Member Associations | 30 Jun 2021

Final Four Hungary: Pécs and Budaörs both defended titles

For the first time in the history of the Extraliga Final Four, the previous year winners repeated their success: PTE-PEAC clinched the Men's title and SH-ITB Budaörsi SC, the host, was victorious among women.

The men's final included a battle lasting up to seven matches, but Pécs then, perhaps, won the title smoother than expected. Szerva ASE from Szécsény had already a disappointment that they lost the very important doubles match, one of the best Hungarian doubles, the duo of János JAKAB and Krisztián MOLNÁR, was beaten surprisingly smoothly by Lehel DEMETER and Zsolt PETŐ.

After the first two individual matches, the enthusiastic PEAC fans could celebrate, as Demeter surpassed MOLNÁR and PETŐ won against Márton SZITA. Jakab then kept the hopes of Szécsény alive with his success against Gábor GEROLD, but PETŐ did not stop and beat MOLNÁR, so the fiesta of Pécs could start. PTE-PEAC was able to reach the top of the podium at the end of the Final Four for the third time after 2017 and 2020.

Last year's final was repeated among the ladies, and Budaörs proved to be better than Erdért again. Although the team of the capital city scared the hosts, Leila IMRE and KRISZTINA Ambrus dominated the doubles match against Mária FAZEKAS and Szabina SURJÁN with a confident game, and then Imre defeated Fazekas individually as well. The subsequent matches were also started well by the players of Erdért, but they could not win more matches, Budaörs won by 5:2, thus gaining the fifth championship title of their club.

Before the announcement of the results, touching moments took place in the Budaörs sports hall. Among others, the Hungarian table tennis players who made it to the Tokyo Olympics were greeted, including Mária FAZEKAS and Georgina PÓTA, who both strengthened the team of Budaörs.

Petra LOVAS will not be there at this year’s Olympics, yet she received the biggest and longest applause. This was the last time she participated in a championship match as an active athlete, as she will end her successful career at the end of the season, with European Championship gold medal, Champions League victory, Olympic participation and many Hungarian championship titles behind her.

The players of Budaörs won not only the championship title, but also the recognition of the participants as hosts.

“The feedback is very positive, I also feel that the Final Four has been organized quite well, the hall was very nice” said Krisztina SZVITÁN, head of the SH-ITB Budaörsi SC. “I just heard from one of the teams that the conditions are on a European level. I would be very happy if more events of this level could be held during the year, and, for example, the national championship or the Top 16 competition would be given such a big role. In that case, I think more people would attend table tennis competitions, instead of just watching it at home through the broadcasts.”

EXTRALIGA FINAL FOUR 2021, BUDAÖRS

MEN Final

PTE-PEAC Kalo-Méh I.–Szerva ASE Szécsény I. 4:1

Lehel Demeter, Zsolt Pető–János Jakab, Krisztián Molnár 3:0 (10, 11, 6)

Demeter–Molnár 3:0 (5, 10, 9)

Pető–Szita Márton 3:0 (6, 9, 7)

Gerold Gábor–Jakab 1:3 (8, –8, –4, –3)

Pető–Molnár 3:0 (7, 2, 8)

Match for third place

CVSE-Swietelsky Future FM I.–Floratom Szegedi AC I. 4:0

Péter Fazekas, David Serdaroglu–Attila Kószó, Iván Vitsek 3:1 (8, 3, –7, 9)

Serdaroglu–Lukács 3:0 (13, 4, 4)

Kriston Dániel–Vitsek 3:1 (7, –6, 7, 14)

Fazekas–Kószó 3:1 (–9, 8, 4, 3)
Serdaroglu–Vitsek 3:0 (7, 9, 3) – did not count in the final result

 

WOMEN

Final

SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club–Budapesti Erdért SE 5:2

Fazekas Mária, Surján Szabina–Imre Leila, Ambrus Krisztina 0:3 (–8, –7, –6)

Fazekas–Imre 1:3 (5, –8, –10, –10)

Póta Georgina–Tóth Kata 3:1 (–10, 7, 7, 4)

Surján–Ambrus 3:1 (–13, 6, 9, 8)

Póta–Imre 3:1 (–4, 6, 10, 14)

Fazekas–Ambrus 3:1 (3, –7, 4, 8)

Surján–Tóth 3:0 (1, 3, 3)

Match for third place

Szekszárd AC I.–Kecskeméti Spartacus SK és Közösségi Tér I. 6:4

Fanni Harasztovics, Anetta Maszkuti–Kata Füle, Alekszandra Radonjics 1:3 (11, –8, –9, –9)

Makszuti–Ciurcui Melinda 3:2 (–6, 3, 4, –10, 7)

Harasztovich–Füle 3:0 (15, 6, 10)

Ivana Vejnovics–Radonjics 3:1 (6, 6, –8, 9)

Harasztovich–Ciurcui 1:3 (13, –6, –7, –9)

Makszuti–Radonjics 3:0 (6, 4, 3)

Vejnovics–Füle 3:0 (7, 5, 3)

Harasztovich–Radonjics 2:3 (3, –9, –10, 5, –10)

 Vejnovics–Ciurcui 1:3 (–4, –10, 11, –10)

Makszuti–Füle 3:1 (7, 7, –8, 2)

Photo: Laszlo Peli