Champions League Men | 21 Nov 2017
Three clubs enter TTCLM Round 4 unbeaten
Photo: Courtesy LIEBHERR Ochsenhausen
Orenburg, Sarbrucken and Ochsenhausen have 3-0 score each. Ochsenhausen`s Simon GAUZY (5-0) leads in the individual scores
The 2017/18 Table Tennis Champions League Men continues this Wednesday, November 22nd, with Round 4 games. There are three clubs unbeaten so far: reigning champion and four times winner TTC Fakel Gazprom Orenburg, 2009 runner-up TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and 2012 semi-finalist Saarbrucken.
Ochsenhausen`s no. 1 Simon GAUZY, actual World no.8, holds the best individual score after first three rounds. Frenchman won all his five encounters (5-0), followed by two Orenburg`s players Jun MIZUTANI (4-0), Vladimir SAMSONOV (3-0) and two members of Saarbrucken, Tiago APOLONIA (3-0) and Patrick FRANZISKA (3-0).
Group A brings a do-or-die clash for double TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy (actual score 1-2). Marcos FREITAS travels to his homeland Portugal to face TTCLM newcomer Sporting (2-1). Portugal`s side upset French club in the opening round, 3:1, thanks to Joao MONTEIRO who provided two wins, beating Can AKUZZU and Marcos FREITAS in the decider. In other Group A game Bogoria (0-3) hosts Orenburg (3-0). Defending champion is very close to its 8th consecutive quarter-final.
GROUP A (individual scores)
Fakel Gazprom: OVTCHAROV 2-1, MIZUTANI 4-0, SAMSONOV 3-0
Sporting: ARUNA 1-3, MONTEIRO 4-1, CARVALHO 2-1
AS Pontoise Cergy: FREITAS 2-2, AKKUZU 1-2, STOYANOV 1-2
Bogoria Grodzisk: YOSHIDA 0-1, SIRUCEK 0-4, GORAK 0-3, HAN 1-1
Group B leader Saarbrucken (3-0) opposes 2016 TTCLM runner-up Eslovs (0-3) in Sweden, playing for its fourth consecutive win. Swedish team will fight for the very first victory in the ongoing season. Two former runner-ups Chartres (1-2) and UMMC (2-1) will meet in France in the possibly decisive clash for the second spot in this group. Russian side got big advantage in the opening round 3:0 (9:2) in case that both sides finished group stage with same score.
GROUP B (individual scores)
Saarbrucken: APOLONIA 3-0, FRANZISKA 3-0, TOKIC 2-1, BAUM 1-0
UMMC: GACINA 2-1, YOSHIMURA 2-0, SHIBAEV 2-3, VLASOV 1-1
Chartres: GARDOS 2-2, LORENTZ 0-3, A. ROBINOT 0-1, GERELL 1-2
Eslovs: SVENSSON 0-4, XU 3-2, MOREGARDH 1-2, KOSIBA 0-1
Ochsenhausen (3-0) is determined to stay unbeaten in Group C playing in Ostrava (1-2), while host side aims its second win. German club beat Czech Republic`s team 3:1 in the opening round of the 2017/18 season. Stela Sport La Romagne and SPG Walter Wels will meet in Austria, after very tense and exciting clash in France two months ago. The 2016/17 ETTU Cup Men winner beat Austrians 3:2 in the Round 1, thanks to CHEN Tianyuan who secured two points for his side.
GROUP C (individual scores)
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen: GAUZY 5-0, CALDERANO 2-0, GERALDO 1-1, DYJAS 0-1, MURAMATSU 1-0
Stella Sport La Romagne: SHIAHO 3-2, CHEN 3-1, CRISAN 0-2, OLLIVIER 0-1
Ostrava 2016: TREGLER 2-1, GIONIS 1-3, KARAKASEVIC 2-2
SPG Walter Wels: PETO 0-4, CHO 2-3, DEVOS 1-2
Group D is unique one without undefeated teams. TTCLM record holders with ten titles, Borussia Dusseldorf is fully motivated to beat Hennebont in France, being upset by the same opponent in the Round 1 at home. French club won that clash 3:2 in spite of facing Timo BOLL in his best shape. One more unexpected result was seen in the Round 1, when Roskilde defeated away Dekorglass Dzialdowo 3:2, hence Polish side will seek revenge this time.
GROUP D (individual scores)
Borussia: BOLL 3-1, FEGERL 0-3, KARLSSON 3-2, KALLBERG 2-1
Hennebont: Q. ROBINOT 2-2, PITCHFORD 4-1, NUYTINCK 2-2
Dekorglass Dzialdowo: MATSUDAIRA 2-0, VRABLIK 2-2, WANG 1-4, WONG 2-2
Roskilde: ZHAI 2-3, MAZE 1-4, TROMER 1-2
2017/18 TTCLM, Round 4
GROUP A
Sporting Clube De Portugal - AS Pontoise Cergy (Nov 23, 20:00 CET)
K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki - TTC Fakel Gazprom (Nov 24, 18:30 CET)
GROUP B
Chartres ASTT -TTSC UMMC (Nov 24, 19:00 CET)
Eslovs Ai Bordtennis - FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis (Nov 24, 19:30 CET)
GROUP C
TTC Ostrava 2016 - TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen (Nov 22, 18:00 CET)
SPG Walter Wels - Stella Sport La Romagne (Nov 23, 19:00 CET)
GROUP D
Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 - K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (Nov 22, 19:00 CET)
G.V. Hennebont T.T. - Borussia Düsseldorf (Nov 24, 20:00 CET)
