Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge | 2 Aug 2015

Historic victory for European Table Tennis!

The 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge in Zhangjiagang: Asia – Europe 4:6. GACINA, GARDOS and FREITAS brought points in the Day 2, to secure very first victory for the Old Continent on Asian soil

 

Players Vladimir SAMSONOV, Marcos FREITAS, Robert GARDOS, Bastian STEGER and Andrej GACINA, as well as coach Richard PRAUSE, went down in history today in the City of City of Zhangjiagang, China! They managed to beat Asian team on 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge in front of 800 spectators in the Jiang Su Gymnasium, 6:4, bringing very first victory for the Old Continent counting matches on Asian soil.

European side entered Day 2 with a 3:2 advantage and after three more games, it was 6:2!

World`s no. 34, Andrej GACINA announced victorious day for the guests, defeating no. 14 CHUANG Chih Yuan. If everybody expected his point against Noshad ALAMIYAN yesterday, today`s victory against the semi-finalist from 2012 Olympics must be noted as real accomplishment, bearing in mind that he did it in straight games against top class opponent.

Robert GARDOS wrote down new 3:0 victory, this time against Iranian ALAMIYAN. Thus, Europe needed just one more point to celebrate.

Deciding clash between Hong Kong player TANG Peng (no. 13) and Portuguese Marcos FREITAS was a peak of the drama. After 11:3 in the third set in his favor, host had a lot of confidence on his side, but guest managed to level on 2:2. But, most exciting moments appeared when FREITAS had four match balls in the ultimate chapter. TANG somehow saved all four, but Portuguese took next two points to secure big victory for Europe.

Only what actual World champion MA Long could do against the 1997 WCH runner-up Vladimir SAMSONOV, is to alleviate the loss. World`s no 1 on ITTF World ranking list won in four games.

The last point belonged to Asians, as GAO Ning defeated Bastian STEGER. Singaporean prevented Europeans to level the biggest victory in their mutual games (Asia won 7:3 three times).

Since inaugural meeting, 2009 in Beijing, Europe won twice on its soil: in 2009 Istanbul (6:5) and 2012 Vendée (6:4). Thus it`s clear why today`s victory is special one, bearing in mind that Asia had 6:0 score in previous six games held in China.

Overall prize money was 100,000 € in total. European team earned 60,000 €, while the Asians left the field with 40,000 €.

 

The 2015 Euro-Asia All Stars Challenge: Asia – Europe 4:6

 

Day 1, August 1st

Asia – Europe 1:0, CHUANG Chih Yuan – Bastian STEGER 3:1 (11:3, 4:11, 11:9, 13:11)

Asia – Europe 1:1, GAO Ning – Robert GARDOS 0:3 (6:11, 6:11, 9:11)

Asia – Europe 2:1, MA Long – Marcos FREITAS 3:0 (11:7, 11:4, 11:7)

Asia – Europe 2:2, TANG Peng – Vladimir SAMSONOV 1:3 (8:11, 9:11, 11:8, 6:11)

Asia – Europe 2:3, Noshad ALAMIYAN – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (9:11, 12:10, 5:11, 4:11)

 

Day 2, August 2nd

Asia – Europe 2:4, CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Andrej GACINA 0:3 (6:11, 7:11, 10:12)

Asia – Europe 2:5, Noshad ALAMIYAN – Robert GARDOS 0:3 (8:11, 8:11, 9:11)

Asia – Europe 2:6, TANG Peng – Marcos FREITAS 2:3 (11:7, 6:11, 11:3, 6:11, 10:12)

Asia – Europe 3:6, MA Long – Vladimir SAMSONOV 3:1 (11:9, 7:11, 11:7, 11:8)

Asia – Europe 4:6,GAO Ning – Bastian STEGER 3:1 (3:11, 11:7, 11:6, 11:7)