Giorgia PICCOLIN (Centro Sportivo Esercito) and Niagol STOYANOV (Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre) clinched the singles titles at the Italian Championships which were played in Biella
In the PalaPajetta PICCOLIN won for the fourth time in a row. She beat 4-1 in the finals Nikoleta STEFANOVA (Tennistavolo Norbello) who returned to the field after six years. Bronze medalists were Debora VIVARELLI (Centro Sportivo Esercito) and Gaia MONFARDINI (Tennistavolo Castel Goffredo).
“I had already played against Nikoleta ” recalled PICCOLIN “my first finals in 2014 and to face her again after eight years was a great emotion. At that time I was 18 while now I am a older and my game improved very much. The day before the decisive rounds of the tournament I felt a bit of pressure but then I told myself that I should not have proved anything to anyone and I should just have fun. In the quarters I met Nicole ARLIA for the first time and it was tough. I knew that she is a very difficult player and in fact she caused problems for me. In the finals Nikoleta started well winning the first game then however point by point I managed to raise my level and I did it”.
It was the third gold medal for STOYANOV again after four years (the first two wins were in 2014 and 2018). He defeated 4-1 Jordy PICCOLIN (Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre) Giorgia’s brother who was in his first final match of his career. Mihai BOBOCICA (Aeronautica Militare) anche Andrea PUPPO (Tennistavolo Reggio Emilia) climbed to the third step of the podium.
“Before the championships ” declared STOYANOV ” I thought that there would be this four-year anniversary but every year it is very difficult to win. I’m very happy. The last few months have been complicated for me from different point of views and coming home with this title is very important. I am also satisfied with my game without that I would not have been able to achieve this result. I am happy with what I have managed to do. The match against Mihai BOBOCICA in the semifinals was challenging and also against Leonardo MUTTI in the quarters I had to fight hard. In the finals against Jordy I knew it was his first match for the title and I remembered how it was for me. I congratulate him because I think he had a great performance and his first title will come shortly. I feared he might come back because anything can happen when you do not convert match-points. I was aware that it would not be over until I won the last rally”.
STOYANOV and PICCOLIN also defended 2021 title in mixed doubles. They accounted for Carlo ROSSI (Marcozzi Cagliari) and Nicole ARLIA (Tennistavolo Castel Goffredo) 3-0. Marco RECH DALDOSSO (Aeronautica Militare) and VIVARELLI and Leonardo MUTTI (Aeronautica Militare) and MONFARDINI were classified third.
In the men’s and women’s doubles John Michael OYEBODE (Il Circolo Prato 2010) and PICCOLIN and MONFARDINI and her mother Tan WENLING (Tennistavolo Castel Goffredo) won their first gold medals. Silver medalists were the defending champions STOYANOV and BOBOCICA and VIVARELLI and PICCOLIN and bronze medalists were respectively Antonino AMATO (Marcozzi Cagliari) and RECH DALDOSSO and Daniele PINTO (Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre) and ROSSI and among the women Veronica MOSCONI (Centro Sportivo Esercito) and Chiara COLANTONI (CIATT Prato) and Le Thi Hong LOAN (Tennistavolo Castel Goffredo) and ARLIA.
Men’s singles:
Quarters finals:
Mihai BOBOCICA – Carlo ROSSI 3-0 (11-5 11-7 11-4)
Niagol STOYANOV – Leonardo MUTTI 3-2 (11-9 10-12 11-9 9-11 11-7)
Jordy PICCOLIN – Daniele PINTO 3-1 (11-9 11-5 8-11 11-4)
Andrea PUPPO – Marco RECH DALDOSSO 3-2 (8-11 8-11 11-5 11-8 11-3)
Semifinals:
Niagol STOYANOV – Mihai BOBOCICA 4-1 (11-6 7-11 11-4 14-12 11-9)
Jordy PICCOLIN – Andrea PUPPO 4-1 (8-11 11-9 11-6 11-8 14-12)
Finals:
Niagol STOYANOV – Jordy PICCOLIN 4-1 (11-4 11-4 15-13 11-13 14-12)
Women’s singles:
Quarters finals:
Debora VIVARELLI – Miriam CARNOVALE 3-0 (11-6 11-8 11-7)
Giorgia PICCOLIN – Nicole ARLIA 3-2 (11-7 8-11 12-14 11-5 11-7)
Nikoleta STEFANOVA – Chiara COLANTONI 3-1 (4-11 11-7 11-8 16-14)
Gaia MONFARDINI – Le Thi Hong LOAN 3-1 (11-5 5-11 11-8 11-6)
Semifinals:
Giorgia PICCOLIN – Debora VIVARELLI 4-1 (6-11 11-5 11-4 11-8 11-3)
Nikoleta STEFANOVA – Gaia MONFARDINI 4-0 (11-8 11-3 15-13 11-6)
Finals:
Giorgia PICCOLIN – Nikoleta STEFANOVA 4-1 (11-13 11-9 11-4 11-9 11-7)
Men’s doubles:
Semifinals:
Niagol STOYANOV/Mihai BOBOBICA – Daniele PINTO/Carlo ROSSI 3-1 (11-7 11-7 7-11 12-10)
John Michael OYEDODE/Jordy PICCOLIN – Antonino AMATO/Marco RECH DALDOSSO 3-2 (11-13 2-11 11-6 11-6 11-7)
Finals:
John Michael OYEDODE/Jordy PICCOLIN – Niagol STOYANOV/Mihai BOBOBICA 3-2 (8-11 12-10 12-10 4-11 11-9)
Women’s doubles:
Semifinals:
Debora VIVARELLI/Giorgia PICCOLIN – Le Thi Hong LOAN/Nicole ARLIA 3-0 (11-2 11-9 11-7)
Gaia MONFARDINI/Tan WENLING – Veronica MOSCONI/Chiara COLANTONI 3-2 (8-11 10-12 11-6 11-8 11-1)
Finals:
Gaia MONFARDINI/Tan WENLING – Debora VIVARELLI/Giorgia PICCOLIN 3-2 (18-16 9-11 11-7 8-11 15-13)
Mixed doubles:
Semifinals:
Niagol STOYANOV/Giorgia PICCOLIN – Marco RECH DALDOSSO/Debora VIVARELLI 3-0 (11-8 11-8 11-7)
Carlo ROSSI/Nicole ARLIA – Leonardo MUTTI/Gaia MONFARDINI 3-2 (11-9 9-11 11-8 7-11 12-10)
Finals:
Niagol STOYANOV/Giorgia PICCOLIN – Carlo ROSSI/Nicole ARLIA 3-0 (11-5 11-1 11-7)
