Overwhelming Pontoise sweeps Orenburg

November 28, 2014
12:00 am
Champions League Men

Reigning MECL champion Pontoise Cergy showed one of its best performances ever in this competition beating away Fakel Gazproma Orenburg 3:0 (9:5) in Round 5 of 2014/15 MECL. Nobody before managed to defeat in that style Vladimir SAMSONOV Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Alexey SMIRNOV on their soil. It was the battle for the top spot of Group A in which both sides now have 4-1 score. Currently Pontoise has better set-ratio but Russian champion is better in the mutual encounters (Orenburg won in France 3:0/9:3).

Portugal`s hero in the recent 2014 TMS European Championships in Lisbon Marcos FREITAS (world`s No. 9) who beat Timo BOLL in decisive match of the final today provided one more big win against one great German. This time he overcame Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (No. 6) in five games of opening match. Actual individual European champion easily won first and third set while Portuguese reached second and fourth in latest moments (2nd 8:8 11:8 3rd 9:9 11:9). FREITAS made a crucial run in the fifth set when he took six consecutive points (6:4 to 10:4).

In the second match world`s No. 46 Kristian KARLSSON beat No. 10. Vladimir SAMSONOV in five games. Byelorussian managed to level on 2:2 after 0:2 deficit but Swede was better in the latest moments of the fifth set. KARLSSON needed two set balls to secure 2:0 lead for guests.

Pontoise`s coach Peter FRANZ took a good decision when he set WANG Jian Jun on 3rd position. In all three previous meetings these teams in last six months Chinese played as no. 2. Today he was unstoppable for Alexey SMIRNOV for sure the best no. 3 player in MECL in last five seasons.

MECL Round 5 Group A
Fakel Gazproma Orenburg – Pontoise Cergy 0:3
Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Marcos FREITAS 2:3 (11:3 8:11 11:3 9:11 8:11)
Vladimir SAMSONOV – Kristian KARLSSON 2:3 (6:11 7:11 11:8 11:4 10:12)
Alexey SMIRNOV – WANG Jian Jun 1:3 (4:11 9:11 11:9 2:11)

SPO Rouen crowned French champions for the first time in history

SPO Rouen captured the first French Pro A Men title in club history after edging GV Hennebont 3-2 in a dramatic final played in front of a packed Kindarena on...

BTDK named Sports Association of the Year 2026 in Denmark

Table Tennis Denmark has been named Sports Association of the Year 2026 in Denmark. The award was presented during the General Assembly of the Danish Sports Confederation and the Danish...

Felix WETZEL inspires dramatic comeback as Wels defend Austrian title

Felbermayr Wels successfully defended the Austrian Men’s Bundesliga title after an extraordinary final thriller in Wiener Neustadt, overturning a 0-2 deficit against regular season winners Panaceo Stockerau to secure the...

Olympiacos extend dynasty while Panathinaikos women end 52-year wait for Greek title

Olympiacos SFP in the men’s division and Panathinaikos AO in the women’s division were crowned Greek champions for the 2025/26 season after confirming their dominance in the A1 National League...