20/04/2011 – The Belgium team will be represented by 5 players and there are no girls on the entries list for Rotterdam. At the World Individual Championships will play Jean-Michel SAIVE Yannick VOSTES Lauric JEAN Benjamin ROGIERS and Ludovic BIE https://www.ettu.org 20/04/2011 – The Belgium team will be represented by 5 players and there are no girls on the entries list for Rotterdam. At the World Individual Championships will play Jean-Michel SAIVE Yannick VOSTES Lauric JEAN Benjamin ROGIERS and Ludovic BIERNY. This will be the historic moment for SAIVE. He will participate on his 20th World championship from Tokyo 1983. He breaks the record of Viktor BARNA the Hungarian-British champion (19 participations). “We have two preparations’ stage in Liege. From 27 to 29 April and from 2 to 4 May. We have three sparring-partners: one from China one from Poland and…. me!” explained Martin BRATNOV the Belgian coach. But in Belgium everything is complicated and Lauric JEAN and Ludocic BIERNY have their own preparation with Thierry CABRERA and Marc CLOSSET for the Flemish league. For the expectations no bet: “Jean-Mi will go match by match. His case is very special because he can assure a 7th consecutive participation at the Olympic games in London 2012. For the others players a qualification for the main draw is possible as Benjamin ROGIERS proves it two years ago ?okohama. He stumbled on the second hurdle against TAN Peng. Yannick VOSTES the 2010 Belgian champion will come back after the injury. He will play his first tournament after… December. The last time when he participated was at the Pro Tour Finals in Doubles with Rogiers where they won 3rd place.” (by Christian RASPILLER courtesy Sudpresse Sports) Photo: Jean Michel SAIVE (Photo Roscher)

19/04/2011 – The greatest challenge to Asian supremacy at the World Championships in Rotterdam will came from Germany to be precise from Timo BOLL. German star started this year on position no. one at the ITTF list but month before the Championshi https://www.ettu.org 19/04/2011 – The greatest challenge to Asian supremacy at the World Championships in Rotterdam will came from Germany to be precise from Timo BOLL. German star started this year on position no. one at the ITTF list but month before the Championships Timo is second. No meter his position he is still Europe’s no one and his appetites for the trophy at the World’s individual championships are yet to be satisfied. Timo is topping the list of 12 names of German men’s and women’s team. At the press conference Men`s national coach Jorg ROSSKOPF talked about the team’s goals: “It is difficult to be in top shape to the point. We travel with small and big goals for this Championship. If everything comes together – a good draw the correct form on the day and good luck – we will achieve our goals in Rotterdam. Still the pressure is high and it will become even higher in the last 32 or 16. Timo has a chance but for him it is very difficult. I mean not only because of the Chinese but also because of many other good Asians. Jun MIZUTANI plays for example in a very good shape. It is difficult for everyone play against MIZUTANI. There were rarely Championships in which at the end the top seeded players won the medals.” Timo BOLL admitted: “I have to fight from round to round and I hope that in the end it will lead to the medal. That is the big goal. You can not force the medal because the competition is very strong. Matches at the highest level already cost a lot of power. If you get far you need a lot of energy. I did not want to risk losing important percent of my strength in the doubles if I want to play for a medal in the singles.” Dimitrij OVTCHAROV remained us of his last Championships result: “Two years ago in Yokohama I have failed in the round of 16 against the Chinese MA Long.. I will do everything to improve this result in Rotterdam.” Patrick BAUM has not specific goal as he said: “I want to play my best table tennis in the singles and doubles. I am very well prepared for the World Cup.” Bastian STEGER added: “I have no concrete goal for the Championships. I am not saying I want to reach a special round. That would be the wrong way. I want to do my best as always – in singles and doubles with Patrick.” Chrisitan SUSS played with Elke SCHALL the quarterfinals in Yokohama. “This time I will miss the Mixed Doubles in Rotterdam. In singles I am not one of the direct medal candidates. We will see what is possible when I get my top form..” Women`s Coach Jorg BITZIGEIO said that everyone dreams about the world championships title or winning a medal. “We go with a powerful team for the World Championships. It is a good mix of experienced and young players. They trained hard for success. We will not hide from any adversaries. At the World Championships in Moscow we have gained respect and we have a lot of confidence in the competitions. Our opponents have to stretch in Rotterdam in order to beat us.” WU Jiaduo: “I would be happy if I had not to play against a Chinese too early. At the last World Championships that was in the Round of 32. This time hopefully only in the last 16 or eight. I do not feel any great pressure think from round to round and try to show my best form.” Kristin SILBEREISEN: “I will start with the confidence of the number 38 in the world.” Zhenqi BARTHEL has very bussy schedule in Rotterdam: “With three Events in which I will play it will be a long and exhausting tournament. It is difficult because there are many good players especially a lot of good Asian. Therefore I did not set a goal. I just want to show my best table tennis.” Sabine WINTER: “I do not want to rest on the success of the World Team Championships 2010 but keep training hard and playing well. I want to be in top form in Rotterdam and show a good performance.” Kathrin MUHLBACH: “The World Cup nomination itself is my biggest success so far. I am really looking forward to Rotterdam. Therefore I train now even more intense harder and longer. Probably I have to play the qualifications and I hope that I reach the main draw.” THE GERMAN TEAMMen`s singles: Timo BOLL (Club: Borussia Dusseldorf Age: 30 years) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Fakel Gazproma Orenburg/Russia 22) Patrick BAUM (Borussia Dusseldorf 23) Bastian STEGER (1. FC Saarbr??n 30) Christian SUSS (Borussia D??ldorf 25) Zoltan FEJER-KONNERTH (AS Pontoise-Cergy TT France 32) Ruwen FILUS (TTF LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen 23). Men`s Doubles: BAUM/STEGER FEJER-KONNERTH/FILUS Women`s Singles: WU Jiaduo (Club Age: 32) Kristin SILBEREISEN (FSV Kroppach 26) Zhenqi BARTHEL (Hassia Bingen 24) Sabine WINTER (TSV Schwabhausen 18) Kathrin M??ACH (TSV Schwabhausen 19 Women`s Doubles: BARTHEL/SILBEREISEN WINTER/WU Mixed Doubles: FILUS/M??ACH FEJER-KONNERTH/BARTHEL (by Martin OETZMANN courtesy DTTB) Photo: Timo BOLL and Christian SUSS (Photo Schillings)

18/04/2011 – In the Wingate Institute Complex near the city of Netanya Omry BEN ARI and Nicol TRUSSMAN become the new Israeli champions. BEN ARI (20 year-old) from Ironi Givatayim beat in the final Yaniv SHARON . Champion trailed one game to three https://www.ettu.org 18/04/2011 – In the Wingate Institute Complex near the city of Netanya Omry BEN ARI and Nicol TRUSSMAN become the new Israeli champions. BEN ARI (20 year-old) from Ironi Givatayim beat in the final Yaniv SHARON . Champion trailed one game to three before recovered to win 4:3. Nicol TRUSSMAN is only 14 and half years old and she play for E. Kiryat Ata club. In the final TRUSSMAN beat Nelly SOIFER 4-0. (by Oscar KRAUS) Photo: women’s awarding ceremony in Netanya Photo: women’s awarding ceremony in Netanya

18/04/2011 – China announced their player selection for the World Table Tennis Championships to be staged in Rotterdam at the Ahoy Arena 8-15th May 2011. WANG Hao alongside WANG Liqin MA Long and MA Lin are all veteran performers on the world s

16/04/2011 – An 8 player strong squad will be leaving these shores in early May for the World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam (8-15 May). Men: Paul DRINKHALL Andrew BAGGALEY Darius KNIGHT Daniel REED and Liam PITCHFORD. Women: Joanna PARK https://www.ettu.org 16/04/2011 – An 8 player strong squad will be leaving these shores in early May for the World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam (8-15 May). Men: Paul DRINKHALL Andrew BAGGALEY Darius KNIGHT Daniel REED and Liam PITCHFORD. Women: Joanna PARKER Kelly SIBLEY and Hannah HICKS. Coaches: Alan COOKE and Jia Yi Liu. Alternating between a team and a singles event it has been 2 years since a smaller squad of just DRINKHALL SIBLEY and PARKER ventured to Japan for the last singles championships. On that trip the young squad faced a steep learning curve moving forward to 2011 a larger and vastly improved England squad in which every player has dramatically climbed the world rankings is not there purely for the experience and to learn they are there to compete! (by James CORNFORD courtesy ETTA) Photo: Joanna PARKER (Photo Roscher)

16/04/2011 – Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU and Katerina NTOULAKI became the winners of Greek National championship for men and women that took place in Byzantine Sports Centre in Athens last weekend.. The athlete of AS Pera Athens and the athlete of t https://www.ettu.org 16/04/2011 – Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU and Katerina NTOULAKI became the winners of Greek National championship for men and women that took place in Byzantine Sports Centre in Athens last weekend.. The athlete of AS Pera Athens and the athlete of the Spanish Colossa Valladolid emerged as champions of Greece in singles and in doubles with partner Konstantinos LAGOGIANNIS and Christina FILI respectively (also from AS Pera). Papageorgiou maintained the trophy from last year and won its third overall title in singles. Ntoulaki repeated success in singles from 2009. The games were dedicated to the memory of Damon DAMIANIDIS for many years basic member of H.T.T.F. and AS Pera Athens. In the spectacular final of men’s singles Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU met the 19 year old George FRAGOULIS. PAPAGEORGIOU use the experience and good tactic and won 4-0. The final result does not necessarily mean that the victory came easy since three of the four sets ended with a difference of two points. In the final of women’s singles played the couple that everyone expected. Closed friends Katerina NTOULAKI and Christina FILI played for the third time in the last 4 years. The difference is this year NTOULAKI was very strong won 4-0 and.got revenge for the defeats in 2008 and 2010. She captured the title winning all the contests with the same score. Unfortunately for one more year several of the big names of two categories stayed out of the singles event. For different reasons John VLOTINOS Daniel TSIOKAS and Laura NIKOULAE chose only doubles event while Tasos RINIOTIS and Claudio KIROU were absents. (by John FAKAROS courtesy Hellenic TT Federation) All the finals – Men’s singles: Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU-George FRAGOULIS 4-0 (12-10 11-9 11-7 13-11) Women’s singles: Katerina NTOULAKI-Christina FILI 4-0 (11-4 11-8 13-11 11-5). Men’s doubles: Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU/Konstantinos LAGOGIANNIS-George NTALIANIS/George KANASIS 3-1 (11-4 5-11 11-4 11-6). Women’s doubles: Katerina NTOULAKI/Christina FILI-Aliki KIOUFI/Eleni GEORGIADOU 3-1 (11-5 7-11 11-6 11-8). All the winners in each category – MEN’S SINGLES: 1. Konstaninos PAPAGEORGIOU (AS PeraAthens) 2. George FRANGOULIS (AO Tatavla) 3. Dimitris PAPADIMITRIOU (AO Tatavla) -. Lefteris MAKRAS (AS Pera Athens WOMEN’S SINGLES: 1. Katerina NTOULAKI (Kolossa Valladolid Spain) 2. Christina FILI (Pera Athens)3. Angelina PAPADAKI (AE Athena Magoufanas) – Diana ZERDILA (PAL Finikas Patras). MEN’ S DOUBLE: 1. Konstantinos LAGOGIANNIS/Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU (Pera Athens) 2. George KANASIS/George NTALIANIS (OA Chania) 3. Anthony MALINAKIS/John GEORGANTAS (AO Amfitheas / P.K.D. Tavros)-. Dimitris GOUTZIDIS/Nick GRAMMENOS (GS Filia Orestiada). WOMEN’S DOUBLES: 1. Christina FILI/ Katerina NTOULAKI (AS Pera Athens/Kolossa Valladolid Spain) 2. Alice KIOUFI/Eleni GEORGIADOU (DAO Tavros)3. Laura NIKOULAE/Maria CHRISTOFORAKI (Kremlin Bicetre France / PKD Tavrou) -. Angelina PAPADAKI/Dimitra-Thomais TSEKOURA (AE Athena) Photo: 2011 Greek champions Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU and Katerina NTOULAKI In the spectacular final of men’s singles Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU met the 19 year old George FRAGOULIS. PAPAGEORGIOU use the experience and good tactic and won 4-0. The final result does not necessarily mean that the victory came easy since three of the four sets ended with a difference of two points. In the final of women’s singles played the couple that everyone expected. Closed friends Katerina NTOULAKI and Christina FILI played for the third time in the last 4 years. The difference is this year NTOULAKI was very strong won 4-0 and.got revenge for the defeats in 2008 and 2010. She captured the title winning all the contests with the same score. Unfortunately for one more year several of the big names of two categories stayed out of the singles event. For different reasons John VLOTINOS Daniel TSIOKAS and Laura NIKOULAE chose only doubles event while Tasos RINIOTIS and Claudio KIROU were absents. (by John FAKAROS courtesy Hellenic TT Federation) All the finals – Men’s singles: Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU-George FRAGOULIS 4-0 (12-10 11-9 11-7 13-11) Women’s singles: Katerina NTOULAKI-Christina FILI 4-0 (11-4 11-8 13-11 11-5). Men’s doubles: Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU/Konstantinos LAGOGIANNIS-George NTALIANIS/George KANASIS 3-1 (11-4 5-11 11-4 11-6). Women’s doubles: Katerina NTOULAKI/Christina FILI-Aliki KIOUFI/Eleni GEORGIADOU 3-1 (11-5 7-11 11-6 11-8). All the winners in each category – MEN’S SINGLES: 1. Konstaninos PAPAGEORGIOU (AS PeraAthens) 2. George FRANGOULIS (AO Tatavla) 3. Dimitris PAPADIMITRIOU (AO Tatavla) -. Lefteris MAKRAS (AS Pera Athens WOMEN’S SINGLES: 1. Katerina NTOULAKI (Kolossa Valladolid Spain) 2. Christina FILI (Pera Athens)3. Angelina PAPADAKI (AE Athena Magoufanas) – Diana ZERDILA (PAL Finikas Patras). MEN’ S DOUBLE: 1. Konstantinos LAGOGIANNIS/Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU (Pera Athens) 2. George KANASIS/George NTALIANIS (OA Chania) 3. Anthony MALINAKIS/John GEORGANTAS (AO Amfitheas / P.K.D. Tavros)-. Dimitris GOUTZIDIS/Nick GRAMMENOS (GS Filia Orestiada). WOMEN’S DOUBLES: 1. Christina FILI/ Katerina NTOULAKI (AS Pera Athens/Kolossa Valladolid Spain) 2. Alice KIOUFI/Eleni GEORGIADOU (DAO Tavros)3. Laura NIKOULAE/Maria CHRISTOFORAKI (Kremlin Bicetre France / PKD Tavrou) -. Angelina PAPADAKI/Dimitra-Thomais TSEKOURA (AE Athena) Photo: 2011 Greek champions Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU and Katerina NTOULAKI

15/04/2011 – The Czech Table Tennis Association held its regular annual meeting two weeks ago. During the Assembly Mr. Zbynek SPACEK replaces Mr .Zdenek BOTEK as the President of the CTTA. Mr. SPACEK played table tennis since he was 10. He played th

12/04/2011 – In Denmark Vedbak is already in the final of the Women’s play off. Julie THOMSEN WANG Jia Yin and Henrika PUNNONEN succeeded in both legs against Virum-Sorgenfri. In opening leg champions from 2007 and 2009 beat adversaries 6:1 a

11/04/2011 – Team GB will field a six-strong table tennis team at the 2012 Olympic Games after being granted permission to use host nation qualification places. The British Olympic Association decides which sports and athletes are given automatic pl https://www.ettu.org 11/04/2011 – Team GB will field a six-strong table tennis team at the 2012 Olympic Games after being granted permission to use host nation qualification places. The British Olympic Association decides which sports and athletes are given automatic places for London 2012 depending on their competitiveness. And this ruling means that three men and three women will compete in London. Women’s coach Alan COOKE said: “We have to try to qualify in our own right [but] we have the wildcard if needed.” BOA chief executive and Team GB chef de mission Andy HUNT stated: “The British Table Tennis Federation has demonstrated that they have laid solid foundations to maximise the opportunity of competing at a home Games and developed programmes to ensure a strong long term legacy for the sport. British Table Tennis has proven that the young squad of players are capable of delivering a credible performance on the field of play in 2012″. In winning the silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games England’s men finished above three nations who competed in the last Olympic Games in Beijing. “Real progress is being made in elite performance; there are now four British players – two male two female – ranked in the top 200 in the world compared with none prior to the Beijing 2008 Olympics.” Britain’s top ranked player is Paul DRINKHALL who is ranked 88th in the world while his female counterpart Kelly SIBLEY is ranked 135th. DRINKHALL 21 said: “My ultimate dream has always been to be an Olympic medallist and to have the chance to compete in my home country is better than any dream.” Both are in Britian’s five-strong development squad which trains full-time in Sheffield. Seventeen-year-old Liam PITCHFORD who won silver for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and is ranked at 245th in the world is also in the squad alongside Joanna PARKER and Gavin EVANS. Darius KNIGHT who won a men’s double gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games with DRINKHALL in 2006 is also vying to make the team. Table tennis joins handball volleyball and weightlifting as sports that have been handed host nation automatic qualification places. Basketball has also been offered a place although that is subject to approval by the International Basketball Federation. (courtesy BBC) Photo: Paul DRINKHALL and Darius KNIGHT (Photo Roscher)