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Tamanneftegas Europe Cup Men’s Final in Varazdin reached the penultimate day. In two opening quarterfinals, AS Pontoise Cergy overcame Asisa Borges Vall, whilst Top Spin Messina beat Solex-Consult Wiener Neustad. Top seeds Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 E.V. beat PTE Peac Kalo-Meh 3:0 and SPG Walter Wels secured their progress after triumph over TTC Enfireex Ostrava
Two times European Champions League winner and two times French Champion AS Pontoise Cergy beat Spanish Asisa Borges Vall on their way to the semi final. Quentin ROBINOT’s effective win over Marc DURAN in the opening match silenced the hopes of the Spanish team early in the duel.
“We are here without out our player no. one Tristan FLORE, who is absent due the injury. Our goal was to reach the best four clubs and now we are under less pressure. When we saw the draw, “on the paper” we were favorites, but we did not want to lose our focus and perspective. There are a lot of good players here and all kind of surprises were possible. That is why we aimed for a first place in our group to make it easier for us. Also, we played maximally focused against Spanish side,” said Adrien MATTENET.
Asisa Borges Vall – AS Pontoise Cergy 0:3
Marc DURAN – Quentin ROBINOT 0:3 (3:11, 9:11, 8:11)
Joan MASIP – Patrick BAUM 0:3 (6:11, 5:11, 8:11)
Albert VILARDELL – Adrien MATTENET 0:3 (5:11, 2:11, 5:11)
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Top Spin Messina overcame Solex-Consult Wiener Neustad of Austria in second quarterfinal. Solex-Consult Wiener Neustad’s Andy PEREIRA and Tomas KONECNY were both in the lead and both lost their encounters in the decisive fifth game. Joao MONTEIRO overcame PEREIRA by sudden death point, whilst Andrea LANDRIEU won 6:4 against KONECNY in decisive game. Marco RECH DALDOSSO was also stretched to full distance to conclude the thriller.
“The most difficult was the opening duel between Joao MONTEIRO and Andy PEREIRA. It was the big match with a lot of pressure from both sides. Then, against KONECNY, I was two games to null down. His game is very difficult for me. I saved match point in the third game and somehow I recovered to 2:2, then he missed two services…Marco RECH had a big responsibility on his shoulders. It is never easy to play third match, but he did a great job. We are very happy for the club, because this is the first time that we are playing in the Europe Cup and it is amazing we already reached the semi final,” said Andrea LANDRIEU.
Top Spin Messina – Solex-Consult Wiener Neustad 3:0
Joao MONTEIRO – Andy PEREIRA 3:2 (11:8, 8:11, 7:11, 11:6, 6:5)
Andrea LANDRIEU – Tomas KONECNY 3:2 (9:11, 10:12, 12:10, 11:7, 6:4)
Marco RECH DALDOSSO – Felix WETZEL 3:2 (16:14, 8:11, 11:3, 6:11, 6:3)
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Top seeds Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 E.V. overcame Hungarian PTE Peac Kalo-Meh in straight games but the match was far from easy for the favorites.The strangest duel was between Daniel HABESOHN and Gyarfas LEHEL DEMETER.
“It was difficult match; very fast and strange duel with lot of mistakes from both sides. I had advantage 9:2 in my opening game and then I lost it. In second game I lost the rhythm but at his game ball he missed the service…all in all it was very difficult. Now we are looking forward tomorow’s duel against Cergy. Top two seeds will meet in the semis already. It is going to be tough one for sure,” said Daniel HABESOHN.
Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 E.V. – PTE Peac Kalo-Meh 3:0
Steffan MENGEL – Zsolt PETO 3:1 (5:11, 11:7, 11:7, 11:9)
Daniel HABESOHN – Gyarfas LEHEL DEMETER 3:1 (10:12, 15:13, 12:10, 11:1)
Lubomir JANCARIK – Gabor GEROLD 3:0 (11:5, 11:5, 14:12)
In very tense match SPG Walter Wels overcame TTC Enfireex Ostrava.
SPG Walter Wels – TTC Enfireex Ostrava 3:0
Frane KOJIC – Felipe OLIVARES 3:2 (8:11, 10:12, 11:3, 11:9, 6:2)
Andreas LEVENKO – Jakub KLEPRLIK 3:2 (4:11, 11:8, 14:12, 7:11, 6:2)
Adam SZUDI – Petr KORBEL 3:0 (11:3, 11:8, 11:7)
