The Polish men’s and women’s table tennis teams have concluded their preparations for the Individual World Championships which will take place in Durban South Africa from May 20th to 28th. Seven Polish table tennis players (three female and four male) will compete in the tournament. In recent days the Polish female players trained at the PZTS Training Center in Gdansk with Natalia BAJOR preparing individually while the male players had a joint camp with the Croatian team. After their victory in Osijek in the European Championship playoff tournament the Polish team spent a few days in Zagreb. In the coming days the national team members will continue training at their respective clubs and on Wednesday May 17th they will fly via Dubai to Durban South Africa. Natalia BAJOR competed in the World Table Tennis series there earlier this year. Seven Polish players secured their spots in the Individual World Championships based on their world rankings. In the singles events Natalia BAJOR Anna WĘGRZYN Jakub DYJAS and Maciej KUBIK will represent Poland. In doubles the Polish pairs are: Anna WĘGRZYN/Katarzyna WĘGRZYN Jakub DYJAS/Cedric NUYTINCK (Belgium) and Maciej KUBIK/Samuel KULCZYCKI. In mixed doubles Samuel KULCZYCKI/Katarzyna WĘGRZYN and Marek BADOWSKI/Natalia BAJOR will represent Poland. Katarzyna WĘGRZYN Samuel KULCZYCKI and Maciej KUBIK will make their debuts in the senior Individual World Championships.
Ovidiu IONESCU and Bernadette SZOCS lead Romania in Durban
The 2023 Individual World Table Tennis Championships are scheduled to take place in Durban South Africa from May 20th to 28th. Supported by national team coaches and staff nine Romanian athletes will represent Romania in this major competition competing in the singles and doubles events for both men and women. In the previous edition held in Houston United States the women’s doubles pair of Elizabeta SAMARA and Andreea DRAGOMAN finished in fifth place narrowly missing out on a medal after the quarterfinal match. The most recent medal for Romania was achieved by Ovidiu IONESCU who became the vice-world champion in the men’s doubles event in Budapest in 2019 partnering with Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES. The Romanian delegation : Men’s Singles: Ovidiu IONESCU Eduard IONESCU Cristian PLETEA Rares SIPOS Women’s Singles: Bernadette SZOCS Elizabeta SAMARA Adina DIACONU Andreea DRAGOMAN Men’s Doubles: Ovidiu IONESCU/Alvaro ROBLES (Spain) Darius MOVILEANU/Eduard IONESCU Women’s Doubles: Bernadette SZOCS/Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Andreea DRAGOMAN/Elizabeta SAMARA Adina DIACONU/Maria XIAO (Spain) Mixed Doubles: Ovidiu IONESCU/Bernadette SZOCS Cristian PLETEA/Adina DIACONU Coaches: Viorel FILIMON Mihaela STEFF Andrei FILIMON Ionut SENI Physiotherapists: Adrian MÎRZA Petruț GHIȚĂ Psychologist: Mioara ȘINCAN Doctor: Costin DUMITRU The trip to South Africa is preceded by a training period and preparation at a training camp held from May 11th to 17th at the Romsilva Complex in Bucharest. During this time the athletes and their partners along with the coaches and staff members will finalize the last details before the 2023 Individual World Table Tennis Championships in Durban.
Five young players in Team France for Durban
From May 20th to May 28th 2023 all eyes will be on Durban South Africa for the Table Tennis World Championships. It’s a major competition where 10 French players will fearlessly strive to shine. The French team selection has been revealed. After the 2021 edition held in Houston where France achieved good results: quarter-finals in Mixed Doubles for Emmanuel LEBESSON and Jianan YUAN round of 16 for YUAN and round of 32 for CASSIN GAUZY and LEBESSON 10 French players will travel to Durban to participate in the 2023 World Championships. Among the delegation for 2023 five young players will be making their debut in the senior Individual World Championships. Accompanied by the technical and medical staff including coaches Patrick CHILA Nathanaël MOLIN Aurélien PUEL and Ludovic RÉMY a unified French delegation arrives in Durban with great enthusiasm to continue their progress building on their early-year results. This is highlighted by the National Technical Director Jean-Nicolas BARELIER who stated “With only 14 months until the Paris Olympics our delegation is determined to leave a mark on the international table tennis scene continue our rise in the world rankings (with four players in the top 40 including two in the top 20) and who knows perhaps achieve something extraordinary!” Following individualized preparations the female players regrouped at INSEP while the male players gathered in Ochsenhausen Germany. The players will depart for Durban on May 17th to begin the competition between May 20th and 23rd depending on the draw. Team France Singles Camille LUTZ Charlotte LUTZ Prithika PAVADE Jianan YUAN and Audrey ZARIF Can AKKUZU Simon GAUZY Alexis LEBRUN and Félix LEBRUN Doubles Camille LUT Prithika PAVADE Charlotte LUTZ Audrey ZARIF Can AKKUZU Emmanuel LEBESSON Alexis LEBRUN Félix LEBRUN Mixed Doubles Simon Gauzy Prithika PAVADE Emmanuel LEBESSON Jianan YUAN
Apuania Carrara celebrates their sixth title in the Italian championship.
Apuania Carrara has regained the top spot in the Men’s Italian Championship. They defeated the reigning champions Top Spin Messina WatchesTogether and secured their sixth title in the last ten years. Their previous victories came in 2013 2014 2017 2018 and 2021 making them the most successful club. The trophy was presented by Renato Di NAPOLI the President of FITeT. In the first leg of the finals which took place in Messina Apuania Carrara showcased outstanding performances by the Croatian player Tomislav PUCAR. He won in straight games against the brothers Leonardo and Matteo MUTTI. Additionally Andrej GACINA of Croatia didn’t give Matteo MUTTI any chance. Portugal’s João MONTEIRO managed to win against BOBOCICA with a score of 3-2 and also against GACINA with a score of 3-1 keeping his team in the race. However in the last singles match BOBOCICA competing against Leonardo MUTTI secured the decisive point for Apuania Carrara. In the second leg GACINA started strong by defeating MONTEIRO 3-0 while Matteo MUTTI saved two match-points in the fifth game against BOBOCICA. The following two matches were intense and both PUCAR and GACINA had to fight hard to overcome Marco RECH DALDOSSO (3-0) and MUTTI (3-1) respectively. The contest concluded when MONTEIRO withdrew against PUCAR. “We are truly delighted ” commented Guglielmo BELLOTTI the President of Apuania Carrara. “We have accomplished another great achievement making us the most successful club in Italy. This match against Top Spin Messina was yet another battle just like the previous ones. We had a good start thanks to GACINA who played exceptionally well and got his revenge against MONTEIRO who had defeated him in the first leg. BOBOCICA also had the chance to win but he missed two match-points against Matteo MUTTI. PUCAR has once again proven to be in fantastic form and Andrej secured the decisive point for us. My applause goes to all of them as well as to Lubomir PISTEJ and Andrea PUPPO who made significant contributions throughout the season. I also want to acknowledge Claudio VOLPI and Alessandro MERCIADRI for leading the team during this triumphant year. Let’s not forget that this is our third trophy following the Italian Cup and the Super Cup. Now it’s time to celebrate.” First leg TOP SPIN MESSINA WATCHESTOGETHER – APUANIA CARRARA 2-4 Matteo MUTTI – Andrej GACINA 0-3 (7-11 5-11 7-11) Leonardo MUTTI – Tomislav PUCAR 0-3 (7-11 5-11 4-11) João MONTEIRO – Mihai BOBOCICA 3-2 (11-7 9-11 11-8 9-11 14-12) Matteo MUTTI – Tomislav PUCAR 0-3 (3-11 4-11 2-11) João MONTEIRO – Andrej GACINA 3-1 (11-4 11-4 3-11 11-8) Leonardo MUTTI – Mihai BOBOCICA 1-3 (9-11 12-10 12-14 6-11) Second leg APUANIA CARRARA – TOP SPIN MESSINA WATCHESTOGETHER 4-1 Andrej GACINA – Joao MONTEIRO 3-0 (12-10 11-9 11-8) Mihai BOBOCICA – Matteo MUTTI 2-3 (11-9 9-11 12-10 9-11 10-12) Tomislav PUCAR – Marco RECH DALDOSSO 3-0 (11-8 11-9 11-9) Andrej GACINA – Matteo MUTTI 3-1 (11-8 9-11 11-8 11-9) Tomislav PUCAR – João MONTEIRO 3-0 (11-1 11-0 11-0)
Champions league finalists will meet in the LIEBHERR TTBL-Final once again
In LIEBHERR TTBL-Final Borussia Düsseldorf will meet 1. FC Saarbrücken TT. The ultimate stage will be played on July 9th. Champions league winners this season 1. FC Saarbrücken TT has capitalized on their second match point and secured their spot in the Liebherr TTBL-Final for the fifth consecutive time. On Sunday the reigning vice champion won the third and deciding match against the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen in the semi-final playoffs of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) with a score of 3-1. With a clenched fist Patrick FRANZISKA celebrated towards the Saarbrücken fans on Sunday afternoon and was praised for his phenomenal series. The German national player had stepped up to the table six times throughout the playoffs emerging victorious each time. He became the guarantee of success for the 1. FC Saarbrücken TT. With their 3-1 victory in the third match against the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen the FCS secured their place in the Liebherr TTBL-Finale. “In the final Düsseldorf now has a bit more pressure ” said Franziska after the match. “They really want the title especially against us after their bitter defeat in the Champions League final.” In early April Saarbrücken and Düsseldorf had reached the Golden Match in the TTCLM with FCS eventually prevailing and winning the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. In the TTBL this final pairing has already occurred in the past two years with Borussia coming out on top both times. This marks Saarbrücken’s fifth consecutive entry into the Liebherr TTBL-Finale. On Sunday Franziska already disrupted Ochsenhausen’s game plan in the opening singles match. The guests had placed Simon GAUZY in the second position and hoped for a breakthrough but to no avail. Franziska won 3-1 (11-6 11-7 5-11 11-8) putting Saarbrücken on the path to victory. “We tried to surprise the opponent with our lineup ” explained TTF President Kristijan PEJINOVIC. “Simon was supposed to give his all in his singles match at the second position and then possibly shine again in the final doubles. It wasn’t meant to be.” After Franziska’s opening win Darko JORGIC continued the success for FCS by defeating Alvaro ROBLES 3-1 (11-6 11-3 8-11 11-5). Although Samuel KULCZYCKI managed to reduce the deficit for the guests with a 3-1 victory (13-11 11-9 11-13 11-6) against Cedric Nuytinck providing a glimmer of hope for Ochsenhausen. However it was Franziska’s turn again and with his sixth singles victory in a week and a half he secured Saarbrücken’s place in the final. The 30-year-old defeated ROBLES 3-1 (11-6 12-14 11-6 11-7). “Patrick did an excellent job ” remarked KULCZYCKI. “We did our best but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. Saarbrücken played incredibly strong.” The record champions Borussia Düsseldorf have smoothly advanced to the Liebherr TTBL-Final. In the second playoff match against Post SV Mühlhausen the Borussians didn’t leave much room for doubt. Only Anton KÄLLBERG faced some initial difficulties. The best chances to challenge the favorites came at the beginning from Ovidiu IONESCU. The Romanian took an 8-1 lead against Anton KÄLLBERG before the Swede found his rhythm. IONESCU managed to save the set with an 11-9 win. In the fiercely contested second game he initially saved two set points but failed to convert his own allowing Källberg to level the game and eventually turn it around. KÄLLBERG sealed the victory for Düsseldorf in the fourth set with the fifth match point. Dang QIU swiftly expanded their lead afterward. He demonstrated his dominance against Daniel HABESOHN in the first two games. Although the Austrian made the third set more competitive he still lost it. After the break it was up to Kay STUMPER to secure the spot in the final in a duel against Irvin BERTRAND. After two hard-fought sets which STUMPER won in the respective extensions he quickly dispatched the Frenchman in the third set with an 11-4 score. He propelled his team into the Liebherr TTBL-Final. 3rd match FC Saarbrücken TT – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3:1 Patrick FRANZISKA – Simon GAUZY 3:1 (11:6 11:7 5:11 11:8) Darko JORGIC – Alvaro ROBLES 3:1 (11:6 11:3 8:11 11:5) Cedric NUYTINCK – Samuel KULCZYCKI 1:3 (11:13 9:11 13:11 6:11) Patrick FRANZISKA – Alvaro ROBLES 3:1 (11:6 12:14 11:6 11:7) 2nd match TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 3:2 Simon GAUZY – Darko JORGIC 3:0 (11:4 11:9 11:7) Alvaro ROBLES – Patrick FRANZISKA 2:3 (11:9 9:11 10:12 11:8 7:11) Samuel KULCZYCKI – Tomas POLANSKY 3:0 (11:6 11:3 11:1) Simon GAUZY – Patrick FRANZISKA 2:3 (9:11 11:7 6:11 11:9 6:11) Can AKKUZU/Alvaro ROBLES – Cedric NUYTINCK/Darko JORGIC 3:2 (5:11 7:11 11:7 11:4 11:9) Borussia Düsseldorf – Post SV Mühlhausen 3:0 Anton KÄLLBERG – Ovidiu IONESCU 3:1 (9:11 14:12 11:7 15:13) Dang QIU – Daniel HABESOHN 3:0 (11:3 11:2 12:10) Kay stumper – Irvin Bertrand 3:0 (12:10 15:13 11:4) 1st match FC Saarbrücken TT – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3:1 Patrick FRANZISKA – Samuel KULCZYCKI 3:0 (11:7 11:9 11:7) Darko JORGIC – Simon GAUZY 3:1 (11:3 6:11 11:7 11:8) Cedric NUYTINCK – Alvaro robles 0:3 (9:11 4:11 5:11) Patrick FRANZISKA – Simon Gauzy 3:2 (11:5 3:11 9:11 11:6 11:4) Post SV Mühlhausen – Borussia Düsseldorf 0:3 Irvin BERTRAND – Anton KÄLLBERG 0:3 (11:13 7:11 3:11) Daniel HABESOHN – Dang QIU 1:3 (11:5 10:12 11:13 9:11) Ovidiu IONESCU – Kay STUMPER 1:3 (11:9 9:11 12:14 3:11)
Brunetti Castel Goffredo wins the 20th title in Italy
Brunetti Castel Goffredo secured their 7th consecutive title in the women’s Italian championship marking their 20th championship win overall symbolizing a double star achievement. The trophy was presented by Renato Di NAPOLI the president of FITeT. In the first leg of the final round which took place in Bolzano Bernadette SZOCZ and her teammates triumphed over ASV TT Südtirol with a 4-2 victory. The Romanian player defeated Margaryta PESOTSKA from Ukraine with a score of 3-0 as well as Debora VIVARELLI with another 3-0 win. The other two points were contributed by Nicole ARLIA and Mariia DOLGIKH from Russia with DOLGIKH only dropping one game against Hungary’s Szandra PERGEL. On the opposing side VIVARELLI and PESOTSKA emerged victorious in their matches against DOLGIKH (3-0) and ARLIA (3-1) respectively. In the second leg held at the PalaTennistavolo “Elia Mazzi ” Castel Goffredo once again demonstrated their dominance clinching a 4-1 triumph. They began strongly with SZOCS defeating PERGEL 3-0. ARLIA defeated VIVARELLI 3-1 after losing the first set while PESOTSKA came back from being 1-0 down against DOLGIKH to secure the win. ARLIA also forced PERGEL to surrender with a 3-0 victory. In the final singles match PESOTSKA who was scheduled to face SZOCS withdrew from the competition. “In this second leg in front of our fans ” commented coach Alfonso LAGHEZZA “we once again demonstrated our deserving of this title. SZOCS provided us with an excellent start and ARLIA confirmed her improvements particularly in terms of mental and tactical aspects by defeating VIVARELLI. DOLGIKH also gave her best against PESOTSKA who is familiar with her style of play and is a highly skilled international player. Nicole closed the match against PERGEL displaying even better tactical prowess than in the first leg. She truly stood out in both legs of the finals. I would like to congratulate the Südtirol opponents who made a valiant effort once again. I also extend my gratitude to all the girls who played as well as Taipei’s CHEN Tsu-Yu who regretfully couldn’t come to Italy due to injury and Gaia MONFARDINI. Both of them played leading roles in other parts of the season. The entire club placed great importance on this 20th title and now we are all delighted.” First leg ASV TT SÜDTIROL – BRUNETTI CASTEL GOFFREDO 2-4 Margaryta PESOTSKA – Bernadette SZOCS 0-3 (7-11 7-11 6-11) Szandra PERGEL – Nicole ARLIA 1-3 (11-13 8-11 11-6 6-11) Debora VIVARELLI – Mariia DOLGIKH 3-0 (11-9 12-10 12-10) Margaryta PESOTSKA – Nicole ARLIA 3-1 (11-8 11-6 9-11 15-13) Debora VIVARELLI – Bernadette SZOCS 0-3 (5-11 4-11 9-11) Szandra PERGEL – Mariia DOLGIKH 1-3 (10-12 11-13 11-9 5-11) Second leg BRUNETTI CASTEL GOFFREDO – ASV TT SÜDTIROL 4-1 Bernadette SZOCS – Szandra PERGEL 3-0 (11-8 11-6 11-5) Nicole ARLIA – Debora VIVARELLI 3-1 (7-11 11-5 111-3 11-6) Mariia DOLGIKH – Margaryta PESOTSKA 1-3 (11-8 8-11 5-11 10-12) Nicole ARLIA – Szandra PERGEL 3-0 (1-9 11-6 11-9) Bernadette SZOCS – Margaryta PESOTSKA 3-0 (11-0 11-0 11-0)
Event Director EVC 2023 Borre REITE: Do not miss out on the magic
As the European Veterans Championships in Sandefjord Norway is getting closer we talked with Event Director Mr. Karl Borre REITE about coordinating the tournament. Mr. Reite when ETTU awarded Norway the European Veterans Championships 2023 The Norwegian Table Tennis Association appointed you as Event Director. How have the last 12 months been for you? “Fun and hectic! We have a small but competent group working with the event taking care of the different areas in the organization. My day is normally filled with everything from A to Z from making big decisions to the more administrative side of event planning. I am learning something new every day – just the way life should be!” You have been involved in table tennis for quite a while now at both the club and national association level as well as being an umpire on the main stage for ETTU and ITTF for example during the World Championship finals. Is there anything else we need to know about you? “Well I wasn’t born into the sport. My background is in music and culture in both performance and organizing. When my kids started playing I kind of naturally got involved in table tennis both at the local club and as an umpire. I guess I like being involved and I am learning new stuff all the time.” You gave us an hour for the interview. You have been quite busy with planning for some time now. Do you feel everything is under control? “The correct answer in the event business is always «yes – and no»! We absolutely feel that we are in control of the main aspects of delivering a great championship. But then you have all the small things the details and the icing on the cake that you really can’t be in control of before it happens.” The European Veterans Championships are being held in Norway for the first time in scenic surroundings near Sandefjord. It has been promoted as «One Village – One Venue». “For the first time in EVC-history the playing halls accommodation restaurants entertainment activities beach and everything else will be at the same resort! When you wake up you will have to take only a few steps to your matches. You can sleep in join the party or relax on your balcony or by the beach. Nearly all of the participants will stay at Oslofjord Convention Center making this a buzzing Table Tennis Town for the whole week. I know that a few groups are thinking of staying outside of Oslofjord but I would urge them to reconsider. If you don’t stay at our Table Tennis Town you will miss out on the magic!” Norway is not exactly considered a low-cost country. Will the «One Village – One Venue» reduce costs for the participants? -First Norway is coming with a discount these days! The value of the Norwegian Krone is at an all-time low just now compared to the Euro GBP and even the Danish Krone. Even if you are not coming to EVC you should consider Norway for your vacation! Paying in NOK will save you around 15 percent on your stay. When it comes to Oslofjord Convention Center we are happy to say that the prices have not been adjusted for inflation in the last year! At the resort breakfast lunch and dinner is included in the price. You don’t need to spend time and money on transport. When you calculate what you would spend in one of the cities it’s obvious that the best option is to stay together with all the others at Oslofjord. Approximately 2000 participants and 500 guests will arrive to Sandefjord and Oslofjord Convention Center. What will they experience at the venue other than table tennis? The goal for us has been to create a Table Tennis Town at Oslofjord. Of course the infrastructure will help us a lot having the beach and golf course within walking distance and the balconies where we think a lot of the guests will their time. There will be social events with music and entertainment every night. Players can join in and show off their music skills on our «Open Stage». On Thursday there will be several interesting talks on table tennis and politics. It will be possible to do boat trips rent bicycles and much more. And of course all the restaurants pubs and clubs at the resort will be open. And most importantly all your friends will be here! As always Wednesday is a day off at the championships. What do you recommend for visitors who have never been to Norway to do that day? “At www.evc2023.com you can book a nice tour of the area around the Oslo Fjord. This includes a boat trip from Sandefjord to Sweden and a bus tour back stopping at the old fortress town of Halden. This is a classic «Sandefjord experience». If you want to go on your own I recommend a visit to Tønsberg a city nearby or a day trip to Oslo. And of course you should spend some time before or after the event and experience more of Norway! On the resort we even have activities such as the Social Mixed Doubles. For those who speak a Scandinavian language there will be a public health seminar focusing on how table tennis can improve public health as well as be used as a tool against neurological disorders.” The venue is not located in the downtown area of the city. What are the transport solutions for the visitors? “We have a bus from the main airports bringing to the Oslofjord Convention Center. You can book this on our webpage. If you want to spend some time outside of the resort it will be possible to go to Tønsberg by taking the frequent public bus just up the road. In Tønsberg you will find a nice sea front with restaurants shopping and sightseeing including a Viking ship and a small castle. When the bus brings
Draw for the European Uder 13 championships Mixed Teams event will be held in Zagreb
Draw for the European Under 13 championships Mixed Teams event will be held in Zagreb on Thursday 18th May at 13:00 in the rooms of the Croatian Table Tennis Association (address: Trg Krešimira Ćosića 11 Zagreb). The draw will be conducted by the referee Mr Matej Hamran (SVK). Seeding for the XT event is based on the World Youth Rankings created on 16th May 2023 U13 considering the number of individual ranking points for all four players playing in the team (two best-positioned boys and two-positioned girls on the WR if more than 2 players are entered). All associations have to register their players in ITTF to receive ITTF ID latest by the 1st June 2023. Players without ITTF ID will not be included in the European Ranking.
FILUS replaced injured Timo BOLL in team Germany
Ten days before the start of the World Championships in Durban (May 20th to 28th) and six days before the departure to South Africa the ten players of the World Cup team as well as the coaching staff of the German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) faced the media representatives at the German Table Tennis Center (DTTZ) in Düsseldorf answering questions about the state of preparations of the team led by European champion Dang QIU and Europe-Top-16 winner HAN Ying. In South Africa the World champions in men’s and women’s singles men’s and women’s doubles as well as mixed doubles will be crowned in the second championships on the African continent since Cairo 1939. Germany has won a total of 56 medals at World Championships – 5 gold 19 silver and 32 bronze. The last medal at an individual World Championship was two years ago in Houston (USA) where Timo BOLL secured a bronze in singles. In Durban the record European champion who is currently suffers by the shoulder injury will be replaced by Ruwen FILUS. Richard PRAUSE the sports director of the German Table Tennis Association sets the target for the championships in South Africa: “The first goal for all our athletes is to meet their seeding. We want to bring our best form to the table in Durban. Anything is possible at a World Championship but it also depends on the draw.” The draw for all events will take place on May 18th in Durban. In Durban once again the favorites come mainly from China. At the 2023 World Championships the successors to FAN Zhendong (China men’s singles) WANG Manyu (China women’s singles) Mattias FALCK/Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden men’s doubles) SUN Yingsha/WANG Manyu (China women’s doubles) and WANG Chuqin/SUN Yingsha (China mixed doubles) will be sought. Richard Prause Sports Director: “Timo has been dealing with his shoulder injury for quite some time now. Although there have been positive developments it doesn’t make sense to rush things. We have important events ahead of us and Timo should take all the time he needs to fully recover from this injury. Additionally even someone like Timo cannot be sent to a World Championship without proper training although he always manages to surprise and make progress during the tournament.” Men’s National Coach Jörg ROSSKOPF: “Ruwen FILUS has achieved good international results in recent months which is why the decision to replace Timo’s spot with him was made quickly. Of course we want to be represented in the tournament during the crucial final days. However that will only happen if we manage to give our all right from the first round. All the players in our team are strong enough to have a say in the medal contention. The course of the World Championship is a mystery for all players not just ours. Even China’s defending champion FAN Zhendong had to face defeats during his preparation. I believe it will be an interesting World Championship and it will be exciting to see who ultimately takes the podium places. Naturally we hope for a positive outcome. Every success at the World Championship also boosts our confidence for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.” Dang QIU European Champion and World No. 10: “It’s very difficult to make predictions. But I definitely want to go further than just the second round. My recent performances have shown progress in the right direction. Now I want to step it up at the World Championship because as an athlete you always train for the big tournaments.” Dimitrij OVTCHAROV Olympic bronze medalist: “Recently I felt that my game was not completely in sync. I discussed this with National Coach Jörg ROSSKOPF and our video analysis expert Sascha NIMTZ and we made some adjustments to my game. Currently international table tennis involves dealing with many different balls and tables. My playing level is certainly high and if I play to my strengths I can be a dangerous adversary for anyone. I also talk a lot about table tennis with my father and he tries to help me see some things in a more relaxed way. I am just as ambitious as ever and I will give my all at this World Championship including in the doubles with Patrick FRANZISKA. Let’s see how it goes: we have our strengths and weaknesses.” Patrick Franziska Europe Top-16 winner 2021: “I’m looking forward to the World Championship and will patiently wait to see how the draw turns out. All the players are excited to see how far we can go in Durban. Personally I have trained very well and winning the title with Saarbrücken in the Champions League has given me a lot of confidence.” Tamara BOROS the coach of the German national table tennis team emphasizes that the most important aspect of their preparation for the World Championships is that all the players are currently free from injuries. Their goal is to showcase their best table tennis at the tournament. BOROS believes that they have the potential to reach the quarterfinals in one or two of the three competitions. However she acknowledges that winning a medal will be very challenging. HAN Ying who won the Europe Top-16 tournament and is ranked 10th in the World is optimistic about her set seeding position for the tournament. She hopes for a favorable draw that allows her to place herself accordingly. HAN highlights the importance of gaining experience through participating in tournaments prior to the World Championships as it helps her maintain her competitive edge. Nina MITTELHAM the runner-up in the European Championships and ranked 14th in the world had some health issues during the preparation period. However she is feeling much better and has a positive outlook. MITTELHAM mentions her partnership with SHAN Xiaona in the doubles event stating that although they haven’t played together frequently in international competitions they have good chemistry and can pose a challenge to their opponents if they both perform well. Women’s team: HAN Ying (KTS Tarnobrzeg Polen) Nina MITTELHAM (ttc berlin
Wales Netherlands and Switzerland booked the last three remaining spots for Malmo
The list of participants for the Final Stage of the European Championships in Malmo has been finalised after the Stage 2 tournament in Osijek. In September 24 men’s and 24 women’s teams will compete for medals in Sweden. In the women’s team event at Stage 2 of the European Championships Netherlands and Wales secured the last two tickets to Sweden on the last day of play in Osijek. Netherlands overcame Lithuania in the playoff match while Wales prevailed against Finland. Additionally eight teams had previously qualified from the Group Stage: Austria Belgium Italy Greece Bulgaria England Croatia and Turkey. The list of women’s European Championships final participants includes reigning champion Germany and host Sweden as well as Stage 1 winners Romania Portugal France Luxembourg Hungary Czechia Slovakia Serbia Ukraine Slovenia Poland and Spain. In the men’s team event Switzerland secured the last remaining position after accounting for Spain. Ten more teams qualified for Sweden on Friday and Saturday in Croatia: Poland Finland Hungary Turkey Italy Serbia Ukraine Netherlands Greece and Norway. The men’s European Championships final will also include reigning champion Germany host Sweden as well as Stage 1 winners of the groups and runners-up Belgium Denmark France Austria Croatia Czechia Romania Portugal England Slovakia and Slovenia.
