Dimitrij OVTCHAROV hopes he can stay on the top at the 2nd European Games Minsk Belarus June 21-30
Reigning European Games champion Dimitrij OVTCHAROV arrived in the Belarus city of Minsk in a good mood aiming his second consecutive gold medal in the Men’s Singles event. The 30-year-old German is satisfied with his performances at the recent Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum China Open where he beat his compatriot Ricardo WALTHER in the opening round and lost to host player LIN Gaoyuan after full seven games of the Round of 16.
“My shape is well and I’m happy with my play at China Open even though I lost my match against LIN Gaoyuan. Closely. The victory at European Cup earlier this year is giving me confidence for Minsk” stated OVTCHAROV who has simple comment on question about his personal goal in Minsk: “Of course to win the gold medal again!”
Who are favourites and why?
“Timo (BOLL) is always one of the favourites. He is the highest ranked player at the moment and played well the past weeks. Mattias FALCK Liam PITCHFORD Vladimir SAMSONOV or Simon GAUZY definitely have also chances if they are playing a good tournament.”
Current world no. 12 Dimitrij OVTCHAROV who became no. 1 in January 2018 is looking forward to the upcoming Olympic year. Speaking about his personal aim for the 2019/20 season he stated:
“My aim is to get back to the Top 5 of the world.”
OVTCHAROV will have one more chance for medal in Minsk as he plays beside Timo BOLL and Patrick FRANZISKA in the Men’s Team event. Germany finished fourth four years ago in Baku.
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Tennis Olympic Center with a capacity of 1 000 seats will host five table tennis events in Minsk from 22nd to 29th June. A total 122 players will compete for the spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics: three medallists in the men’s and women’s singles events will secure their places while the gold medallists in the men’s and women’s team events and mixed doubles event will get an Olympic quota. That’s why all best European players will travel to Minsk.
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Top seeding list (best 16) Men Singles:
1 Timo BOLL (Germany) 2 Matias FALCK (Sweden) 3 Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) 4 Liam PITCHFORD (England) 5 Vladimir SAMSONOV (Belarus) 6 Simon GAUZY (France) 7 Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) 8 Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) 9 Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) 10 Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) 11 Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) 12 Tomislav PUCAR (Croatia) 13 Tiago APOLONIA (Portugal) 14 Cedric NUYTINCK (Belgium) 15 Darko JORGIC (Slovenia) 16 Alvaro ROBLES MARTINEZ (Spain).
Top seeding list (best 16) Women Singles:
1 Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) 2 Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) 3 Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) 4 Petrissa SOLJA (Germany) 5 Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) 6 Georgina POTA (Hungary) 7 LI Jie (Netherlands) 8 FU Yu (Portugal) 9 Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) 10 Margaryta PESOTSKA (Ukraine) 11 Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) 12 Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia) 13 HAN Ying (Germany) 14 LI Qian (Poland) 15 NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) 16 Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic).
Top seeding list (best 12) Men Team:
1 Germany 2 Sweden 3 Austria 4 Great Britain 5 France 6 Slovenia 7 Croatia 8 Belarus 9 Portugal 10 Belgium 11 Romania 12 Denmark.
Top seeding list (best 12) Women Team:
1 Germany 2 Romania 3 Hungary 4 Austria 5 Netherlands 6 Ukraine 7 Poland 8 Spain 8 Luxembourg 8 Russia 11 Sweden 12 Belarus.
More information: here
Organizers website: here
Minsk 2019 results: here
