European Championships | 7 Aug 2022

HAN Ying is testing a new mental tactic for Munich

The top seeded player in the Women’s Singles Event at the European Championships in Munich is Germany’s HAN Ying, best defender in the World and number 8 in the ITTF rankings. Last year, Petrissa SOLJA and SHAN Xiaona played in the final, but due the injury SOLJA will not be able to defend her crown.

Now all the focus will be on the leading name at the list.

"Secretly, of course, I hope to win a medal. But since I expressed this last time and then it didn't work out I am trying it the other way round this time. All I can say is: I am just looking from round to round, from match to match at the European Championships. The competition is very strong, and I count my team mates among them,” said HAN.

Speaking of her current shape Han said” "After some very good performances in the spring, I didn't play the way I wanted at the WTT tournaments in Hungary in July. But I feel in training that the form curve is going up again and I hope to be in top form again in Munich."

Germany will be also represent by Europe Cup winner Nina MITTELHAM who is number 12 in the World rankings. Nina is defending champion in the mixed doubles with Dang QIU and last year's runner-up in the doubles with Sabine WINTER.

" I really hope to play well and be successful in both doubles competitions this time as well. It's quite possible to repeat or even improve on the good result of 2021, “said Nina. "In singles, my first target is to get through the first round. After that, I hope I can improve from round to round and match to match in the tournament. During my preparation for the European Championships, I was actually on a very good path until my victory at the WTT Contender in Lima in mid-June. Then, right after my return, a Corona infection threw me completely out of rhythm for a good week. I've only been back in full training since the tournaments in Hungary in mid-July. But there are still ten days until the European Championships to get into very good shape."

SHAN Xiaona, European silver medalist from Warsaw and World number 17 spoke on her target in the singles:

"Twice I have already won silver in the singles. If I make it to the final again this year at our home European Championships, I hope that this time the medal will be a different color. But there are many good players at the European Championships. The most dangerous adversary for me come from our own national team, where of course everyone knows my system very well. It is really a pity that Peti had to cancel the European Championships because of an injury. I would have loved to play for the title again with her here in Germany. I wish her a speedy recovery."

Sabine WINTER, world number 45 and European Championships silver medalist with Nina Mittelham in 2021 spoke on her commitment as a creative ambassador for the European Multisport Championships:

"The organising committee had heard about my table tennis videos and asked me if I would like to participate. They liked my idea of playing table tennis on ice skates, so the video with the ice hockey pros came about. The idea to play table tennis on the Olympic roof came from the organising committee. We still had a few ideas in the quiver, but that fell through due to time constraints because of my schedule."

On her ambitions in singles, doubles and mixed, Sabine said: "A lot depends on the draw. But I'm coming here with confidence and I know that on a good day I can win against a lot of people in Europe. I hope to go far. I last played mixed with Bene in 2017. We tried it once in practice now and it worked quite well. We have to get through the qualifiers and then we hope to upset a few favorites in the main draw. Last year I was second in the doubles with Nina. I think that's a result we can repeat or even top."

Tamara BOROS, women's team national coach talked about the goals of the DTTB women at the European Championships:

"Everyone is in good shape, but not quite in top form yet. That would also be too early, now when we are a week before the tournament. On Friday, we had another European Championship preparation tournament, and now we gain final insights for the fine-tuning in the last week, in which we will work very individually. It's a pity that Peti SOLJA can't compete, but our team is very strong. I hope that we will be represented in the tournament until the final day of the European Championships and that the title will go to a German player again."