Europe Top-16 Cup | 15 Sep 2021

Bernadette SZOCS aiming for the title again

At the 2021 POMEGRANATE European Top 16 Cup, Romania's Bernadette SZOCS will fight for the title again on 18 and 19 September. The winner of the 2018 event will be the No. two seed this year in Thessaloniki.

"I am very happy to play again at the Top 16 Cup. I want to win it again. When I learnt that we will play it this year, it was great news for me," said SZOCS.

Asked about memories from the competition when she clinched her crown in Montreux, Bernadette said:

"I could not forget 2018 when I won the title, but my memories from the year after that are also very vivid. In 2019, I was one step short from doing it twice in a row – I reached the final. It was hard, but being second among the 16 best players in Europe is not that bad after all," smiled Bernadette.

SZOCS was a member of team Romania at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 this summer.

"It was a very good tournament for me. In the singles and doubles, I finished fifth. I did not manage to reach the medal rostrum, but above us were only Asian players. That is something that makes me proud," explained Romania's young player.

Bernadette used the short break after the Olympic Games for a little getaway to Egypt.

"I went there to "chill" a bit and then I flew back quickly to start preparations. We have a very hard September with the Top 16 Cup and European Team Championships in Cluj Napoca. I want to defend our title and win it for the third time in a row in front of a home crowd. I have only gold on my mind and I prepare in order to achieve this."

How do you prepare?

"My training is very hard, but I also spend a lot of time watching the videos of matches. I am also very positive and I am trying to keep that attitude no matter what," said SZOCS.