07/05/2011 – Switzerland will be represented by reigning national champions Nicola MOHLER and Monika FUHRER at the forthcoming World Individual Championships in Rotterdam. Swiss coach Pavel REHOREK will lead the team: “The aim for both players https://www.ettu.org 07/05/2011 – Switzerland will be represented by reigning national champions Nicola MOHLER and Monika FUHRER at the forthcoming World Individual Championships in Rotterdam. Swiss coach Pavel REHOREK will lead the team: “The aim for both players is to negotiate the qualifications successfully. Every victory in the main round would be rather a surprise.” Nicola MOHLER currently ranked at the position no. 382 was the only player from Switzerland in Yokohama. Monika is ranked at position no. 295. “Monika and Nicola prepares in their club. They have good training for the World Championship. There is no training camp for them like in other nations since there are only two participants and both players are only semiprofessionals.” Nicola MOHLER and Monika FUHRER have the same aim to overcome the qualification groups and to qualify for the preliminary rounds. “My focus in preparation was to have a lot of competition. I played at Butterfy Baltic Cup last weekend and will play at Luxemburg Open. If I play well I should reach the preliminary round. After it depends a lot of the drawing therefore it’s difficult to make a “prediction” said FUHRER. Nicola MOHLER said: “In Yokohama I could reach the second round but had to beat two better ranked opponents. Again I want to win in my group. For preparation I have played at Baltic Open and I had a match in Sardinia with my club ST.Louis”. (by Thomas NEUENSCHWANDER courtesy STTA) Photo: Monika FUHRER (Photo Roscher)

07/05/2011 – At the forthcoming World Individual Championships Luxembourg’s team will have seven players. In Men’s Singles Event will play Traian CIOCIU Gilles MICHELY Sven HANSEN. In Women’s Singles will play NI Xia Lian Sarah https://www.ettu.org 07/05/2011 – At the forthcoming World Individual Championships Luxembourg’s team will have seven players. In Men’s Singles Event will play Traian CIOCIU Gilles MICHELY Sven HANSEN. In Women’s Singles will play NI Xia Lian Sarah DE NUTTE Danielle KONSBRUCK and Vinita SCHLINK. “Headed by NI Xia Lian and Traian CIOCIU we will attend with a very young team. For Sarah DE NUTTE Vinita SCHLINK Danielle KONSBRUCK and Sven HANSEN it will be the first appearance at the WITTC. The team will be completed with Gilles MICHELY. Tessy GONDERINGER the number 2 of the women’s team will prepare for the upcoming European Youth Championships in Kazan” explained Sportsdirector Martin OSTERMANN. What is the main goal for the team? “The youngsters shall smell the atmosphere of such a big and important competition to gain more motivation and experience for the future. Each victory is a little step forward. On the other hand – depending on the draw- all of them want to increase their world ranking position.” One of the goals for the players is to gain valuable points for the World rankings. Especially valuable in pre Olympic year. “The 22 years old Gilles MICHELY enhanced his ranking position for more than 130 places over the past 12 months. He wants to make at least the same progress in 2011/2012 and prepare the Olympic European Qualifying Tournament in April 2012 in Luxembourg. For the same goal strives experienced Traian CIOCIU. NI Xialian is coming with the objective of direct qualification for London 2012. Ranked 41 in April she is quite close to her target ” said Martin OSTERMANN. (by Patrick MASSEN courtesy LTTA) Photo: Luxemburg’s Sportsdirector Martin OSTERMANN (Photo Roscher)

06/05/2011 – The Hungarian head coach for men’s team Zsolt HARCZI will count on Janos JAKAB and Daniel KOSIBA at the forthcoming World Individual Championships in Rotterdam. JAKAB is currently best ranked Hungarian player at the position no 79 06/05/2011 – The Hungarian head coach for men’s team Zsolt HARCZI will count on Janos JAKAB and Daniel KOSIBA at the forthcoming World Individual Championships in Rotterdam. JAKAB is currently best ranked Hungarian player at the position no 79 at the World’s rankings whilst KOSIBA occupies spot no. 189. At the Peter TEGLAS’ list are three names. Women’s team coach named Krisztina TOTH world’s no 35 Georgina P??no. 51 and Petra LOVAS no. 52 as a member of the national squad. The most important goal for the women’s team is to justify their seeding position. Hungary is aiming for two quotas for Olympic Games in London 2012. In men’s singles event JAKAB could reach the Round of 32 whilst KOSIBA set the goals to Round of 64. In Yokohama 2009 Krisztina TOTH and Georgina POTA reached the round of 16 in Women’s Doubles Event. (by Kristof LAJTAI courtesy HTTA)

05/05/2011 – Yesterday club Ironi Givatayim became the new Israeli champion after 4-0 victory over the Maccabi Rehovot. It is sixt title in the row for the Isack ABRAMOV

05/05/2012 – France will have 8 representatives at the GAC GROUP 2011 World Championships in Rotterdam. At this moment Adrien MATTENET and LI Xue has a good chance to qualify for Olympics in London whilst Carole GRUNDISH has to do very well in Rotte

05/05/2011 – After the pause that team had made in Yokohama two years ago Scotland will be represented at the World Individual championships in Rotterdam this May. Tricia WHITAKER Director of Support of Scotland TTA gave us the national team line u

04/05/2011 – Katerina NTOULAKI suddenly announced the retirement of the Greek national team! The leading Greek athlete in world ranking and current champion in women’s singles decided to stop early the international career for personal reasons https://www.ettu.org 04/05/2011 – Katerina NTOULAKI suddenly announced the retirement of the Greek national team! The leading Greek athlete in world ranking and current champion in women’s singles decided to stop early the international career for personal reasons and the news caused a huge surprise to all the people in the sport! The 29 year old champion wants to move to the place of origin Crete and set other goals in her life. She had intended to stop immediately and for this preferred to stay outside of the mission for the upcoming World Championships in Rotterdam. “My decision is final and it is something I worked on my mind for long time. The reason for leaving is that I want to move to Crete for personal reasons and of course it was impossible to follow the program of national team. I will stop on June at the end of the season I will leave my club which is abroad but is very possible to continue table tennis in some Greek team. Will see.” said the current bronze medallist of Mediterranean. NTOULAKI closed a great chapter for Greek women’s team. She played with absolute consistency from 1998 to today (she had a bronze medal in doubles at the European Junior Championships in 2000)! In recent years played for Colosa Telesil Valladolid spend two seasons in Portugal’s Sao Joao and her first stop in Europe was the Italian Sporting Catania in 2004. “I feel like ending a strong long-term relationship and I wonder “what I do now?”. I am sad but like I said I thought this is the time for moving forward. The important thing now is that I put other priorities in my life and move to other rhythms. I stop for something good. Until now it was the tennis my priority but I decided that if I can not normally pursue the program of the national team it is better to stop now” added NTOULAKI Greece will be represented at the GAC GROUP 2011 World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam by Panagiotis GIONIS Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU Kostas LAGOGIANNIS Tasos RINIOTIS Maria CHRISTOFORAKI and Filareti EXARCHOU. They will compete under the guidance of the men’ s national coach Kostas VATSAKLIS. The teams will arrive in Netherlands on Saturday morning. Kalinikos KREANGA cancelled his participation. He prefer to star at home and rest. After a good and full season KREANGA does not want to strain himself and risk possible injury. Kostas VATSAKLIS underline that the basic target in Rotterdam concerns Panagiotis GIONIS and his efforts to earn a place to the Olympic Games via World Ranking List. “In the past few months Panagiotis loose same positions and now he is not inside 28 tickets for London. So the most important thing for us is to win in few rounds in men’s singles in order to get the necessary points for the decisive W.R.. It is the last chance. The draw will undoubtedly play a role and will be the best result if he repeats the record in 2009 when he went to Round of 16 of the event. For other kids the goal is to go through the qualifiers and scored in the first round of men’s singles” said the national coach. Giorgos KARITSAS not hide his bitterness about the retirement of NTOULAKI which he lead in the team from 1998 at age 16. “Personally thank and honour her presence of the national team. This is a great athlete and a great character. The decision is a blow to the team and the Greek table tennis because I think from now on would provide more from what has already offered” comment national coach and for the participation of younger athletes CHRISTOFORAKI EXARCHOU in the World Championship said: “This participation will help them to gain experience. The have done a very good season with national team and can continue good performances. They will find in qualifying I hope to be competitive and to move as much as possible”. (by John FAKAROS courtesy Hellenic TT Federation) Photo: Katerina NTOULAKI (courtesy ITTF) Photo: Katerina NTOULAKI (courtesy ITTF)

04/05/2011 – Yesterday Dutch national football team players Siem DE JONG (Ajax Amsterdam) and his younger brother Luuk DE JONG (FC Twente) played a table tennis match in front of the press on the pitch and in the stands of the Olympic Stadion of Ams https://www.ettu.org 04/05/2011 – Yesterday Dutch national football team players Siem DE JONG (Ajax Amsterdam) and his younger brother Luuk DE JONG (FC Twente) played a table tennis match in front of the press on the pitch and in the stands of the Olympic Stadion of Amsterdam (build for the 1928 Olympics). This event was created to promote the upcoming World Table Tennis Championships the possible Olympic bid of the Netherlands in 2028 and the common ambition of different sports associations and the National Olympic committee (NOC*NSF) to promote sports and increase the sports participation (see also the interview with our president Ronald Kramer in February on ETTU website) and of course the clash between Ajax and Twente on both 8 May (Cupfinal) and 15 May (Last round of League) which will directly decides who will win these two titles. As you see these dates mark exactly the beginning and closure of the WTTC in Rotterdam. The table tennis match was broadcasted by NOS National Television and several others (click here to watch). In addition the Euromast tower (96 meters above Rotterdam) was the location for the press presentation of the Netherlands Team for the WTTC. Five television stations (including NOS National Television) various radiostations and a large amount of written press attented the meeting which was organised by the NTTB. A great success and continuing nationwide attention just before start of WTTC (watch the video here ). (by Harald HANEMAAIJER courtesy NTTB) Photo: the Dutch team ( courtesy NTTB / Henk HOMMES all rights reserved)