Liebherr European Championships
First time since 2011 Women ‘s Team of Hungary will be on the medal rostrum at the European Championships. Well deserved victory came after nail-biting thriller in five matches against Ukraine.
Georgina POTA was the instrumental of Hungary’s success. She overcame Margaryta PESOTSKA (11-6 8-11 11-8 9-11 14-16) and Ganna GAPONOVA (8-11 12-14 8-11).
“At the World Championships where we played with same system like here they beat us. That is why we put this order of player. I played at position number one to gain some advantage before duel against GAPONOVA. She has very strange style of defensive play and I always played extremely hard matches against her. It was always 4-3 or 3-2 and narrow margin above 10 points in the decisive game. At the beginning I managed to beat PESOTSKA after she put me under serious pressure ” said POTA.
Dora MADARASZ overcame Ganna GAPONOVA (2-11 11-13 5-11) but lost to PESOTSKA (11-7 11-2 11-5).
“We beat them in the European Games and that gave me some confidence. Easily I prevailed in the opening game after I had 9-0 lead. In next Ganna had a better start but I closed that game in my favor as well. After 3-1 in third I regained control and sealed the match. It was different story against PESOTSKA. She knows all my weak points and she used it ” said MADARASZ.
Tetyana BILENKO overcame Szandra PERGEL (6-11 11-9 12-10 11-6).
Both quarterfinal matches in the last round of the fourth day of play at the LIEBHERR European Championships went full distance. Hungary overcame Ukraine whilst France beat Poland.
Team of France rewarded the crowd for their adulation by giving a winning performance. There was a task to be completed it was completed – but not without great drama.
Marek BADOWSKI forced Simon GAUZY into defeat (9-11 11-8 6-11 6-11) leaving him no many option to change the course of the match.
The crowed silenced when Emmanuel LEBESSON start going same path as GAUZY in the match against Jakub DYJAS. Jakub won the opening game and he was keeping everything under control until the simple mistake at 7-3 forced him into the further errors. LEBESSON woke up from the spell and won next seven points in the row. Jakub had few attempts to regain the control but he only narrowed the margin.
LEBESSON won the third game but Jakub recovered to take the fourth by narrow margin and decisive game much easier (8-11 11-9 11-9 11-13 7-11). Can AKKUZU overcame Maciej KUBIK to bring back France back in game (11-5 12-10 17-15).
Simon GAZY showed his brave face against DYJAS and won the battle for the decisive match (11-8 11-4 7-11 11-7). LEBESSON beat Marek BADOWSKI (11-7 11-8 9-11 14-12) to launch France into the semi final.
“I had few chances in the match against DYJAS I recovered and got the lead but in the fifth game he was just better. It will be easier that we had 1-1 but we were ready for the 0-2 scenario. We know we could recover from that and win the match. That is exactly what happened and at the end the victory only maters ” said LEBESSON.
AKKUZU changed the direction of the match: ”I had to stay focused because we did not have place for mistake. The pressure was high.”
Simon GAUZY thanked the supporters: ”We were favorites but the pressure took its tool. The first two matches were really big and they finished in their favor but on our second exit to the table we raised the level of our game. We both played at the highest level. The spectators helped us a lot.”
