguese table tennis. The team’s resilience and determination throughout the final series ultimately paid off solidifying their place in the club’s rich history. Third match CTM Mirandela – Sporting CP 2-3 Annamaria ERDELYI Matilde PINTO – Anna HURSEY Galia DVORAK 3-2 (9-11 12-10 14-16 11-2 11-6) Inês MATOS – Anna HURSEY 0-3 (9-11m 6-11 10-12) Annamaria ERDELYI – Galia DVORAK 0-3 (9-11 7-11 8-11) Matilde PINTO – Patrícia SANTOS 3-1 (11-9 11-5 8-11 11-7) Inês MATOS – Galia DVORAK 0-3 (10-12 10-12 5-11) Second match CTM Mirandela –Sporting CP 3-2 Local: Pavilhão Reginorde MIrandela Annamaria ERDELYI Matilde Pinto – Anna HURSEY Galia DVORAK 3-1 (11-5 11-9 7-11 11-9) Inês MATOS – Galia DVORAK 1-3 (11-4 5-11 12-14 10-12) Annamaria ERDELYI – Patrícia SANTOS 3-0 (11-3 11-3 11-5) Matilde PINTO – Anna HURSEY 0-3 (7-11 8-11 8-11) Inês MATOS – Patrícia SANTOS 3-2 (5-11 11-7 11-8 8-11 11-8) First match Sporting CP – CTM Mirndela 3-2 Patrícia SANTOS Anna HURSEY – Inês MATOS Matilde PINTO 3-0 (11-5 12-10 11-6) Galia DVORAK – Inês MATOS 1-3 (8-11 8-11 12-10 11-13) Patrícia SANTOS – Annamaria ERDELYI 1-3 (18-16 9-11 12-14 9-11) Anna HURSEY – Matilde PINTO 3-0 (11-6 11-8 11-5) Galia DVORAK – Annamaria ERDELYI 3-2 (11-5 14-12 6-11 9-11 15-13)
Technical Information for National Associations at the 2023 European Games
The 2023 European Games featuring table tennis competitions will take place at the Hutnik Arena in Krakow. Here is the technical information that National Associations need to know: Venue: Hutnik Arena in Krakow Number of Competition Tables: 4 Number of Men’s Teams: 12 Number of Women’s Teams: 12 Team Matches: Each team shall consist of 3 players with each player participating in a maximum of 2 individual matches. Order of Matches: M1: Doubles (BC vs. YZ) M2: Singles (A vs. X) M3: Singles (C vs. Z) M4: Singles (A vs. Y) M5: Singles (B vs. X) In the next team match the fourth player can replace one of the three players from the previous match. Seeding List: According to World Rankings as of June 2023 Competition format: Direct Knockout Match for third place will be played. Mixed Doubles: Number of Mixed Doubles: 16 pairs Seeding List: According to Mixed Doubles Pairs Ranking. If a pair has no ranking the individual XD ranking points of both players will be added. Competition format: Direct Knockout Match for third place will be played. The winner of the XD event will qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Draw: Draw Schedule (all 5 draws): 22.06.2023 at 10:00 Location of the Draw: Athletes Village The playing schedule draws and results will be visible on the following link: https://www.european-games.org/sports/table-tennis/ Please note that results will not be displayed on the ETTU website. Practice Hall: Tent Hall located just outside of the Main Hall Number of practice tables: 12 Equipment: Table: Tibhar Showcourt 28 Blue Balls: Tibhar 40+ *** SYN TT NG (white) Net: Tibhar Smash Floor: Tibhar Grip Europe Black Singles: Number of players in Men’s Singles: 49 Number of players in Women’s Singles: 51 Seeding List: According to World Rankings as of Week 25/20.06.2023. Competition format: Direct Knockout Match for third place will be played. Top 16 seeded players will start playing in Round 3.
Kosovo welcomes the table tennis players at Prishtina Open 2023
The organizing committee of the Prishtina Open 2023 announced the upcoming tournament scheduled to take place in Prishtina Kosovo on the 17th and 18th of June 2023. This event will bring together more than 170 table tennis enthusiasts from near and far showcasing the skill and talent of players in a thrilling competition. Prishtina Open 2023 promises to be an exceptional tournament attracting participants from various countries making it a truly international gathering of table tennis aficionados. The tournament will serve as a platform to foster friendly competition promote cultural exchange and celebrate the sport of table tennis. The vibrant city of Prishtina has been chosen as the ideal host for this prestigious event known for its warm hospitality and enthusiasm for sports. The tournament will be held at the Palace of Youth and Sports providing an excellent environment for players and spectators alike. Throughout the two-day event spectators can expect to witness breathtaking matches filled with intense rallies strategic maneuvers and displays of remarkable athleticism. The tournament will feature players from more than 10 different countries showcasing their exceptional skills and battling it out for the championship title. To all passionate table tennis fans and sports enthusiasts mark your calendars for the Prishtina Open 2023 and join it in Prishtina Kosovo on the 17th and 18th of June 2023. Witness firsthand the excitement and intensity of this prestigious tournament as players from diverse backgrounds showcase their skills on the grand stage. For further updates live scores and exclusive content join the conversation using the hashtag #POTTIT2023.
Tender Opens for Host of Inaugural Europe Para U23 Challenge
We are delighted to announce the commencement of the tender process to find a host for the first-ever Europe Para U23 Challenge. This prestigious event aims to foster the participation of young athletes with disabilities in international competitions. Spanning five days the tournament will include three days of training camp and player classification followed by two days of intense competition. We are targeting a timeframe at the end of November or December 2023 for the event. We kindly request all interested member associations to express their interest in hosting the event by Friday June 30. While not mandatory at this stage providing application details such as the prospective host city venue capacity accommodation options and pricing would be highly appreciated. To participate please submit your expression of interest to the ETTU Secretariat via email at galia.dvorak@ettu.org and pierre.kass@ettu.org no later than Friday June 30. If you have any inquiries or require further information please feel free to reach out to us. The Europe Para U23 Challenge is a remarkable opportunity to promote inclusivity and empower young athletes with disabilities. We eagerly anticipate receiving your submissions and finding a deserving host for this groundbreaking event. Together let us create a platform for these talented athletes to shine on the international stage.
Felix WETZEL and YANG Xiaoxin Clinch Gold in Malta
The Games of the Small States of Europe crowned new champions in the Men’s and Women’s Singles Events with Malta’s Felix WETZEL and Monaco’s YANG Xiaoxin emerging victorious. In the Men’s Singles final Felix WETZEL defeated Eric GLOD of Luxembourg with a score of 3-0. Prior to the final WETZEL had defeated Filip RADOVIC of Montenegro while GLOD prevailed against his teammate Luka MLADENOVIC. In the Women’s Singles competition YANG caused disappointment for the home nation supporters by defeating Malta’s Camellia IACOB in the final. Earlier in the semifinals YANG had also overcome Renata STRBIKOVA another representative from Malta. IACOB on the other hand had defeated Ariel BARBOSA of Luxembourg. Moving to the doubles events in the Men’s Doubles final MLADENOVIC and GLOD defeated WETZEL and PROKOPCOV securing the gold medal. Meanwhile in the Women’s Doubles IACOB and STRBIKOVA overcame the pair of BARBOSA and GONDERINGER from Luxembourg to clinch the gold medal.
ZHANG Yining and YAN Sen on duty as coaches at Eurotalents Development camp
Eurotalents Development camp for Under 17 and Under 15 category players is set to take place from August 23rd to 30th 2023 in Luxembourg. The prestigious event is organized by China Table Tennis College Europe (CTTC-E) and Luxembourg Table Tennis Association (FLTT) in collaboration with ETTU Eurotalents Programme China Table Tennis College (CTTC) and Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA). Associations have the opportunity to nominate a total of four players consisting of two Under 15 category players and two Under 17 category players. Due to the limited spots available registrations will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis. In the event that there are unfilled spots ETTU in cooperation with the organizer FLTT may assign them to participants. The camp will feature an exceptional lineup of coaches including ZHANG Yining from China who is renowned as one of the most successful female table tennis players in history. With victories in the World Cup World Championships and Olympic Games ZHANG Yining brings a wealth of expertise to the coaching staff. Joining her will be YAN Sen an Olympic and World Champion in doubles also from China and representing CTTC/CTTA. Other notable coaches present during the camp will be Heinz THEWS serving as the General Coordinator and representing the organizer (Luxembourg) Peter ENGEL as the Head Coach (Luxembourg) CHENG Xia as the Assistant Coach (Luxembourg) and ZHENG Chaoying as the Expert in table tennis physical training from CTTC/CTTA (China). The National Sports Institute of Luxembourg (I.N.S.) located in Cents-part of Luxembourg City will serve as the venue for the camp. The comprehensive facilities at the institute include a gymnasium equipped with 20 tables a fitness center conference rooms a restaurant two football fields and a hotel. To enhance the training experience high-level training partners from CTTC/CTTA belonging to the same age group as the participants will also be present at the camp.
