World Championships | 2 May 2018

Ukraine set a new milestone by reaching quarterfinal

LIEBHERR 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships

Third time the luck. Ukraine finally reached the quarterfinal of the Women’s Event at the LIEBHERR 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships. In the Round of 16 they overcame no. 8 seeds Singapore after fierce battle in five matches.

 

FENG Tianwei started the match in expecting fasion. She overcame Tetyana BILOENKO 3:0 before Ganna GAPONOVA leveled the match. Ganna beat YU Mengyu in five games.

 

“After I beat Georgina POTA yesterday I realized I could face everyone. Everything was possible. Against YU I was forced to go full distance, but I was not afraid. I maintained the high level of play. I was not thinking “I can win” I though “I should win”. I believed in me,” said GAPONOVA.

 

At 1:1 Margaryta PESOTSKA showed she can cope with pressure.

 

“I was very confident. My service/return game was very strong and I can be almost satisfied with my forehand. I managed to stay focused,” said PESOTSKA.

 

The burden of the decisive match was on the shoulders of Tetyana BILENKO.

 

“YU Mengyu hardly gave me the opportunity to attack her. The most important point in the decisive game came after the attack, but it was one of the few opporutunities that I had. It proved as a good decision,” stated BILENKO.

 

DPR Korea halted Russia’ progress to the quarterfinal. KIM Song I, KIM Nam Hae and CHA Hyo Sim prevailed in straight matches against Yana NOSKOVA , Polina MIKHAILOVA and Mariia TAILAKOVA.