Salamina is capturing the attention of table tennis enthusiasts nationwide for the 2024 Men’s and Women’s National Championships. Over the course of three days from Friday March 22nd to Sunday March 24th this venue with a rich tradition in Olympic sports will not only attract the best athletes competing for medals but also create a festive ambiance elevating the prestige of this esteemed institution.  With cash prizes awarded for the first time in the history of the event along with innovative features numerous benefits and concurrent activities in the social and entertainment sectors 51 male athletes and 27 female athletes will compete under excellent conditions at the indoor gym “Olympian Nikos Grammatikos” for titles in the individual events of singles doubles and mixed doubles. Additionally this year’s competition spans three days a first-time occurrence aimed at avoiding scheduling congestion with all members of our national teams present except for Panagiotis GIONIS who will be participating in the WTT Feeder II in Beirut. Continuous live streaming will be available on the gre78 channel on YouTube. As a strong co-organizer of the HTTF the Municipality of Salamina provides significant support for these major competitions with vital assistance from sponsors in preparing various elements that enhance and elevate the Greek Championships. A total of 78 participants from 34 clubs nationwide have registered for the event. Twenty pairs will compete in the men’s doubles twelve in the women’s doubles and twenty-two in the mixed doubles. The action kicks off tomorrow Friday at 10 a.m. with the men’s singles group stage matches. In all singles matches up to the quarterfinals the winner will be determined by the best of five games while the semifinals and finals will be played using the best of seven games system. The doubles events will feature knockout matches from start to finish with the winning score always being 3-2 games. Eight athletes who have previously won the national singles title at least once will be competing in Salamina. These include the reigning champion from the past two years Giannis SGOUROPOULOS two-time winner Konstantinos KONSTANTINOPOULOS Giorgos STAMATOUROS Tasos RINIOTIS Katerina TOLIOU Ioanna GERASIMATOU and Konstantina PARIDI. Additionally twelve male athletes and seven female athletes from the Greek ranking tables will bypass the qualifying groups in the singles event and advance directly to the knockout stage. The top six favorites in the men’s singles in order are Giannis SGOUROPOULOS Konstantinos KONSTANTINOPOULOS Giorgos STAMATOUROS Tasos RINIOTIS Giorgos KONSTANTINOPOULOS and Konstantinos ANGELAKIS. In the women’s singles the corresponding favorites are Katerina TOLIOU Malamatenia PAPADIMITRIOU Elisavet TERPOU Konstantina PARIDI Ioanna GERASIMATOU and Dimitra-THOMAIS TSEKOURA. Groundbreaking Innovation: Trophies Crafted from Repurposed Ping Pong Balls An ingenious idea has led to a groundbreaking innovation in the league. The trophies and medals for the winners have been entirely “printed” using 3D printers with material sourced from the damaged ping pong balls collected through the Mediterra Institute’s recycling program! Over the past two years approximately a thousand broken ping pong balls (made of ABS plastic) from numerous sports clubs in Greece and Cyprus have been locally collected with Mediterra overseeing their free collection. Working in collaboration with this company EFOEPA aims to address environmental pollution caused by discarded ping pong balls after training sessions and matches which are typically disposed of in common waste. The opening ceremony will feature an archery demonstration by the Spartakos Salamina sports club along with awards presentations for athletes and coaches luncheons for officials and club representatives and a press conference at the Salamina Municipal Hall. Prize money of 1 000 euros will be awarded to both the men’s and women’s singles champions generously provided by Heads. Additionally for the first time in a National Championship a physiotherapist will be available offering 20-minute massage therapy sessions by appointment during the competition.  

From Friday to Sunday the town of Vrsar will once again be the center of Croatian senior table tennis. In the Saline hall new champions of Croatia in individual competition will be sought with Tomislav PUCAR and Hana ARAPOVIĆ defending their titles. Both have not relinquished the throne for two consecutive years and are the top favorites once again this year. PUCAR is the highest-ranked Croatian table tennis player but this year he will face an additional challenge. After two years of absence Andrej GAĆINA will also compete. It has almost been a rule that when the man from Zadar plays titles follow. Since the 2009/10 season he has won every time he has competed and in Vrsar he will strive to capture his 12th title. Recently he is certainly the Croatian record holder and it will be difficult for anyone to catch up with him even if they remain at their current levels. The two of them met last time in the finals of the national competition in the 2020/21 season and GAĆINA emerged victorious (4:2). It was questionable until the last moment whether PUCAR would compete but fortunately he is coming to Istria. And it is believable that it will be a final especially considering that Filip ZELJKO who has been the runner-up for the past two years and Frane KOJIĆ will not be competing. In the last two championships he returned from behind each time last year saving a 1:3 deficit against ZELJKO two years earlier trailing 2:3 in the final against the same opponent. “We know each other too well we practically grew up together. These are intense matches where the details decide. Since we often train together it’s hard to offer something new. We are used to each other’s shots serves… Right now he is in good form having defeated European champion Qiu Dang. It’s the same with GAĆINA whom I have lost to in several official matches including 2-3 finals. We know each other in detail there are no unknowns and in such matches mental strength is crucial. We often play each other in training and it’s about 50-50 there. But there’s no need to rush; first I need to reach the final and justify my status as the top seed ” highlighted PUCAR.”There are young lads who are looking for their chance. I may be the favorite but they have nothing to lose. These are matches where maximum focus is required from the start and they are pumped up as if there’s no tomorrow. They let loose have nothing to lose and can be heroes. I have experience with such situations in foreign leagues where I play and it can be challenging.” His biggest competition will come from young players like Ivor BAN and Borna PETEK. BAN has had a solid season in Austria facing several good players and winning medals at European competitions for under 21s. He has been part of the senior national team for some time. PETEK is among the top players in the Super League with a good sense of gameplay and surely has something to prove. Last year he won bronze and there’s no doubt that he aims for more. Additionally players like Leon BENKO who has a record of 21-5 this season in the Super League Ivan HENCL Luka ZLATKOV Leo VEKIĆ who had a season in Belgium behind him are all contenders. Rino VIDAN was stopped in the quarterfinals last year after seven sets by Miha SIMOVIĆ even though he was leading 3:1. All of them will be seeking their place in the sun just like the older generations where every point needs to be earned against them. “I played an official match with PETEK once and we trained together a bit but less often because he’s not with us frequently. BENKO and HENCL are always in the hall; whenever I come they are there. Let them continue like that. BAN is talented has a good serve anticipation. He is certainly challenging maybe even the trickiest of them all ” concluded PUCAR. In the women’s competition a similar situation is at play. The leading figure in the national championship is Hana ARAPOVIĆ who is defending both the senior and young seniors titles. In Vrsar she will not have her national team colleagues like Ivana MALOBABIC Mateja JEGER MAJSTOROVIĆ Lea RAKOVAC and Petra PETEK who will be in the hall after a long time as a coach or just a supporter as well as Dorina SREBRNJAK. The greatest competition for Hana could come from Ivana TUBIKANEC with the two of them meeting in the finals last year that ended 4:2 in Hana’s favor. Her motivation should never be doubted. “Not all girls will be there because they have commitments to leagues and WTT tournaments but still there are TUBIKANEC PAVLOVIĆ JAZBEC ĆOSIĆ CAKOL VUKELIĆ REBIĆ… Some of them have already won some are still aspiring. I don’t know exactly who will be playing so it’s difficult to say more. I haven’t played an official match with many of these girls for a while so you never know what to expect. The Croatian championship is a tournament like any other at first glance each match is a new story not too different. But it’s still somewhat special because it’s a national event all these girls are ones I have trained and played with for years… It has a special charm. Whatever I play I want to win and surely the same is true here ” emphasized Hana ARAPOVIĆ adding:”I have more experience now although the other girls also have it. I won two titles last year but it doesn’t create additional pressure for me. It’s not like I must do something. It’s up to me to give my all enjoy what I do. I don’t want to make big plans.” Andrea PAVLOVIĆ will also be seeking an opportunity having already been a national champion and enjoyed a solid season in Austria. Another contender is Ida JAZBEC who

There are several interesting aspects to the upcoming 82nd Danish Championships this weekend. The winners of the last six years Anders LIND and Jonathan GROTH are in Korea to play in the WTT championships. In their absence it seems to be a close race between Tobias RASMUSSEN Thor B. CHRISTENSEN and Martin Buch ANDERSEN who are also competing for the last place on the Olympic team which is qualified for the Olympics in Paris later this year. Alternatively could the legend Allan BENTSEN who has won 58 Danish championships outsmart the youngsters and win his ninth title in men’s singles? Will it be the Bentsen family championship? Allan BENTSEN’S wife the former Croatian national player Eldijana BENTSEN won her Danish citizenship on the 9th of March and became eligible to play in the national championships. Both are seeded as number 1 in singles and also top-seeded in mixed doubles. The mixed doubles will be quite a family gathering. Besides the BENTSEN couple the number 6 seed is the Danish president Henrik VENDELBO and his 17-year-old daughter Emma. Number seven seeded are sister and brother Pernille and Jonas AGDERHOLM. In men’s doubles Tobias RASMUSSEN and Martin Buch ANDERSEN are favorites to win the title as they did last year. Sixteen-year-old Maja Helene HANSEN and seventeen-year-old Emma VENDELBO are top-seeded in women’s doubles. Seventy-two players are participating in the 82nd Danish Championships in Fredericia.

The Finnish Table Tennis Championships for individuals will take place on March 23rd-24th at the Vuores House in Tampere. Over the weekend champions will be crowned in men’s and women’s singles and doubles as well as mixed doubles. In men’s singles Benedek OLÁH has been the dominant force for nearly a decade. Since 2011 OLÁH has clinched the championship 11 out of the 12 times he has participated in the national championships. The toughest competition for the Rio Olympian is expected to come from young talents such as Alex NAUMI Aleksi RÄSÄNEN and Sam KHOSRAVI. Our more experienced players like Toni SoIne and junior player Lassi LEHTOLA will also be in contention. “I hope Valasti will play. The national championships wouldn’t be the same without Pasi’s ‘snuffle’. It’s always nice to come to Finland to compete. My goal is to win two championships but I don’t feel any pressure about it. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore. We will see some new faces at least in the quarterfinals ” says OLÁH. The favorite in women’s singles also comes from the list of reigning champions. 41-year-old Marina DONNER is aiming for her fourth consecutive title in Tampere. She won’t have an easy path as Maria GIRLEA Ramona BETZ and Jannika OKSANEN have shown good form throughout the season. “My goal is to secure a medal – any color will do. This way I don’t put too much pressure on myself. Of course I want to defend my title as I’m in good shape. Hopefully there will be tough matches ” DONNER anticipates. The competitions begin on Saturday at 10:00 AM and on Sunday at 9:30 AM with the finals scheduled to start at 3:00 PM. Ruutu and ISTV will stream the finals on their platforms. Esko HEIKKINEN will be the commentator with Pasi VALASTI providing expert analysis. Link to livestream: https://www.is.fi/aihe/live/

Apuania Carrara lifted their fifth Italian Cup trophy in front of their fans marking a special achievement in the club’s history. This victory adds to their previous wins in 2018 2021 2022 and 2023. The club led by president Guglielmo BELLOTTI achieved their goal in front of their supporters defeating Top Spin Messina WatchesTogether 3-0 in the finals. Marcozzi Cagliari lost 3-1 to the Sicilian team in the semifinals and secured third place. In the opening doubles match Mihai BOBOCICA and Tomislav PUCAR defeated Antonino AMATO and Niagol STOYANOV in straight games. The first singles match between Andrej GACINA and Tommaso GIOVANNETTI was closely contested with the player from Apuania Carrara emerging victorious in the fifth and decisive set. Similarly the match between PUCAR and STOYANOV was tightly contested in the first three games but PUCAR dominated the fourth game securing victory with a 10-0 lead and converting the second match point. “Obviously ” said Apuania Carrara coach Claudio VOLPI who led the team alongside manager Alessandro MERCIADRI “the 3-0 scoreline does not accurately reflect the players’ abilities on the court but matches are decided by details. GACINA’s victory in the sudden death fifth set was pivotal. We performed well in the doubles exceeding our expectations. The second singles match was thrilling with PUCAR and STOYANOV evenly matched in the first three sets. However PUCAR elevated his game in the fourth set demonstrating remarkable skill. Despite this victory every encounter starts from scratch and each match is a battle that could go either way. Table tennis demands intense concentration and a match can be lost in a matter of seconds due to a lapse in focus. Playing at home adds pressure but winning in front of our supporters is incredibly satisfying.” The semifinals Top Spin Messina WatchesTogether – Marcozzi Cagliari 3-1 Antonino AMATO/Niagol STOYANOV – SUN Shiyu/Federico VALLINO COSTASSA 3-1 (11-9 11-5 4-11 11-7) Matteo MUTTI – Jorge CAMPOS 2-3 (9-11 11-8 11-4 7-11 5-6) Niagol STOYANOV – Federico VALLINO COSTASSA 3-1 (11-7 11-13 11-5 11-2) Matteo MUTTI – SUN Shiyu 3-0 (12-10 11-4 11-0) The finals Apuania Carrara – Top Spin Messina WachesTogether 3-0 Mihai BOBOCICA/Tomislav PUCAR – Antonino AMATO/Niagol STOYANOV 3-0 (11-6 11-6 11-4) Andrej GACINA – Tommaso GIOVANNETTI 3-2 (13-11 9-11 11-9 11-13 6-5) Tomislav PUCAR – Niagol STOYANOV 3-1 (11-13 11-9 13-11 11-1)

Brunetti Castel Goffredo clinched their sixth Italian Cup confirming predictions and adding to their trophies from 2018 2019 2021 2022 and 2023. In the finals held at Palasport in Avenza of Carrara the reigning champions defeated ASV TT Südtirol 3-1 who had previously overcome Quattro Mori Cagliari 3-1 in the semifinals to secure third place. In the doubles match Nicole ARLIA and Nikoleta STEFANOVA took a two-set lead but were caught up by Gaia MONFARDINI and Debora VIVARELLI who ultimately prevailed in the deciding set played at the best of six points with “sudden death” at 5-5. Solomiya BRATEYKO started well in the first singles match but Bernadette SZOCS adjusted her game and won the following three sets. The second singles match was tightly contested. VIVARELLI was leading by two sets to one and 6-3 in the fourth game when ARLIA made a comeback and converted her third match point in the decider. SZOCS secured the decisive point against MONFARDINI bringing the cup to Castel Goffredo. “It was a difficult match ” coach Alfonso LAGHEZZA explained. ” Congratulations to the girls. I believe they could have played better in some situations but at this moment of the season they are a little tired and we are also preparing for the Italian Championships. In the doubles we were up 2-0 but the opponents changed tactics and we struggled to adapt. We also missed some easy balls which could have been decisive. However it was a good test for Nicole and Nikoleta who will play together at the Italian Championships. We will work this week to fix what didn’t work. In the first singles Bernadette faced difficulties against BRATEYKO who has a somewhat slow game for her. She had to adapt but she managed to win. She gave us a huge help especially considering how fierce the opponents were today. Nicole also had some problems being 2-1 behind against VIVARELLI and trailing in the fourth set. She still lacks the maturity she needs especially in difficult moments. Sometimes she has to accept that other players will find solutions and she still finds it a little difficult to manage these situations. This is part of her growth path and when she takes this extra step she will handle critical moments of the match more easily. In the last singles SZOCS showed the right attitude to beat VIVARELLI who forced her to fight more during the season.” Semifinals ASV TT Südtirol – Quattro Mori Cagliari 3-1 Gaia MONFARDINI/Debora VIVARELLI – Arianna BARANI/Tania PLAIAN 3-2 (7-11 12-10 11-8 10-12 6-1) Solomiya BRATEYKO – WU Xinxin 3-1 (6-11 11-4 11-3 11-7) Debora VIVARELLI – Tania PLAIAN 1-3 (11-9 8-11 9-11 9-11) Solomiya BRATEYKO – Arianna BARANI 3-1 (9-11 11-6 11-5 11-4) Finals Brunetti Castel Goffredo – ASV TT Südtirol 3-1 Nicole ARLIA/Nikoleta STEFANOVA – Gaia MONFARDINI/Debora VIVARELLI 2-3 (11-8 11-6 7-11 3-11 3-6) Bernadette SZOCS – Solomiya BRATEYKO 3-1 (9-11 11-6 11-9 11-3) Nicole ARLIA – Debora VIVARELLI 3-2 (11-6 8-11 6-11 11-7 6-4) Bernadette SZOCS – Debora VIVARELLI 3-0 (11-5 11-9 11-7)