Mouth-watering confrontations abundant; that is the scenario for the The China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup commenced this morning in Montreux. For a fifth time top Continental players returned to the beautiful city on the Lake to fight for prestigious title and their share in 100.000 Euros in prize money. Today the morning sessions brings Round of 16 matches whilst in the afternoon we are going to see quarterfinalists in action. Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) – Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) 4:2 (11:6 8:11 12:14 11:5 12:10 11:4) Kristian KARLSSON just freshly recovered from the respiratory infection showed brave face and high quality of the game to overcame Emmanuel LEBESSON in the opening match of the Men’s Singles Round 16. “Mani and I always play extra close duels and this was not exception the only difference was that I did not scream and jump around of joy when we finished. I had to preserve my strength ” said KARLSSON. “At the end I am very happy with my overall performance in last three games.” YU Fu (Portugal) – Christina KALLBERG (Sweden) 4:3 (11:8 11:6 9:11 11:8 5:11 8:11 11:6) It took full seven games before YU Fu managed to secure her quarterfinal place. On her premiere at the Top 16 Christina KALLBERG put Portugal’s star on severe test. “Her game is at the high quality but I am also responsible for a drama that happened at the end. After 3:1 I was too relaxed and KALLBERG seized her opportunity to recover ” said YU. QIU Dang (Germany) – Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) 4:0 (12:10 11:6 11:6 11:6) In the furious style QIU Dang moved to the quarters after straight matches win over Marcos FREITAS. “It was far from easy as the result predicts. Marcos is very long in the top of the Europe and he won the title here so I was aware of the danger. Still I was down in the opening game 2:7 but I managed to recover. That boosted my confidence ” explained QIU. Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) – Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) 4:0 (11:4 14:12 11:3 11:6) No. two seed Sofia POLCANOVA justified her status this morning and secured her place in the quarters after straight games win over Elizabeta SAMARA. “I think that Elizabeta was struggling to find the solution for the pace I made but nevertheless it was very close at the begining. In the second game I was 7:2 up but then she got close. After I managed to win that game I got a lot self-confidence but still I was very cautious after 3:0. It proved by time in the past that I have tendency to create 3:3 from 3:0 very often so I was on alert ” said POLCANOVA.   Andrej GACINA (Croatia) – Elias HARDMEIER (Switzerland) 4:1 (11:3 5:11 11:3 11:6 11:4) Andrej GACINA inflicted the pain in the harts of the home crowd by overcoming Elias HARDMEIER. “It is not easy to have such adversary at the begining of the event. I had never play against him and neither have chance to see him play before. I studied his game by looking the video but it is not the same. I only knew one thing for sure if he is 100 percent into the game he could be very dangerous and he proved that right in the second game. Elias played very aggressively and won that part of the match. After I just regain my focus and started to play more of my game ” said GACINA. NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) – Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) 4:2 (11:6 11:4 6:11 5:11 11:5 11:9) NI Xia Lian’s smile radiate after the victory over barbora BALAZOVA whilst she admitted that Slovakia’s player put her under severe pressure. “I did not have any doubt about the quality of any player here but I was little bit surprised with the game that Barbora showed against me. She was really good and I struggled to adapt to her style. My advantage is very strong mentality so I was seeking for a way out. I stayed true to my character and did not give up. It keeps your heart at the right place at the end but it also creates the solutions. Eventually I grabbed all the chances that came my way ” said NI.   Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) – Robert GARDOS (Austria) 4:1 (8:11 11:9 11:8 11:3 11:5) Robert GARDOS had a better start but from the second game Dimitrij OVTCHAROV put the match under his control to move to the quarterfinal. “In the opening game GARDOS attacked me and I was not fully into game to respond to it. Then I made few easy mistakes and brought myself into 9:9 situation in the second game. However when I managed to recover from it I was finally in the control of the match. From the third game i felt I am in event in the match ” said OVTCHAROV. SHAO Jieni (Portugal) – YUAN Jia Nan (France) 4:2 (11:4 11:4 11:8 6:11 9:11 11:7) SHAO Jieni accounted for YUAN Jia Nan. French player failed to find the rhythm in the opening games but from the third game she managed to put some pressure on SHAO. Simon GAUZY (France) – Joao GERALDO (Portugal) 4:2 (11:8 10:12 11:8 8:11 16:14 11:9) In thrilling six games clash that kept the spectators at the edge of their seats Simon GAUZY prevailed against Joao GERALDO. “Joao justified his status as very dangerous player when it comes to the close matches. All the games very close but the key momen Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) – Georgina POTA (Hungary) 4:0 (11:9 11:9 17:15 11:3) the winner of the event in 2021 Nina MITTELHAM closed her opening duel today in victorious way. Georgina POTA lost three very close games before Nina took control over the match in the fourth. “So far this year I am still seeking for my top shape. It was difficult for me to play against POTA today. However for a first time this season

The draw for the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup was held tonight at the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. In the Round of 16 at the begining of the event top seeds Truls MOREGARD of Sweden and HAN Ying of Germany will play against two players with the defensive style of play. Truls MOREGARD will play against WANG Yang of Slovakia. “It is a pleasure to be here and I think it will be great fun to play against YAN tomorrow. With a list of players like the one in Montreux there is no such thing as easy draw but I am looking forward my matches in next two days ” said Truls.”I have been here only once last year and it was really great.” HAN Ying will play against Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden in the opening round. “I had a feeling it will be player with the defensive style and it happened. It is going to be very challenging. I think chances are 50-50. For me it is always very hard to get through opening rounds. I I do not want to think much in advance. I will just go one step in time ” said HAN. The competition starts tomorrow at 9.30.

Top seeded player and one of the youngest finalists ever Truls MOREGARD of Sweden will play in Montreux at the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th February. Last year he came to Switzerland as a substitute on his premiere at the event but this year he is one of the favorites. “It was fantastic experience for me last year when I played in Monterux. It is beautiful place; there is fantastic atmosphere in the venue great settings. I am looking forward coming back ” said MOREGARD. Therefore Truls hopes he can move the bar even higher this year. “I was not well prepared for the tournament last year but it all went very well at the end. I have played fantastic table tennis. That is why I hope if I can come even more prepared this year I would improve my result. I am much better player than I was in February last year and I hope for the best in 2023.” Speaking of the best memories from last year’s edition Truls pointed at his match against BOLL in the semifinal. “I played fantastic match against Timo. It was really something to play in front of enthusiastic crowd at the place where he was their real hero. He has won there so many times and spectators created unbelievable atmosphere. They simply loved him and it was so fun to play because spectators were so involved and we both played great.”Truls MOREGARD was not active at the WTT tournament since the beginning of 2023. “I tried to play at few but nowadays is very tough to get a chance to play some of these tournaments. I am very focused on the practice now and I had important matches in Champions League. However I am in good shape and I will try to be in the best one in Monterux.” MOREGARD expressed positive view on the period in between two Top 16 Cups. “The year 2022 started little bit shaky and I was worry because of the defeat in the final of Top 16 and not happy with the result at Singapore Smash and Qatar but after that I started to play really good again and had som e good moments at WTT. I kept my level and my rankings. Some people thought that I do not deserve such high rankings but I proved them wrong and justified my status.”Last year’s final was breathtaking clash with fantastic twist. Darko JORGIC managed to recover from 1:3 in reverse to beat Truls. Since they are seeded at the position one and two this year they are most likely players to meet at the ultimate stage again. “I hope to play against Darko in the final again. It will be big fun. We will prove we are at the top in Europe in stable way. However I choose not to think a lot about last year’s match. I played really good he played fantastic as well but I do not want to look back. It will happens again I look forward that duel” The list of challengers for the title does not end with JORGIC. It is as impressive as always for the Top 16. At the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup will also play Dang QIU and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden Liam PITCHFORD of England Andrej GACINA and Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia Simon GAUZY of France Marcos FREITAS of Portugal WANG Yang of Slovakia Robert GARDOS of Austria Jonathan GROTH of Denmark Joao GERALDO of Portugal Elias HARDMEIER of Switzerland and Emmanuel LEBESSON of France. “Every match is really tough at this tournament. I have to be prepared from the beginning and to be ready to play against any style of play. There is not only Darko or me there are so many players capable to play in the final and win the title. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV is in the top shape and he proved it by reaching the final in Amman last week. Kristian KARLSSON is also in good run GACINA won Qatar…Everyone could win this tournament.” What would be your top goal for this year? “Absolute main goal is to win the gold medal at the European Teams championships in Malmo this autumn. It will be fantastic to do it at the home soil and I know that everyone in the team feels that way. This is the ultimate goal for this year and I am looking forward to this tournament ” stated Truls MOREGARD.

Reigning champion and the first Slovenian to win China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup Darko JORGIC will be on duty this year in Montreux as well (on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th February 2023). For no. 2 seed it will be fourth appearance at the most exclusive Europe tournament. Beside the title he won in 2022 JORGIC played in the final in 2020 too. Slovenia’s player was on duty this week at WTT tournament in Amman where he reached the Round of 16; previously he was runner up in singles and doubles at the 2022 Contender Slovenia. “I feel really great. Since the beginning of the year I am raising the level of my shape little by little. Therefore I hope it will be on the right level in Switzerland. My goals are high. For sure I want to defend my title but on the other side I am aware how challenging it is going to be. I cannot take anything lightly with such impressive list of adversaries with same aim like mine ” said JORGIC. Looking back the 2022 Darko is satisfied. “I think 2022 was a very good year for me. The most important achievements are definitely 1st place at Europe Top 16 Cup 16 and 2nd place in the European Championship. I also played well in WTT tournaments but this is definitely something special that I would single out. I think I have improved my game very much. Somehow I became a stable player on both sides. I also improved my mental stability during a game a lot; you could saw that last year in the final against Truls. I was 1:3 down and in the end I recovered to win the match 4:3. This year it is definitely important that I keep calm and play my best table tennis. It will certainly be more difficult to defend the title than it was to win it but I think if I am ready in my head and if I mange to be in the same shape as last year I could go far.” The list of players is impressive as always: top seed is Truls MOREGARD of Sweden followed by Darko and Dang QIU and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden Liam PITCHFORD of England Andrej GACINA of Croatia Simon GAUZY of France Marcos FREITAS of Portugal WANG Yang of Slovakia Robert GARDOS of Austria Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia Jonathan GROTH of Denmark Joao GERALDO of Portugal Elias HARDMEIER of Switzerland and Emmanuel LEBESSON of France. “Truls is the first seed I am second but that certainly does not mean anything. I think that it will be a difficult road to the final for both of us. In addition I think that we have the quality to make another spectacle and a good match like last year. Certainly if it comes to that duel I think it will be a good match and a great fight for both me and him. All players in the top 16 deserved to be there. I do not think I have a favorite who I would like to play the first round with. Somehow any player who comes will be prepared the same and the pressure will be the same for all. I certainly think that the big favorites are still the Germans. They can be very dangerous for all the players and for me as well.” CCB Europe Top 16 Cup has its special atmosphere. “In my opinion it is the best tournament that exist. I feel very good there and it shows with my results in Montreux. The atmosphere is really phenomenal and the fans also contribute a lot for creating a very good environment for all the players. I think we all play much better than usual is it really something special to play in front of a full venue.” Season is very young. What are the goals for 2023 beside good result at the forthcoming CCB Europe Top 16 Cup? “The focus this year is on the World Championship and the European Games. Those are the two most important tournaments for me. I will give a lot of effort to try to make a big result there. Certainly the focus is still on the top 16 it is my goal and great desire to defend the title from last year ” stated Darko JORGIC. The competition is played on a knockout basis. All matches will be played best of 7 games.

Top 16 champion from 2018 Bernadette SZOCS is coming to 2023 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup as no 6 seed. In Montreux she will play for 9th time. Last year she reached the semifinal; in 2021 in Thessaloniki Bernadette finished third and in 2019 she was runner up. There are no doubts about her current shape since SZOCS radiate with energy. “I am very good physically and mentally so I am ready for the big fight!” stated leading Romania’s player. “I practiced a lot and hard to be in the best shape for the event. I believe in myself and in my game; I am in a very good shape and I believe I can do it again!” At the list of players at the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup are also: HAN Ying of Germany Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria Nina MITTELHAM of Germany YUAN Jia Nan of France YU Fu of Portugal Hana MATELOVA of Czechia NI Xia Lian of Luxembourg Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden SHAO Jieni of Portugal Georgina POTA of Hungary Rachel MORET of Switzerland Christina KALLBERG of Sweden Natalia BAJOR of Poland. “It will not be easy but I am ready. I do not care who will be on the opposite side of the table because if you want to be a champion you need to beat everyone!” Last year SZOCS clinched gold at the European Championships in Munich in the Doubles event with Sofia POLCANOVA but as a highlight of the year she pointed at another moment. “My last year was very good! One of my dreams came true -I beat Olympic champion CHENG Meng. As I used to say everything it’s possible!” This year also started well. At the WTT Contender Amman Bernadette reached the final partnering Ovidiu IONESCU. “I am happy with my performance in Mixed doubles – it is first time we reach the final. So far the highest we went was the third position. I hope we will keep going like that and one day we will reach the top place.”

Reigning European champion Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA will play at the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux for a ninth time. No. two seed reached third position last year to justify her best results in 2010 and 2019. The tournament will be played on Saturday 25th and on Sunday 26th February. “I am very glad that I will be competing in Monterux. I think  I am in a normal shape and I worked to improve it in weeks before Top-16. I did not play any tournaments in 2023 I aplayed at WTT Contender Amman and it was my first tournament ” said Sofia POLCANOVA who reached the penultimate stage of Women’s Sinles Event in Jordan. Two weeks ago in Amman POLCANOVA beat MO Zhang of Canada HAN Feier of China Shao JIENI of Portugal only to be halted in the match against Mima ITO of Japan.  In 2022 POLCANOVA had one of the best seasons in career but also faced great problems with injuries. “I did not play any tournament before Amman this year and last year I also skipped the events in China in October because of problems with my knee. I played manly in Champions League now and in the last match I was satisfied with my result “stated POLCANOVA. Commenting this year’s goals at the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux POLCANOVA added: “I clinched bronze medals three times so I want one medal in another color ” said POLCANOVA laughing.” Will see how it goes I will try my best but the most important is to enjoy table tennis and my game.” Despite the defeat in the semi final Sofia POLCANOVA was not unhappy with last year’s performance. “Last year was very nice. I like it very much to play in Montreux. There is nice atmosphere and people are very welcoming. I think I was satisfied with my bronze medal as I had tough couple of years with injuries and operations but when I look back I think maybe I could perform even better. The problem was I didn‘t have enough self-confidence at that time.” In Munich at the European Championships last summer you won the title in singles in doubles with Bernadette SZOCS and bronze medal in mixed doubles with Robert GARDOS. Did it help restore your confidence? “Yes I think it is getting better. Of course I have my ups and downs but after Munich I felt also a little bit a relief. I wanted so much to be European Champion and it eased the pressure when I finally achieved it. Of course everybody wants to win probably so I am not taking it for granted I am very grateful for my results in Munich with 3 medals. Generally last year was very good for me. My last year was very good until after the European Championships then I again had problems with my knee and had to pause for almost one and a half month. Now everything is super and I am enjoying playing again. Quarterfinal in Singapore Smash; Bronze at Top-16. I was able to keep my level from January 2022 until August this was quite satisfying. I think this gave me more confidence. But now it is a new year and I have to start from the beginning.” At the list of players at China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup are also: HAN Ying and Nina MITTELHAM of Germany YUAN Jia Nan of France YU Fu of Portugal Bernadette SZOCS of Romania Hana MATELOVA of Czechia NI Xia Lian of Luxembourg Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden SHAO Jieni of Portugal Georgina POTA of Hungary Rachel MORET of Switzerland Christina KALLBERG of Sweden Natalia BAJOR of Poland.

After one year break Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS will be again on duty at the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th February 2023. The winner of the 2014 edition in Lausanne missed last year’s action but only due the health issue. Year earlier in Thessaloniki on his 8th appearance he was runner up. “I am happy to come back to play in Montreux. Unfortunately I could not play at last year’s edition because I had Covid infection. Now I am coming back with big goals as always. I had played at this event for eight times and I won it when it was played in Top 12 format; I also clinched two silver medals when the list of participants was extended to 16 players. Europe Top 16 Cup is very important tournament with historical significance. It is the tournament that I always have played well and of which I have great memories. It is always fan to play at this event ” explained FREITAS. Two weeks ago FREITAS was playing in Jordan at the WTT Contender Amman 2023 and he lost to another player from Top 16 list – Jonathan GROTH of Denmark. It was the last test for his shape before the start of the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup.  “In general I am in good shape. It is true I lost in the opening round against GROTH. He played very well. It was tough and close game. At the end I made more mistakes than Dane. I am little bit frustrating that I made a mistakes in crucial moments in the final moments of the game. I have some time before Montreux for some more practice to improve my game and performance a bit ” added FREITAS. Asked about best moments at the tournament Marcos had no doubt. “I remember with great joy the season of 2014 when I had clinched the title. I beat Michael MAZE in the final. I hope I could still fight for another final and who knows maybe I could bring the Cup once again to Portugal ” stated Marcos FREITAS. Beside Marcos at the event this year will also play: Truls MOREGARD of Sweden Darko JORGIC of Slovenia Dang QIU and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden Liam PITCHFORD of England Andrej GACINA of Croatia Simon GAUZY of France WANG Yang of Slovakia Robert GARDOS of Austria Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia Jonathan GROTH of Denmark Joao GERALDO of Portugal Elias HARDMEIER of Switzerland and Emmanuel LEBESSON of France.