https://www.ettu.org April gives us a chance to look back at March a month globally dedicated to women’s rights. In European Table Tennis it was an active month with some great steps towards making the sport more inclusive for women. The Swedish Table Tennis Association led by example unveiling its Female Development Strategy for the period of 2024-2028 displaying the association’s commitment to gender equity and serving as an inspirational model for others while in Denmark the National Championships introduced a “Drop in” area specifically designed for women fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. This initiative part of the GAP Women Project underscored the importance of community and belonging inviting more women to engage with and enjoy table tennis in a welcoming setting. Moreover the ETTU joined ITTF on the “My Gender. My Strength.” project offering two spots to European coaches. This project aims to empower women through coaching highlighting the significant role coaches play in inspiring athletes and promoting gender equality. The deadline is set for April 16th. Further information and the application procedure can be found here.
Azerbaijan National Championships: Titles for NURMATOVA and HASANOV
The Azerbaijan National Championships took place from April 5th to April 8th at the esteemed “Shua” Sport Complex in Baku city. In the Women’s Singles category Marziyya NURMATOVA emerged victorious. In the Men’s Singles Hilal HASANOV clinchied the first-place. The Women’s Doubles category witnessed an outstanding partnership between Laman ABDULHAMIDOVA and Zemfira MIKAYILOVA who claimed the first-place. In the Men’s Doubles competition Hilal HASANOV and Rustam HAJILI secured gold. In the Mixed Doubles category newly crowned champions are Nihad MAMMADOV and Laman ABDULHAMIDOVA.
The European Champions League Men and Women meeting
The European Champions League Men and Women meeting was held on the eve of the men’s Champions League Final 4 at the Saarlandhalle the venue that hosted the top 4 clubs competing for the trophy on March 31st and April 1st. EHF Chief Sports Officer Marcus GLASER presented their experience of one of the most successful sport federations in Europe with the Final 4 (European Handball). With 10 300 spectators at the second leg of the Men’s Champions League final in 2008 and the introduction of the F4 tournament in Cologne for the first time in 2010 the tournament attracted 19 374 spectators. All F4 events from 2011 onwards were sold out with 20 000 spectators. GLASER discussed the challenges faced by the EHF in introducing the F4 and how the federation addressed these obstacles to create a successful event. Most of these challenges were overcome when the EHF took complete organizational control and decided to maintain the same venue as the host each year. “To summarize the decision to introduce the F4 instead of home and away finals was the best and most successful decision the EHF made. It came from various aspects including making it a dream for teams to qualify and win the F4. It was the right step ” said GLASER. ETTU’s new partner STUPA presented the new platform that is currently being developed. STUPA has initiated the complete digitalization of the ETTU platform including the implementation of a new website OTT and registration system. Returning to the concerns raised by clubs one mutual concern is the scheduling of matches among a few other issues. “We had incredible semi-finals against TT Neu Ulm and a final against Saarbrücken last year and we were very happy to play in front of our spectators ” said Alexander SCHILLING from Borussia Düsseldorf. “However we are here but the question of having firm dates that work in favor of players is imperative.” Regarding the calendar issue ETTU Acting President Pedro MOURA stated: “We held good meetings with ITTF and WTT and we are waiting for confirmation of the dates.” Roland BERG on behalf of 1. FC Saarbrücken TT and Alexander SCHILLING on behalf of Borussia Düsseldorf spoke in favor of the decision to have the highest-ranked teams start playing only from a later round. “The calendar for top players is so busy with Bundesliga matches Cup matches and then the Champions League it’s too much. The best players are also involved in individual tournaments… We strongly prefer the system where top clubs play only from the quarters and then proceed to the Final 4 ” said BERG. On the other hand some clubs advocated for group stage matches with the possibility for their spectators to see matches against top clubs. The Acting President MOURA informed that ETTU is in the process of creating a system that will bring improvement and withstand the test of time. “Right now we are renegotiating for all our media and commercial rights. Champions League is one of our top ETTU competitions and it is important to discuss with clubs and improve the actual model of better recognition ” explained MOURA.
World Table Tennis Day 2024: Diversity and Inclusion
In 2024 World Table Tennis Day celebrates the theme of “Diversity and Inclusion.” This year’s theme underscores the sport’s unifying power where individuals from all backgrounds cultures and abilities come together to share their passion for table tennis. It is a moment to recognize that diversity enriches our sporting communities fostering an environment where everyone regardless of their gender age race or physical capabilities can participate and thrive. By embracing diversity and inclusion World Table Tennis Day 2024 reinforces the belief that every person has the right to enjoy table tennis making it a symbol of unity equality and mutual respect across the globe. We invite you to celebrate World Table Tennis Day! Join the global celebration on April 23rd 2024. We invite all member associations to register their events here and to send us information about yours events if you want them to be featured on our channels.
EYS Loutraki: Poland and Romania shared the gold medals in the individual events
Poland and Romania won three gold medals each in the individual events at the Europe Youth Series tournament in Loutraki. Another outstanding event which was a success in terms of organization garnered a significant response from foreign countries impressed by the high level of the athletes and ultimately made its mark in history with a significantly better result than the corresponding event in 2023. It brought together 68 young players from 8 countries. The trophies in the individual event were claimed by Kacper PERKOWSKI and Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA from Poland in the Under 15 age categories and Alexandru POP and Maya Roberta MADAR from Romania in the Under 13 categories. Both countries also secured one gold medal each in the mixed doubles. The winners in the Under 15 category were Kacper PERKOWSKI / Maja LAKOMA from Poland and in the Under 13 category Alexandru POP / Kariss Yasmin SERBAN from Romania. Alongside the team event in the boys’ U15 and U13 categories PERKOWSKI and POP each won three gold medals. The president of the Greek federation Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU referred to the success of the 2nd Greek Open and announced that the country will request to organize a tournament in the Europe Youth Series next season. “This year the tournament went much better than last year and the feedback we received indicates that everyone was happy. We stated last October that we would continue year after year so that Europeans could learn from us and we could learn from the event. That is precisely what has happened now. With more participants better organization and smoother proceedings our goal is to establish this tournament at this time of the year. We haven’t yet informed the ETTU as they haven’t opened the call for interest to the countries but we will definitely seek to host the Europe Youth Tournament again ” said the president of HTTF. Istvan GYORGY one of the three coaches of Romania in Loutraki added a few words to ETTU about Romania’s successes today: “Yes indeed we performed better in the individual events than in the team events. We competed in three finals with our teams winning one of them in the boys’ Under 13 category and losing to Poland in the others. Despite this we were not dissatisfied as the Poles are consistently strong opponents and it’s significant when we win. In the individual events we performed very well losing only in one final in the girls’ Under 15.” In response to a question about POP coming from 0-2 down in sets he pointed out: “All the Romanian athletes are very strong in the psychological aspect. Also they understand very well what we want; POP and TORO even train together. What Pop achieved was very difficult but he understood perfectly what we asked him to do tactically and turned the situation around.” In the boys’ Under 15 category the first two players from Poland Kacper PERKOWSKI and Jan MRUGALA reached the final. The top seed performed better than MRUGALA (No 8) utilizing good tactics and securing victory with a 3-0 set score (11-9 12-10 11-6). English Kacper PIWOWAR and Polish Mateusz GAWLAS claimed third place. In the girls’ Under 15 final the top two favorites faced each other. Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA from Poland emerged victorious defeating Romania’s Andreea BAIASU 3-0 in sets (11-5 11-6 11-9). In the boys’ Under 13 final Romania’s Alexandru POP (No. 1 in the category) staged a remarkable comeback from 0-2 down in sets to win against Poland’s Hubert KWIECINSKI (No. 4) in a thrilling 3-2 set match. Romanian David TORO and Croatian Nikola JURIC claimed bronze medals. In the girls’ Under 13 category Maya Roberta MADAR from Romania the third favorite faced a tough challenge but emerged victorious winning 3-1 in sets against Poland’s Lena PUZIO. In the mixed doubles both Poland and Romania secured one first-place finish each with three pairs from Poland and one from Romania reaching the finals. In the Under 15 category the Polish pair Kacper PERKOWSKI / Maja LAKOMA claimed victory while in the Under 13 category Romania’s Alexandru POP / Kariss Yasmin SERBAN secured gold. David TORO / Maya Roberta MADAR from Romania and Mihai IORDAN / Maria Alexandra STOIAN also from Romania reached third place.
After seven years Mihai Bobocica clinched his seventh Italian title
Mihai BOBOCICA (Centro Sportivo Aeronautica Militare) had to wait for seven years but finally at Palasport “Giosuè Poli” in Molfetta he secured his seventh Singles title. He defeated Jordy PICCOLIN (Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre) 4-2 in the finals. The bronze medalists were Tommaso GIOVANNETTI (Top Spin Messina) who was defeated in the semifinals by BOBOCICA and Matteo MUTTI (Top Spin Messina) who was leading 3-0 but was overtaken by PICCOLIN. “I’ve been waiting for this seventh title for a while ” explained Bobocica “because recent years haven’t been very favorable. However this indicates that the level of Italian table tennis is rising. There are many young players vying for the title playing exceptionally well and showing improvement. I’m thrilled that I could compete against them and secure the title. The last two matches were particularly challenging but I knew it. I know Tommy and Jordy very well and I’ve practiced with them extensively at the Technical Center in Terni. I’m aware of their strength. Recently I suffered a defeat against PICCOLIN and I took it as a lesson to avoid repeating the same mistakes. He caught me off guard last time but this time I stepped onto the court more prepared to face him. The match could have gone either way especially in the fifth set where I rallied from behind at 10-6. That made all the difference. If he had won that game the situation would have been much more complicated. I hope this result will elevate my performance on the international stage and aid me in achieving my goal which is also a dream of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games.” In the Men’s Doubles Carlo ROSSI (Marcozzi Cagliari) and John OYEBODE (Tennistavolo Sassari) clinched their first gold medals. In the match for the title they overcame 3-2 Leonardo MUTTI (Centro Sportivo Aeronautica Militare) and Matteo MUTTI (Top Spin Messina). In the semifinals ROSSI and OYEBODE prevailed 3-0 over Tommaso GIOVANNETTI (Top Spin Messina) and Daniele PINTO (Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre) and the brothers MUTTI forced Antonino AMATO (Top Spin Messina) and Danilo FASO (Virtus Servigliano) to surrender 3-0. Men’s Singles: Finals: Mihai BOBICICA – Jordy PICCOLIN 4-2 (9-11 11-4 11-4 7-11 12-10 11-7) Semifinals: Mihai BOBOCICA – Tommaso GIOVANNETTI 4-2 (11-8 11-9 8-11 13-11 11-13 11-7) Jordy PICCOLIN – Matteo MUTTI 4-3 (10-12 6-11 9-11 11-7 11-7 11-5 11-4) Men’s Doubles: Finals: Carlo ROSSI/John OYEBODE – Leonardo MUTTI/Matteo MUTTI 3-2 (7-11 11-7 9-11 11-8 11-8) Semifinals: Carlo ROSSI/John OYEBODE – Tommaso GIOVANNETTI/Daniele PINTO 3-0 (11-5 12-10 11-6) Leonardo MUTTI/Matteo MUTTI – Antonino AMATO/Danilo FASO 3-0 (11-2 11-4 12-10)
The favorites have secured the medal positions in the mixed doubles events in Loutraki
On the fourth day of the Europe Youth tournament in Loutraki the singles and mixed doubles events reached their final stages. In the Under 15 and Under 13 mixed doubles categories the pairs advancing to the semi-final round and securing medal positions were announced. No surprises occurred and the performance of Poland and Romania in this event was notable. Among the eight pairs only one came from outside those countries: Deni VALE from Croatia and Maja VANJO from Serbia ranked number 4 in the seeding. They advanced to the semis with two victories and will aim for further success on Sunday. Only one of the favorites failed to secure a medal position. Kacper PIWOWAR and Andreea BAIASU (from England/Romania) seeded number 3 lost in the quarter-finals 3-1 to Poland’s Mateusz GAWLAS and Natasza RUDOLF. However this outcome was not considered surprising. The final rankings will be determined on the last day of matches. The semi-finals of the mixed doubles are scheduled for today at 11:00 and 11:30 with the finals set for 14:30. In the Under 15 category the Polish pair Kacper PERKOWSKI and Maja LAKOMA along with Deni VALE and Maja VANJO from Croatia and Serbia respectively have secured spots in the semi-finals. Additionally the Polish duo Mateusz GAWLAS and Natasza RUDOLF and compatriots Jan MRUGALA and Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA are also in contention. In the Under 13 category the medalists include the Romanian pair David TORO and Maya Roberta MADAR the Polish duo Hubert KWIECINSKI and Lucja KOBOSZ and the Romanian pairs Mihai IORDAN and Maria Alexandra STOIAN and Alexandru POP and Kariss Yasmin SERBAN. In the singles events the main draws have progressed to the quarterfinals without any surprises. Greece is represented by Stella MAVROMATAKI in the girls’ category and by George KOUVELAS and Apostolos VATSAKLIS in the boys’ category. They will compete on Sunday for a spot in the semi-finals and a chance at the medals. MAVROMATAKI and KOUVELAS secured wins in the first round while VATSAKLIS advanced to the quarterfinals without facing any opposition. Today also featured the B Finals brackets consisting of matches for players eliminated in the group stages. Georgia SPANOU of Greece claimed 1st place in the Under 15 girls’ category. In the boys’ Under 13 category Romanian Mihai IORDAN emerged victorious while in the girls’ Under 13 category it was Romanian Maria Alexandra STOIAN. Croatian Oliver POLJAK clinched the top spot in the boys’ Under 15 category. The gold medal matches are scheduled for 14:30 (mixed doubles) 15:30 and 16:00 (singles).
Three Titles for Nicole ARLIA at the Italian Championships in Molfetta
In her relatively brief career at the top level Nicole ARLIA had amassed numerous youth trophies but a senior title had remained elusive. However at the Italian Championships in Molfetta the 18-year-old from Centro Sportivo Aeronautica Militare showed her unstoppable talent crafting an unforgettable experience. Within half an hour on the first day she clinched the Mixed Doubles title with Jordy PICCOLIN from Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre and the Women’s Doubles title with Nikoleta STEFANOVA from Tennistavolo Castel Goffredo. On the event’s final day she completed her triumphant sweep by securing the gold medal in the Singles event. In the semifinals she battled past Debora VIVARELLI from Centro Sportivo Esercito in a thrilling 4-3 encounter and in the finals she defeated Gaia Monfardini from ASV TT Südtirol with a score of 4-2. MONFARDINI had earlier eliminated Giorgia PICCOLIN from Centro Sportivo Esercito with a score of 4-2. Reflecting on her remarkable achievement ARLIA shared: “I managed to capture these three titles under immense pressure. Each match in the Singles event presented its own challenges. My partnership with STEFANOVA is built on deep familiarity leaving no secrets between us. The match against VIVARELLI is always grueling; despite the difficulties I emerged victorious. Similarly facing MONFARDINI I found myself trailing 2-1 yet managed a remarkable comeback. Adapting my tactics from the fourth set onward bolstered my confidence. These days in Molfetta have gifted me with truly unforgettable emotions.” Singles Event: Finals: Nicole ARLIA vs. Gaia MONFARDINI 4-2 (10-12 13-11 8-11 11-3 11-8 11-6) Semifinals: Nicole ARLIA vs. Debora VIVARELLI 4-3 (12-10 7-11 8-11 11-6 8-11 11-4 11-6) Gaia MONFARDINI vs. Giorgia PICCOLIN 4-2 (9-11 15-13 3-11 11-6 11-6 11-5) Women’s Doubles: Finals: Nikoleta STEFANOVA/Nicole ARLIA vs. Debora VIVARELLI/Giorgia PICCOLIN 3-1 (11-9 13-11 8-11 12-10) Semifinals: Nikoleta STEFANOVA/Nicole ARLIA vs. Le Thi Hong Loan/Chiara COLANTONI 3-1 (11-5 11-9 10-12 11-9) Debora VIVARELLI/Giorgia PICCOLIN vs. Arianna BARANI/Giulia CAVALLI 3-0 (11-0 11-8 11-6) Mixed Doubles: Finals: Jordy PICCOLIN/Nicole ARLIA vs. John OYEBODE/Gaia MONFARDINI 3-0 (12-10 11-9 11-8) Semifinals: Jordy PICCOLIN/Nicole ARLIA vs. Antonino AMATO/Nikoleta STEFANOVA 3-0 (12-10 12-10 11-8) John OYEBODE/Gaia MONFARDINI vs. Marco Rech DALDOSSO/Chiara COLANTONI 3-0 (11-5 11-6 11-5)
Europe Youth Loutraki: Three golds in the team event for Poland one for Romania
The third day of the Europe Youth tournament in Loutraki concluded on Friday evening at the Sport Camp with thrilling team finals across four categories featuring Greece’s 3rd place in the boys’ competition electrifying atmosphere in the stands and a festive ambiance. Poland emerged as a dominant force in the event clinching three gold medals out of four finals. They secured 1st place in the boys’ Under 15 and the girls’ Under 13 and Under 15 categories. Meanwhile Romania emerged victorious in the boys’ Under 13 competition. “We are very pleased with our team’s performance. Securing three gold medals and one silver indicates that we are on the right track. Facing Romania in three finals winning two and losing one was a testament to their tough competition and the results are encouraging for us. While we respect every team defeating Romania boosts our confidence ” said one of Poland’s two national coaches in Loutraki Maciej KARMOLINSKI speaking to ETTU. When asked about his country’s remarkable progress in the youth categories he commented “I believe that Poland’s mentality has shifted in recent years. We have intensified our training efforts significantly. Players like REDZIMSKI KUBIK ZALEWSKI and now ZYWORONEK dedicate themselves to rigorous training daily. This dedication primarily explains our development.” In the “small” final Greece 1 showcased another impressive performance securing their third victory against a foreign team. Initially trailing 1-0 after Konstantinos ALEXOUDIS’s 3-1 set loss to Maxime DEGIVE they bounced back when Konstantinos FAKAROS defeated Noah GENART 3-0 in straight sets. The crucial doubles match featuring the successful right-handed/left-handed combination of ALEXOUDIS and FAKAROS sealed their victory with a 3-0 set win over DEGIVE and GENART giving them a 2-1 lead. The fourth match where FAKAROS overcame DEGIVE in a spectacular and suspenseful encounter finalized the score. Manolis ALAROUPI served as the team’s head coach with assistance from Dimitris PAPADIMITRIOU FAKAROS’s coach at AO Tatavla. Three other Greek teams secured podium positions each earning a bronze medal. Greece 2 in the Under 13 category (comprising Michalis BITCHAVAS Spyros FOUSEKIS under the technical guidance of Christos TSARSITALIDES) Greece 1 in the girls’ Under 15 (featuring Vasiliki BOULA Angela NOURE coached by Roula LABBRINIDI) and Greece 1 in the girls’ Under 13 (including Alexandra MAYRIDI Afroditi SARIKAKI coached by Konstantinos DIMITRAKOPOULOS). Croatia Belgium and Poland 1 also secured 3rd place in the competition with Belgium clinching bronze in the girls’ category and Poland 1 in the women’s competition. Belgium 1 secured the bronze medal in the boys’ competition. The awards were presented by Nikos KERASOVITIS the general director of Sport Camp in the girls’ Under 13 category; Sakis PAPATHANASIOU the deputy mayor of Sport in the Municipality of Loutraki-Perachora-Agii Theodoroi in the girls’ Under 15 category; Vlasis GEORGIOU the secretary-general of the Greek Federation in the boys’ Under 13 category; and Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU the president of HTTF in the boys’ Under 15 category. Details of the of the boys Under 15 final England vs Poland 0-3: Kacper PIWOWAR – Jan MRUGALA 0-3 (4-11 6-11 8-11) Abraham SELLADO – Kacper PERKOWSKI 0-3 (9-11 9-11 10-12) SELLADO / PIWOWAR – PERKOWSKI / MRUGALA 1-3 (5-11 9-11 11-5 9-11) Details of the girls’ Under 15 final Romania – Poland 1-3: Andreea BAIASU – Maja LAKOMA 2-3 (8-11 11-7 9-11 11-6 14-16) Alexandra-Maria DICU – Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA 3-2 (3-11 11-8 11-9 9-11 11-8) BAIASU / DICU – LAKOMA / RAJKOWSKA 1-3 (4-11 11-9 9-11 9-11 7-11) BAIASU – RAJKOWSKA 0-3 (3-11 10-12 4-11) Details of the boys’ Under 13 final Poland – Romania 0-3: Hubert KWIECINSKI – Alexandru POP 2-3 (11-9 4-11 8-11 11-1 7-11) Mikolaj PILCH – David TORO 1-3 (11-7 9-11 11-13 6-11) Mikolaj PILCH / KWIECINSKI – TORO / POP 1-3 (9-11 15-13 7-11 9-11) Details of the girls Under 13 final Romania – Poland 0-3: Maya Robert MADAR – Julia ZALEWSKA 2-3 (5-11 11-7 4-11 11-8 6-11) Kariss Yasmin SERBAN – Lucja KOBOSZ 0-3 (4-11 8-11 7-11) MADAR/Maria Alexandra STOIAN – KOBOSZ/ZALEWSKA 1-3 (13-11 8-11 8-11 9-11 5-11).
England’s Impressive 18-0 Record in Boys’ Under 15
On the second day of the Greek Open in Loutraki the teams reached the finals to be played today. Poland emerges as a major contender with representation in all the finals. In the Boys’ Under 15 category they will vie for the gold against England. In the finals of the other three categories they will face Romania. While Poland has excelled with their teams England has achieved something remarkable with their sole representative team in this European Youth tournament winning all matches with a perfect 3-0 score. They secured five wins in the group stage and another in the semi-final making it 18-0 in matches overall. “To tell you the truth I didn’t expect to win all our games so far by 3-0. It certainly wasn’t easy because if I remember correctly we had 3-4 matches in the group that went to five sets and another one this afternoon in the semi-final doubles against Greece ” said Angello CARLO England’s national coach speaking to ETTU. CARLO coaches two of the country’s best athletes born in 2010 Kacper PIWOWAR from Peterborough and Abraham SELLADO who trains near Nottingham. Regarding the final CARLO didn’t hesitate to label Poland as favorites. “The kids showed great attitude and fighting spirit. It’s never easy playing against more experienced athletes but we managed it. Currently Poland with athletes older than ours remains the favorite. It’s going to be a great match though one we should enjoy. We’re playing for first place and we should be ready to seize the opportunities to win.” In the preliminary phase all the Greek representative teams except one completed their efforts. Greece 1 in cadets (Kostas FAKAROS Konstantinos ALEXOUDIS) made it to the semi-finals but lost 3-0 to England. They’ll compete for 3rd-4th place against Belgium 1 securing the bronze medal while three other Greek teams clinched bronze medals. On the podium will be Greece 2 in the Under 13 athletes’ team event which ranked 4th in the group (Michalis BITCHAVAS Spyros FOUSEKIS). Greece 1 in the Girls’ Under 15 team (Vasiliki BOULA Angela NOURE) also finishing 4th in the group. Bronze medals also go to Greece 1 in the Girls’ Under 13 team (Alexandra MAVRIDI Aphrodite SARIKAKI) who also placed 4th in the group. In the other categories final rankings were determined by group stages with favorites Poland and Romania not losing to other countries. Only in the Girls’ Under 13 category did Poland 2 maintain the advantage leaving Poland 1 out of the final. Bronze medals were also awarded to Croatia in Boys’ Under 15 Belgium in Girls’ Under 15 and Poland 1 in Girls’ Under 13.
