For the first time the 2021 POMEGRANATE Europe Top 16 Cup will be played in Greece. As a host representative Aikaterini TOLIOU will face the challenge and meet the best in Europe.
Aikaterini TOLIOU admits that her participation in the POMEGRANATE Europe Top 16 marks a special moment in her career and emphasizes that she feels very lucky to be among the best athletes on the Continent.
The Greek player wants to enjoy the experience and is preparing with a very good psychology a few days after the success of the Greek national team in Belgrade to qualify for the European Championship in Cluj Napoca. Also the leading Greek athlete of the world ranking notes that it is very important for her country to organize such a big tournament again after many years.
“It is the most prestige event in Europe at the individual level as it brings together 16 top athletes. It is a great honor for me to play with the best. I have not met most of them I have played with some I will try my best. I know that I am the last from the World rankings on the list however I will look to be competitive and I hope to qualify one round although this will also depend on the draw. I would like if it could be as before to have a stage with groups in order to play more matches. Now I will go straight to the… fire and maybe I will not find a rhythm ” said TOLIOU.
Aikaterini TOLIOU explained further:
“I feel like it is already success only to participate in the Top 16. I feel very lucky. It will be a great moment and a great experience for me. I am preparing for the games in the best mood after the qualification of our national women’s team in the European Team Championship of Romania. Personally I do not have to lose anything in the Top 16 just to win so I will try to play well and enjoy it “.
In Thessaloniki on 18 and 19 September 2021 the following male athletes will compete:Â Mattias FALCK (Sweden) Liam PITCHFORD (England) Patrick FRANZISKA (Germany) Simona GAUZY (France) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Darko JORGIC (Slovenia) Robert GARDOS (Austria) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) Tomislav PUCAR (Croatia) Yang WANG (Slovakia) Ruwen FILUS (Germany) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) Andrej GACINA (Croatia) Panagiotis GIONIS (Greece).
The Women’s Event comprises: Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia) Georgina POTA (Hungary) Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic) Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) YU Fu (Portugal) Yana NOSKOVA (Russia) SHAO Jieni (Portugal) Dora MADARASZ (Hungary) Ganna GAPONOVA (Ukraine) Aikaterini TOLIOU (Greece).
