European Olympic Singles Qualification | 19 May 2024

Margaryta PESOTSKA reached the last spot for the Olympics

The last ticket to Paris 2024 in the women's event at the European Olympic Singles Qualification in Sarajevo was secured by Margaryta PESOTSKA of Ukraine. Previously, spots in the women's category were secured by Anna HURSEY of Great Britain, Britt EERLAND of the Netherlands, and Fu YU and Jieni SHAO of Portugal.

In the final match, PESOTSKA overcame Georgina POTA of Hungary. It was POTA'S third Olympic ticket match, which she lost (10:12, 8:11, 9:11, 11:7, 11:5, 11:5, 5:11).

“Everything was fine with my game in the first three games, and then I lost one by being unlucky with too many nets and easy mistakes. Then POTA raised her game. She played much more cleverly. Also, the tiredness took its toll. We were both very tired. I did not have enough patience; my hand did not listen to me. It was difficult to control the game. In the last game, I just let it be,” said PESOTSKA. \

This will be her fourth Olympics.

“This was the hardest one to qualify for. I played so many matches, a lot of them went to seven games.”

Margaryta PESOTSKA lost to Fu YU of Portugal in an Olympic ticket match earlier today.

“I was upset and disappointed, but I knew I had to rise. I had to be strong. I managed to calm down by talking to the people I love. For the first hour, I was just upset and thinking of my mistakes, but then I listened to music and talked,” said PESOTSKA.

Previously, she beat Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia, Tin-Tin HO of Great Britain, and Dora MADARASZ of Hungary. In Stage 2, she beat Sabina SURJAN before losing to Jieni SHAO. In the group stage, she beat Sabina MUSAJEVA of Latvia, Sibel ALTINKAYA of Türkiye, and Sara TOKIC of Slovenia.

Georgina POTA lost to Jieni SHAO of Portugal in an Olympic ticket match after overcoming Sarah De NUTTE of Luxembourg and Izabela LUPULESKU of Serbia in Stage 3. In Stage 2, POTA beat Debora VIVARELLI of Italy, Fu YU of Portugal, and Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia before she lost the Olympic ticket match to Anna HURSEY of Great Britain. In the group stage, Georgina prevailed against Rachel MORET of Switzerland and Aikaterini TOLIOU of Greece.