Europe Top-16 Cup | 25 Feb 2022

Simon GAUZY: Top 16 means what it means- all the best together

For an 8th time in his career, French star Simon GAUZY is invited to play at the 2022 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux on 26th and 27th February. His best result in the competition was third position in his homeland, in Juan Les Pins, Antibes in 2017.

The first time Gauzy played in a Top 12 was in Baku 2015 when he reached the fourth position. In Thessaloniki last year he was fifth.

Gauzy was a European silver medallist in singles in 2016 and he also played in the quarterfinal of the World Championships in 2019. In the early days he won bronze at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.

At the beginning of this year there are not many tournaments so it will be difficult to judge the shape of the participants.

"I have played in the German Bundesliga only, lately," said the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen player." I am not in the best shape, I am working hard to come back as fast as possible at a good shape but I am not doing great recently, I hope I will l find my shape soon."

The list of confirmed players is impressive: Timo BOLL (Germany), Patrick FRANZISKA (Germany), Mattias FALCK (Sweden), Darko JORGIC (Slovenia), Marcos FREITAS (Portugal), Robert GARDOS (Austria), Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden), Jonathan GROTH (Denmark), Yang WANG (Slovakia), Tomislav PUCAR (Croatia), Emmanuel LEBESSON (France), Daniel HABESOHN (Austria), Barish MOULLET (Switzerland), Andrej GACINA (Croatia) and Kirill SKACHKOV (Russia). GAUZY's comment on it was very short.

"Top 16 means what it means, they are the best in Europe so that's tough," said Gauzy.

Montreux proved itself so many times in past as a good host and the location follows the glamorous list of participants.

"Those tournaments are the best, and I cannot wait to be there and see the Swiss public once again at such a beautiful location."

Speaking about his goals, GAUZY was cautious.

"As I'm not playing my best at the moment, I do not have any goals, but there is still three weeks to go, it can come back, we will see."

Last time when GAUZY played in Montreux it did not end well for him.

"My worst Top 16 was two years ago when I lost with 2 match balls against WANG Yang, a great player though," admitted Gauzy:" My best memory was my 3rd place at home in France in 2017."