ETTU - European Table Tennis Union - News (1 Cititor)

[Milica Nikolic]

Several leading contenders saw their title hopes ended in the opening knockout round of the Under 19 Singles events at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar. While most of the favourites advanced, both the boys’ and girls’ draws witnessed notable upsets that opened up the competition.

The Under 19 Boys Singles Round of 64 produced a series of surprises, with four of the top ten seeds eliminated.

Top seed Marcel BLASZCZYK of Poland made an impressive start, beating Spain’s Alvaro GIMENO in straight games. Second seed Nathan LAM of France also progressed, although Montenegro’s Stefan RADONJIC provided strong resistance before LAM sealed a five-game victory.

Fourth seed Antoine NOIRAULT of France had to dig dip against Poland’s Mateusz SAKOWICZ. Portugal’s fifth seed Tiago ABIODUN delighted the home crowd with a commanding straight-games win over Israel’s Natanel ABRAMOV, while seventh seed Robert ISTRATE of Romania recovered from losing the opening game to defeat Israel’s Or MAGEN in six.

The biggest upset came when third seed Samuel ARPAS of Slovakia was eliminated by Serafim ORLOV (AIN). After trailing by two games, ARPAS fought back to level the match, but ORLOV regained the initiative to clinch the deciding game 11-9.

Another major surprise followed as sixth seed Balazs LEI of Hungary suffered a straight-games defeat to Croatia’s Deni VALE.

VALE admitted that facing a higher-ranked opponent allowed him to play freely.

“Before the match, I didn’t feel any pressure because he was the sixth seed. I just focused on playing my own game and doing what I normally do. I’m very happy with my performance today. My tactic was to serve to his forehand and be aggressive from the start. If he was able to make the first attack, I knew I would be in trouble because he’s a very powerful player on both sides. That’s why I tried to keep the serve short and make the first attack myself. That worked well today.

“I just want to take it one match at a time. Every player at this stage knows how to play, so I don’t think about whether I have a good or a bad draw. Everyone is strong, and I just want to focus on the next match.”

Eighth seed Ivan KAHN of the Netherlands also exited the competition after losing in six games to Poland’s Jan MRUGALA, while tenth seed Samuel MICHNA of Poland fell to Sweden’s Peter ALESTEDT in five games.

Nathan PILARD of France advanced comfortably against Belgium’s Matt CLOSSET, Romania’s Robert PODAR defeated Spain’s Dario SALCEDO in five games, and Hungary’s Botond VARGA impressed with a straight-games victory over Austria’s Julian RZIHAUSCHEK.

Among the closest encounters, Scotland’s Kailun YUAN edged Denmark’s Dominykas SAMUOLIS 12-10 in the deciding game, while Poland’s Patryk ZYWORONEK recovered from two games down to defeat Estonia’s Pert LEHTLAAN in another seven-game thriller.

Spain’s Francesc CARRERA also needed the full distance before overcoming Germany’s Noah HERSEL 11-8 in the seventh game. Ukraine’s Nazarii SOLODKYI, Sweden’s Noa DAHLSTROM, Slovakia’s Damian FLORO and Serbia’s Uros NINKOVIC were among the other players to secure places in the Round of 32.

The Under 19 Girls Singles draw was considerably kinder to the favourites, although it still produced one major upset.

The biggest shock came when Poland’s Matylda HADRYS eliminated eighth seed Maria BERZOSA of Spain in emphatic fashion. HADRYS dominated the encounter from start to finish, recording a convincing 11-6, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 victory.

Top seed Nina GUO ZHENG of France recovered after dropping the opening game against Poland’s Zofia SLIWKA before prevailing in six games. Third seed Leana HOCHART of France advanced comfortably in straight games, while fourth seed Julia LEAL delighted the home supporters with a commanding victory over Austria’s Mariia LYTVYN.

Fifth seed Karolina HOLDA of Poland and sixth seed Veronika POLAKOVA of Czechia also advanced without dropping a game. Seventh seed Natalia BOGDANOWICZ of Poland progressed against Bulgaria’s Sidelya MUTLU.

Ninth seed Alesia Sofia SFERLEA of Romania survived one of the most dramatic matches of the day, edging Denmark’s Maja HANSEN in seven games after recovering from an early deficit.

Tenth seed Lilou MASSART of Belgium enjoyed a comfortable straight-games victory over Romania’s Andreea BAIASU, while 11th seed Nina SKERBINZ of Austria fought back from 2-1 down to eliminate Sweden’s Gabriela AALTONEN in six games.

France’s Alexia NODIN, Germany’s Lisa-Sophie WANG, Israel’s Elinor DAVIDOV, Hungary’s Judit NAGY, Luxembourg’s Enisa SADIKOVIC, Hungary’s Rebeka NAGY, Eseniia SHIROKOVA (AIN), Uliana TIMASHEVA (AIN), Poland’s Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA and Zlata TEREKHOVA (AIN) also advanced to the Round of 32.

The post Upsets Shake Under 19 Singles Draw as Top Contenders Progress in Gondomar first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

Antoine NOIRAULT and Leana HOCHART of France claimed the Under 19 Mixed Doubles title at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar, defeating Romania’s Robert ISTRATE and Bianca MEI ROSU 3-1 in a high-quality final. Bronze medals were awarded to France’s Nathan LAM and Jade HUYNH, and Portugal’s Tiago ABIODUN and Mariana SANTA COMBA.

The final lived up to expectations, with three of the four games decided by the narrowest of margins. After edging a tense opening game 13-11, the French pair responded to dropping the second by taking both the third and fourth games 12-10 to seal the title.

NOIRAULT and HOCHART had booked their place in the final with a commanding straight-games victory over teammates Nathan LAM and Jade HUYNH. Although the scoreline looked one-sided, NOIRAULT explained that facing fellow French players brought its own challenges.

“It was a difficult match because we were playing against another French pair, and it’s never easy in that situation. But I think we prepared really well together and played a very good match. We had a clear strategy, we stuck to it throughout, and it worked really well for us. We’re very happy with this victory, and now our goal is to win the title. We’re delighted to keep our run going and have the chance to fight for gold.”

The Romanian finalists reached the title match after overcoming Portugal’s Tiago ABIODUN and Mariana SANTA COMBA in a gripping five-game semi-final, using a well-prepared tactical plan to neutralise the home favourites.

MEI ROSU explained that varying the rhythm was central to their success.

“We knew before the match that it was going to be very tough because we know our opponents well. Tiago is a very strong player, so before the match we discussed our tactics and stuck to the plan throughout. The main idea was to change the rhythm, especially against Tiago. We also wanted to keep the rallies short and keep the ball close to the table, because he likes to stay well behind it. That was our game plan, and it worked well.”

The partnership of ISTRATE and MEI ROSU has been playing together for around three years, but Gondomar marked their first European Youth Championships as a pair, and already their best result.

ISTRATE highlighted the importance of executing their tactical approach.

“The key was to keep the ball short and make sure we were the ones starting the rallies, not our opponents. We knew we were facing two very strong players. If they were able to attack first, it would have been very difficult for us. I think we followed our plan well and that made the difference.”

Final

• Antoine NOIRAULT, Leana HOCHART (France) – Robert ISTRATE, Bianca MEI ROSU (Romania) 3-1 (13-11, 4-11, 12-10, 12-10)

Semi-finals

• Antoine NOIRAULT, Leana HOCHART (France) – Nathan LAM, Jade HUYNH (France) 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-6)
• Robert ISTRATE, Bianca MEI ROSU (Romania) – Tiago ABIODUN, Mariana SANTA COMBA (Portugal) 3-2 (11-5, 11-13, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7)

The post NOIRAULT and HOCHART Capture Under 19 Mixed Doubles Crown first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

Ladimir MAYOROV of Spain and Aleksandra NAWROCKA of Poland captured the Under 15 Mixed Doubles title at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar, overcoming Türkiye’s Görkem OCAL and Ela Su YONTER 3-1 in the final. Bronze medals went to Artem SAVELEV and Daria KHARLOVA (AIN), and Sweden’s Emil ELLERMANN and Siri BENJEGARD.

After dropping the opening game, MAYOROV and NAWROCKA took control of the match, winning the next three games to seal the title 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5.

The champions had already shown their resilience in the semi-finals, where they twice came from behind to defeat Sweden’s ELLERMANN and BENJEGARD in a thrilling five-game encounter. Their opponents in the final, OCAL and YONTER, reached the title match by defeating SAVELEV and KHARLOVA in four games.

For NAWROCKA, the victory crowned a memorable tournament.

“I feel very good and I’m really happy to play mixed doubles with Ladimir. We complement each other very well and I feel very comfortable playing with him. This is also my first medal and my first final at a European Championships.”

MAYOROV, who reached his second Under 15 final in Gondomar after winning silver in boys’ doubles last year, highlighted the strength of their partnership.

“I feel very good after reaching my second Under 15 final. I really enjoy playing with my Polish partner. She is left-handed, which suits my playing style very well, and we complement each other really well. We knew we would face the Turkish pair in the final, and we were determined to give everything to win.”

Despite missing out on the title, OCAL remained positive after the semi-final victory that secured Türkiye a place in the final.

“We didn’t play our best today, but we’re very happy to have won. We knew the final would be difficult and that we would have to play much better. This was also the first time we had faced the AIN pair, and although they are a good team, we managed to do enough to reach the final.”

Final

• Görkem OCAL, Ela Su YONTER (Türkiye) – Ladimir MAYOROV, Aleksandra NAWROCKA (Spain, Poland) 1-3 (11-4, 5-11, 6-11, 5-11)

Semi-finals

• Görkem OCAL, Ela Su YONTER (Türkiye) – Artem SAVELEV, Daria KHARLOVA (AIN) 3-1 (11-7, 15-13, 8-11, 11-8)
• Ladimir MAYOROV, Aleksandra NAWROCKA (Spain, Poland) – Emil ELLERMANN, Siri BENJEGARD (Sweden) 3-2 (9-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-3, 11-7)

The post MAYOROV and NAWROCKA Claim Under 15 Mixed Doubles Crown first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

The draw for Stage 1 of the 2026/27 HYLO ETTU Champions League Men was conducted today at the Multiusos venue in Gondomar during the European Youth Championships.

Sixteen clubs were drawn into four groups, with Stage 1 set to take place from 28 to 30 August 2026 in Lille, France.

The top two teams from each group will advance to Stage 2 of the HYLO ETTU Champions League Men, where they will face the eight highest-seeded clubs already qualified for the Round of 16. The Round of 16 and quarter-finals will be played in a home-and-away knockout format, with the winners progressing to the Final 4. The third- and fourth-placed teams from each Stage 1 group will continue in Stage 2 of the ETTU Europe Cup.

The post Stage 1 Draw for the HYLO ETTU Champions League Men first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

The draw for Stage 1 of the 2026/27 ETTU Champions League Women was conducted today during the European Youth Championships in Gondomar.

Stage 1 will take place from 28 to 30 August 2026 in Budaörs, Hungary, where 8 clubs will compete in two groups in a single round-robin format.

The two winners of those qualification matches will secure places in Stage 2 of the Champions League, joining the six clubs already directly qualified. All remaining teams will continue in the Europe Cup Stage 2.

The post Stage 1 Draw for the ETTU Champions League Women first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

The Under 15 Girls Doubles event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar has reached the semi-final stage, with four pairs guaranteeing themselves at least bronze medals.

AIN’s Amina ILIMBETOVA and Varvara TOLMACHEVA recovered from dropping the opening game to defeat Germany’s Amelie Guzi JIA and Anna WALTER in four games. After a closely contested start, the AIN duo took control of the match to book their place in the last four.

Poland’s Lucja KOBOSZ and Aleksandra NAWROCKA also came through in four games against Zsófia FEGYVER of Hungary and Kariss SERBAN of Romania. Following a tight opening game, the Polish pair settled into their rhythm to secure a semi-final berth.

Germany will also be represented in the medal rounds thanks to Chenhao CHEN and Lotta ROTHFUSS, who overturned a first-game deficit to overcome Switzerland’s Enya HU and Michelle WU in four games.

France’s Eva LAM and Albane ROCHUT completed the semi-final line-up with the only straight-games victory of the quarter-finals. They edged a dramatic opening game before taking full control against Adela BRHELOVA and Laura MARSICKOVA of Czechia.

Under 15 Girls Doubles – Quarter-finals

• Amina ILIMBETOVA, Varvara TOLMACHEVA (AIN) – Amelie Guzi JIA, Anna WALTER (Germany) 3-1 (9-11, 11-1, 11-3, 11-2)
• Lucja KOBOSZ, Aleksandra NAWROCKA (Poland) – Zsófia FEGYVER (Hungary), Kariss SERBAN (Romania) 13-1 (12-14, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7)
• Chenhao CHEN, Lotta ROTHFUSS (Germany) – Enya HU, Michelle WU (Switzerland) 3-1 (4-11, 11-3, 11-6, 13-11)
• Eva LAM, Albane ROCHUT (France) – Adela BRHELOVA, Laura MARSICKOVA (Czechia) 3-0 (14-12, 11-8, 11-2)

The post Semi-final Line-up Confirmed in Under 15 Girls Doubles first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

The battle for the Under 15 Boys Doubles title narrowed to four pairings at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar, with the quarter-finals deciding this year’s medal winners.

Onur GULUZADE of Azerbaijan and Gorkem OCAL of Türkiye survived one of the closest encounters of the round, overcoming Ondrej MORAVEK and Oliver OLEJNIK of Czechia in four tightly contested games. After surrendering the opener, they responded by edging each of the remaining games to seal victory.

Louis FEGERL of Austria and Ladimir MAYOROV of Spain produced the most convincing performance of the quarter-finals, defeating Hubert KWIECINSKI and Jakub TURECKI of Poland in straight games. The second game proved the biggest challenge, but the Austrian-Spanish combination maintained control throughout the contest.

Germany’s Tien Nghia PHONG and Lukas WANG also advanced with a four-game victory over Roger QUESADA of Spain and David TORO of Romania. After building a two-game advantage, they saw their adversaries reduce the deficit before closing out the match in a tense fourth game.

The final semi-final berth was decided in dramatic fashion as Emil ELLERMANN of Sweden and Peadar SHERIDAN of Ireland completed a remarkable comeback against Marcos GOMEZ and Alexander MALOV of Spain. Trailing by two games, they fought their way back to force a decider and eventually prevailed by the narrowest of margins.

Under 15 Boys Doubles – Quarter-finals

• Onur GULUZADE (Azerbaijan), Gorkem OCAL (Türkiye) – Ondrej MORAVEK, Oliver OLEJNIK (Czechia) 3-1 (10-12, 13-11, 11-9, 12-10)
• Louis FEGERL (Austria), Ladimir MAYOROV (Spain) – Hubert KWIECINSKI, Jakub TURECKI (Poland) 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-8)
• Tien Nghia PHONG, Lukas WANG (Germany) – Roger QUESADA (Spain), David TORO (Romania) 3-1 (11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10)
• Emil ELLERMANN (Sweden), Peadar SHERIDAN (Ireland) – Marcos GOMEZ, Alexander MALOV (Spain) 3-2 (10-12, 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10)

The post Last Four Confirmed in Under 15 Boys Doubles first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

The Under 19 Girls Doubles Event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar reached the medal stage, with four pairs advancing to the semi-finals and securing at least bronze medals.

France enjoyed a perfect quarter-final session, placing both of its partnerships in the last four. Nina GUO ZHENG and Leana HOCHART produced a commanding display to defeat Germany’s Koharu ITAGAKI and Lisa-Sophie WANG in straight games. Although the second game proved competitive, the French pair maintained control to seal their place in the semi-finals.

Their teammates Jade HUYNH and Alexia NODIN had to work considerably harder before overcoming Bianca MEI ROSU of Romania and Maria BERZOSA of Spain in a gripping five-game encounter. After a challenging opening game, the French pair regrouped and gradually turned the momentum in their favour.

“Reaching the semi-finals was a huge goal for us because of how difficult our part of the draw was,” explained NODIN. “The start was terrible, we lost the first game 11-2 and we weren’t really into the match. But after that we found our rhythm, especially against the defender. We managed to make our opponents doubt themselves, while we stayed confident, even in the deciding game. We’re very happy to have secured a medal.”

The closest contest outside the French victory saw Aleksandra BOKOVA and Anastasiia IVANOVA (AIN) edge past Portugal’s Julia LEAL and Mariana SANTA COMBA in five games. The momentum shifted repeatedly before the AIN combination prevailed in the decider to keep their title ambitions alive.

Poland’s Natalia BOGDANOWICZ and Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA completed the semi-final line-up with a convincing straight-games victory over Eseniia SHIROKOVA and Zlata TEREKHOVA (AIN), controlling the match from start to finish.

Under 19 Girls Doubles – Quarter-finals

• Nina GUO ZHENG, Leana HOCHART (France) – Koharu ITAGAKI, Lisa-Sophie WANG (Germany) 3-0 (11-3, 13-11, 11-6)
• Aleksandra BOKOVA, Anastasiia IVANOVA (AIN) – Julia LEAL, Mariana SANTA COMBA (Portugal) 3-2 (11-4, 7-11, 14-12, 8-11, 11-8)
• Natalia BOGDANOWICZ, Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA (Poland) – Eseniia SHIROKOVA, Zlata TEREKHOVA (AIN) 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-6)
• Jade HUYNH, Alexia NODIN (France) – Bianca MEI ROSU (Romania), Maria BERZOSA (Spain) 3-2 (2-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8)

The post France Places Two Pairs in Under 19 Girls Doubles Semi-finals first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

France will have two pairs competing for places in the Under 19 Boys Doubles final after an eventful quarter-final session at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar. Alongside the French combinations, Sweden and the Austrian-Bulgarian pairing also secured their places in the last four, guaranteeing themselves at least bronze medals.

Nathan LAM and Antoine NOIRAULT overcame Francesc CARRERA and Luca KHIDASHELI of Spain in four games. After edging a marathon opening game, the French pair recovered quickly from dropping the second to take control of the contest and advance.

Sweden’s Noa DAHLSTROM and Adam WALLIN also progressed in four games, defeating Croatia’s Gabriel MARJANOVIC and Andrej MRKIC. The Swedish duo dominated the opening two games, briefly saw their opponents extend the contest, but regained control to close out the match.

“We hadn’t played any tournaments together before this one, so we didn’t really have any expectations,” said WALLIN. “But we trained together in China before coming here and quickly realised we had good chemistry. Today the key was to keep moving. Earlier in the tournament we were standing too still, but this time my backhand flick created many chances for my partner to attack with his forehand. Tomorrow we’ll simply do our best and hopefully win.”

Julian RZIHAUSCHEK of Austria and Yoan VELICHKOV of Bulgaria continued their impressive run with a four-game victory over Italy’s Francesco TREVISAN and Danilo FASO, recovering well after losing the second game to secure a medal.

The most dramatic encounter of the round came in the all-French-Romanian clash, where Nathan DOUSSINET and Nathan PILARD fought back from two games down to defeat Robert ISTRATE and Robert PODAR of Romania in five games. After losing the opening two games, the French pair steadily turned the momentum in their favour before sealing victory in a tense deciding game.

Under 19 Boys Doubles – Quarter-finals

• Nathan LAM, Antoine NOIRAULT (France) – Francesc CARRERA, Luca KHIDASHELI (Spain) 3-1 (18-16, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6)
• Noa DAHLSTROM, Adam WALLIN (Sweden) – Gabriel MARJANOVIC, Andrej MRKIC (Croatia) 3-1 (11-7, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6)
• Julian RZIHAUSCHEK (Austria), Yoan VELICHKOV (Bulgaria) – Francesco TREVISAN, Danilo FASO (Italy) 3-1 (11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6)
• Nathan DOUSSINET, Nathan PILARD (France) – Robert ISTRATE, Robert PODAR (Romania) 3-2 (10-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9)

The post France Claims Two Semi-final Places as Sweden and Austria–Bulgaria Join Last Four first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

Sweden’s Siri BENJEGARD and AIN players Amina ILIMBETOVA, Alisa USMANOVA and Varvara TOLMACHEVA secured their places in the semi-finals of the Under 15 Girls Singles event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar, guaranteeing themselves at least bronze medals.

BENJEGARD ended France’s hopes in the opening quarter-final, overcoming Albane ROCHUT in five games. After racing into a two-game lead, the Swede briefly lost momentum before reasserting control to book her place in the last four.

“The key to the victory was having a very good tactical plan before the match, and I managed to execute it really well,” explained BENJEGARD. “I’ve played against her many times, so I knew what to expect. I focused on sticking to the tactics and fighting for every point. The main idea was to keep the ball short, take the first attack whenever I could and use a lot of variation with my serve. I think that made the difference.”

ILIMBETOVA produced the most convincing performance of the round, defeating France’s Lisa ZHAO in straight games. Never allowing her opponent to establish any rhythm, she dictated play from the opening point to reach the semi-finals without dropping a game.

“It was a very difficult match because my opponent was very strong, but I felt comfortable throughout and I’m happy with the way I played,” said ILIMBETOVA.

The closest encounter of the day came in the all-AIN clash between USMANOVA and Daria KHARLOVA. After building a 3-1 lead, USMANOVA saw her opponent fight back to level the match before producing a composed display in the deciding game to prevail after seven games.

In the remaining quarter-final, TOLMACHEVA overcame Lucja KOBOSZ of Poland in six games. The AIN player recovered from losing the second game and held her nerve in a closely contested sixth to complete the semi-final line-up.

Under 15 Girls Singles Quarter-finals

• Siri BENJEGARD (Sweden) – Albane ROCHUT (France) 4-1 (11-8, 11-3, 10-12, 11-4, 11-6)
• Amina ILIMBETOVA (AIN) – Lisa ZHAO (France) 4-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9)
• Alisa USMANOVA (AIN) – Daria KHARLOVA (AIN) 4-3 (7-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4, 15-17, 9-11, 11-3)
• Varvara TOLMACHEVA (AIN) – Lucja KOBOSZ (Poland) 4-2 (11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9)

The post BENJEGARD Leads Under 15 Girls Singles Semi-final Line-up first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

The Under 15 Boys Singles event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar has its four medallists. Gorkem OCAL of Türkiye, Ladimir MAYOROV of Spain, Emil ELLERMANN of Sweden and Volodymyr NEVIZHYN of Ukraine all secured their places in the semi-finals and with it guaranteed at least bronze medals.

Top seed OCAL produced another commanding display, defeating Poland’s Hubert KWIECINSKI in straight games. The Turkish player controlled the rallies from the outset and never allowed his opponent to find a way back into the contest.

Spain’s MAYOROV was equally convincing against Germany’s Tien Nghia PHONG, completing a 4-0 victory. Only the fourth game proved closely contested, but the Spaniard held his nerve to finish the match in four.

“I’m very happy to have won another medal, especially because it is my first one in singles,” said MAYOROV. “Tomorrow, I hope to do my best, compete as I have done so far and give everything I can in every match.

“I don’t want to think too much about the medals or the possibility of winning three golds. I have to focus on my game, take it one match at a time and do the things that are under my control well. The most important thing is to stay focused. I hope to play at the same level as today, give my best and fight for every point until the end.”

Sweden’s ELLERMANN had to recover after dropping the opening game against Nazar BAKIROV of AIN. Once level, however, he took control of the match, winning the next three games comfortably to book his place in the last four.

The final semi-final berth went to NEVIZHYN, who ended the hopes of Portugal’s Rodrigo ANDRADE with a straight-games victory. Although the scoreline suggested a comfortable success, the opening game proved crucial, with the Ukrainian edging it 14-12 before maintaining the momentum for the remainder of the match.

“The most important part of my game today was my serve and receive,” explained NEVIZHYN. “I played Rodrigo about three years ago and it was a very tough match that I won 3-2. Since then we have both improved a lot, so I knew this would be difficult again. You can never predict who will win matches like this, but today I think I was the better player.”

Under 15 Boys Singles Quarter-finals

• Gorkem OCAL (Türkiye) – Hubert KWIECINSKI (Poland) 4-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7)
• Ladimir MAYOROV (Spain) – Tien Nghia PHONG (Germany) 4-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-5, 12-10)
• Emil ELLERMANN (Sweden) – Nazar BAKIROV (AIN) 4-1 (11-13, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8)
• Volodymyr NEVIZHYN (Ukraine) – Rodrigo ANDRADE (Portugal) 4-0 (14-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6)

The post OCAL, MAYOROV, ELLERMANN and NEVIZHYN Reach Under 15 Boys Singles Semi-finals first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...

 

[Milica Nikolic]

Nina GUO ZHENG and Alexia NODIN of France, together with Zlata TEREKHOVA and Aleksandra BOKOVA of AIN, booked their places in the semi-finals of the Under 19 Girls Singles event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar.

GUO ZHENG overcame Eseniia SHIROKOVA of AIN in five games, winning 4-1 (11-8, 11-4, 15-13, 9-11, 11-5). The French player controlled much of the contest, with the third game proving particularly important as she edged it 15-13 before closing out the match.

Having lost 3-0 to SHIROKOVA when they met in Tunis in February, GUO ZHENG produced a much more effective tactical performance this time.

“I played against her in February in Tunis and lost 3-0. I really had no chance because she was too fast and took the ball very early, almost on top of the table. This time I knew I had to change the rhythm because she likes to play at the same pace and attack every ball. I tried to add more spin and variation instead of giving her the same tempo, and I think that made the difference,” said GUO ZHENG.

TEREKHOVA also recovered from losing the opening game to defeat France’s Leana HOCHART 4-1 (9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5).

“I prepared very seriously for this match because my adversary was not an easy one. She is a French player, and France is one of the strongest countries here. In fact, there are so many strong players at this tournament – every country has a very high level,” said TEREKHOVA.

“From my very first match, I was afraid of losing to anyone because this is my first European Championships, so I approached every match with great responsibility.

“I am very happy that we were given the opportunity to compete at the European Championships. We had been waiting for this for a very long time and preparing for it, so I fought for every single point. No matter what happened, I wanted to give absolutely everything because I had been working towards competing at an international event like this for about five years.”

NODIN secured her place in the last four with a 4-1 (12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7) victory over Poland’s Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA.

BOKOVA completed the semi-final line-up after edging defending champion Bianca MEI ROSU of Romania in a dramatic seven-game encounter. She prevailed 4-3 (11-9, 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10), surviving a spirited comeback from the Romanian before sealing victory in the deciding game.

Under 19 Girls Singles Quarter-finals

Nina GUO ZHENG (France) – Eseniia SHIROKOVA (AIN) 4-1 (11-8, 11-4, 15-13, 9-11, 11-5)

Alexia NODIN (France) – Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA (Poland) 4-1 (12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7)

Zlata TEREKHOVA (AIN) – Leana HOCHART (France) 4-1 (9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5)

Aleksandra BOKOVA (AIN) – Bianca MEI ROSU (Romania) 4-3 (11-9, 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10)

The post GUO ZHENG, NODIN, TEREKHOVA and BOKOVA Secured the medals in Under 19 Girls Singles Event first appeared on European table tennis union.

Continue reading...