World Championships | 4 May 2018

Germany secured medal rostrum

LIEBHERR 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Halmstad

Germany will play in the semi final of the Men’s Event at the LIEBHERR 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Halmstad. Without Timo BOLL who suffered from the back injury and with Dimitrij OVTCAHROV playing the third match, Germany faced Brazil with Bastian STEGER and Ruwen FILUS on two first positions.

 

“Timo suffered from the back injury. It worsened from yesterday until today and I have to see how it would look tomorrow. We can not say anything now. In addition, OVTCHAROV is still in the process of recovery. Each time here, he played at the position no. three. I was thinking of putting him on position no. two, but it was not possible. The reality is that we have the old team and that we have to cope with that in best possible way,” said coach Jorg ROSSKOPF.

 

In the quarterfinal, Hugo CALDERANO won the opening game against STEGER, but soon Germany’s player was on the winning track. The good run did not last for long, Hugo was once again in the lead after the third game and he close the match in four games (11:4, 6:11, 11:8, 11:6).

 

Ruwen FILUS leveled the match by beating Eric JOUTI in straight games (11:6, 11:8, 8:11).  Dimitrij OVTCHAROV won the opening game against Gustavo TSUBOI 11:9. In the next he was in the difficult situation by being 4:9 in reverse, but OVTCHAROV came close to 8:9, before he lost it. However, he recovered and won next two games without major problems 11:7 and 11:3.

 

“When I heard that Timo could not play I was only thinking that we had to fight harder. I gave my best to prevent TSUBOI to put me behind. We are in difficult posiotion, but good point is that our adversaries do not know how to prepare the tactics. No one knows with what team we will play,” said OVTCHAROV laughing.

 

In second return to the table Filus faced CALDERANO. Brazil’s player forced Ruwen to go full distance.

 

“CALDERANO is very dangerous player and we were ready for him. His style is familiar to us since he was playing in Bundesliga. For me, it was important to attack and to play very fast game. Even when he was closing game on me, I did not loosen the grip, I played in full power. He is kind of player who already beat Timo BOLL, so now i am very happy and tired,” said FILUS.