Champions League Men | 6 Apr 2013

Small town got big table tennis success

For many table tennis people it was huge surprise to see Budaorsi 2i SC as runner-up of 2012/13 Women’s European Champions League. But, everyone in that club are emphasizing that wasn’t a matter of coincidence. “We think this year was so successful

For many table tennis people it was huge surprise to see Budaorsi 2i SC as runner-up of 2012/13 Women’s European Champions League. But, everyone in that club are emphasizing that wasn’t a matter of coincidence.

“We think this year was so successful in Champions League, but we have to be focused on next big events that we are playing”, says Budaorsi`s manager Krisztina SZVITAN. “We would like to reach a good result in the next year too, but every time our goal is to well represent the town of Budaörs, and take opportunity to develop our players. This is why we can handle the economic crisis, because we have a fantastic town behind us and some sponsors who are very close friends too. But, of course, as we develop, we need more serious sponsors, and we always work on that, but it’s not an easy work.”

In the final clash against actual champion Froschberg, Hungarian side showed strong character in the rematch at Linz, leading 2:0 (the opponent won 1st leg 3:1), but Petrissa SOLJA and LIU Jia managed to secure second crown for Austrian side. However, the leading Budaorsi`s player Szandra PERGEL is satisfied.

“This season was very exciting, useful, giving us biggest chance for developing. In every case playing in the final it is a big honor. We worked a lot for this title, and of course we are a little bit disappointed, but finally we realized, this is the biggest success in our life and club’s history”.

Promising, 19-year-old Dora MADARASZ shares opinion of her experienced team mate. But, she still is returning on the moment when she won opening set against famous LIU Jia 11:0… “I exactly knew after the first set that is not reality and that I must fight more if I want to win. Above all, cognition that will not be the same if I won 3:0, 3:1 or 3:2, made me a little bit nervous, while on the other side LIU Jia played very well after the opening set, and she was very professional.”

Krisztina SZVITAN believes that Dora MADARASZ has a real chance to be top European player if she stays in this way and she sees Szandra PERGEL higher on ITTF World ranking list: “Szandra`s table tennis also improved a lot in last two years, and nowadays in Europe nobody can be sure against her! We saw her big improvement in this season and we are so proud of her.”

Budapest’s side Statisztika is the most successful European club ever, but new Hungarian club in Women’s ECL has different goals. SZVITAN answers on the question to compare these two clubs: “We absolutely appreciate the Statisztika, and we are sure that nobody can repeat these results what they reached in the past, but we have other way, our special way, what is different. We started as a little special atmosphere club, and of course we want to win big titles, but it’s a little town Budaörs, and we would like to be the team of Budaörs. After 16 years developing, we are here, and we can say thank to the City Council of Budaörs and club`s president Gergely SOMLYÓ, the man who did the most for the table tennis in our city”.