Europe Top-16 Cup | 5 Feb 2022

Barbora BALAZOVA: Title and virus key moments in January

Slovakia's Barbora BALAZOVA is coming to Montreux on 26-27 February for the 2022 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup and she is full of confidence after winning the title at the WTT Feeder Düsseldorf I. In Switzerland she is arriving as the 11 seed.

On her way to the highest step on the medal rostrum in Germany, BALAZOVA beat SHAN Xiaona and Chantal MANTZ of Germany, Natalia BAYOR of Poland and Vera VOLKOVA of Belarus.

"This win convinces me that I am in good shape. Unfortunately I could not participate at the second one as I tested positive for COVID. Luckily I was without symptoms, but i found it a bit hard to start practicing again, as I still feel a bit tired," explained BALAZOVA who shared the same fate as GARDOS, who got sick after winning the title in Dusseldorf.

"I think there are many good players as every year, and many that played very good recently, so i think anyone can win, actually. My goal is to enjoy the competition, as it is very nice tournament to play, try my best, and see what happens.'

The athletes to compete in the Women's Event in Montreux are: Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria), HAN Ying (Germany, Bernadette SZOCS (Romania), Britt EERLAND (Netherlands), Margaryta PESOTSKA (Ukraine), Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania), NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg), Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic), YU Fu (Portugal),Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia), Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia), Georgina POTA (Hungary), Rachel MORET (Switzerland), Nina MITTELHAM (Germany), Yana NOSKOVA (Russia), SHAO Jieni (Portugal).