2016 ITTF-European Olympic Games Qualification Tournament
It was good start of the competition at the 2016 ITTF-European Olympic Games Qualification Tournament in Halmstad for Romanina players in Women’s Event. Both Bernadette SZOCS and Daniela DODEAN MONTEIRO concluded the opening phase undefeated.
Daniela’s kept her record clean with three victories in straight games. She overcame Rahel ASCHWANDEN of Switzerland Georgia ZAVITSANOU of Greece and finally Anamaria ERDELJI of Serbia.
“I felt very safe until the finish of the match. Then I lost my focus and on the same time Anamaria started to play better. I was lucky with few balls and that helped me return to the match safely ” explained DODEAN MONTEIRO.
Bernadette SZOCS beat Sarah DE NUTTE of Luxembourg in the second return to table since in her Group were only three players.
“I am very happy with my performance here. I won two matches and I am ready up for the next challenge. Today against Sarah I made the game longer that it should be thanks to my own mistakes. When I was winning I did it in effective way but then I experimented; I did something what was not the part of the tactics. After I realized I was doing wrong I changed the tactics again…but it was too late.”
Iveta VACENOVSKA of Czech Republic Margaryta PESOTSKA of Ukraine also justified their status. However on the home soil Matilda EKHOLM failed to secure the top position. Her defeat against Alex GALIC of Slovenia cost her a lot. On the other hand GALIC failed to repeat the yesterday’s success and she lost against Gabriela FEHER.
“This year we met each other twice and I won both encounters. I was confident before the match but I knew it would be difficult. I changed the rhythm of the game put a lot of variation in my game. I only regret I did not seized the opportunity I had yesterday against Matilda EKHOLM. I could forced the match into the decisive game but in the finish Swede was just unstoppable.”
Victoria PAVLOVIC of Belarus NI Xialian of Luxembourg Hana MATELOVA of Czech republic…Most of the favorites will wait for the draw at the top positions but for one player second day was really disappointing. Lea RAKOVEC recorded very good win against SHAO Jieni of Portugal yesterday but today failed to stay at the top of the game. Aikaterini TOLIOU of Greece accounted for Lea.
“Since junior category I played against Lea RAKOVAC for four times at the World and Junior Championships. Our record is 2:2. From the start I knew I had to risk. In previous occasions I was too passive and I knew it is the wrong tactics. I attacked and it paid off ” explained TOLIOU.
