European stars try to change bad tradition in China

July 30, 2015
10:53 pm
Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge

The 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge will be held this weekend in the Zhangjiagang as Asians won all six previous games on their soil

Two most powerful continents in the world of table tennis are ready to fight once again in the 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge. This attractive event will be held in the City of Zhangjiagang this weekend (August 1st and 2nd). In previous six clashes played in Asia (all in China) Europeans have never won. Three times they met in Beijing (2009 – 6:4 2010 – 6:5 2011 – 6:4) once in Tianjin (2012 – 7:3) Qingdao (2013 – 7:3) and Zhangjiagang (2014 – 6:4)

The launching edition was held in Beijing in late August of 2009 when Asia led by MA Long and MA Lin beat Europe 6:4. Three months later in the rematch symbolically played in Istanbul – on the cross point of Europe and Asia – The Old Continent managed to win 6:5.

The current world’s no. 1 MA Long is coming back in the Asian squad after five years.

Three times individual European champion Vladimir SAMSONOV participated in all editions since inaugural one except last year in Zhangjiagang.

THE SCHEDULE OF THE 2015 ASIA – EUROPE ALL STARS CHALLENGE

Asia – Europe Day 1 August 1st: CHUANG Chih-Yuan (world`s no. 14) – Bastian STEGER (no. 26) GAO Ning (no. 16) – Robert GARDOS (no. 23) MA Long (no. 1) – Marcos FREITAS (no. 10) TANG Peng (no. 13) – Vladimir SAMSONOV (no. 8) Noshad ALAMIYAN (no. 102) – Andrej GACINA (no. 34).

Asia-Europe Day 2 August 2nd: CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Andrej GACINA Noshad ALAMIYAN – Robert GARDOS TANG Peng – Marcos FREITAS MA Long – Vladimir SAMSONOV GAO Ning – Bastian STEGER.

THE 2014 ASIA – EUROPE ALL STARS CHALLENGE: EUROPE – ASIA 4:6

Europe – Asia Day 1: Robert GARDOS – Jun MIZUTANI 0:3 (9:11 8:11 5:11) Adrian CRISAN – GAO Ning 3:2 (11:9 11:5 7:11 3:11 12:10) Panagiotis GIONIS – XU Xin 0:3 (4:11 5:11 8:11) Bastian STEGER – CHUANG Chih Yuan 0:3 (8:11 6:11 6:11) TAN Riuwu– TANG Peng 3:1 (11:8 8:11 11: 9 11:8).

Europe – Asia Day 2: TAN Riuwu– Jun MIZUTANI 1:3 (9:11 8:11 15:13 7:11) Adrian CRISAN – TANG Peng 3:1 (11:8 8:11 12:10 11:5) Panagiotis GIONIS – CHUANG Chih-Yuan 0:3 (9:11 6:11 11:13) Bastian STEGER – XU Xin 0:3 (5:11 6:11 4:11) Robert GARDOS – GAO Ning 3:0 (11:6 11:6 11:8).

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