510-366-5234 | [email protected]

Europe Top 16-Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Li Jie win!

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]

 

The Europe Top 16 took place in Antibes, France last weekend and was won by Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov in men and Netherland’s Li Jie in women.

The top 3 finishers in each gender got automatic invitations to the World Cup later this year (with likely more also getting in). This is the 3rd year in a row that Ovtcharov has won this tournament which is the first time in the tournament’s history that someone has done so. Sweden’s Jan-Ove Waldner has the most wins of this tournament with 7 (before called Europe Top 12).

Dimitrij Ovtcharov won the Europe Top 16 for the 3rd straight time. (Courtesy ITTF)

Men’s Singles Final Highlights: Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov vs Russia’s Alexander Shibaev

Semi-Final Highlights: Russia’s Alexander Shibaev vs Home Country France’s Simon Gauzy

There was a confrontation at the end of the semi-final match between Shibaev and Gauzy but that doesn’t happen too often in table-tennis.

Dimitrij Ovtcharov is one of the best known sportsmen in Germany and China and is tied for the most Olympic medals in table-tennis history with 4 medals. I have gotten the chance to play him at a tournament in LA and he has a very good backhand and backhand serve. I was able to win 1 game partly due to heavy backspin and lost 3-1 and was one of two players in the tournament to win one game against him as he beat all the other Chinese players in the tournament quite easily. I asked him for advice after the match and he told me that “your everything was good” and that I had good touch which coming from him was nice to hear.

Here is my match with him:

Warm-Up and Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4

Shashin

 [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Share this with others :

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

More to Explore

Rohan and Umar won open doubles over Frank and Arkaprabho!

2024 Fremont Butterfly February Open Tournament

The first tournament of 2024 took place this past weekend, Feb 2-4, at Fremont Table Tennis Academy with players from throughout Northern California battling for bragging rights and trophies and medals! Players battled in rating events, junior events, Open Doubles, Open Singles, and a seniors event. The players to win multiple events were Tanishq Dhavali (Under 2200, Under 1900, Juniors 18 Years and Under), Frank (Dewei) Sun (Under 1600, Seniors 50+ Years), and Atharva Arvind (Under 700, Under 400)….

Read More »
Group pic with kids and parents

2023 US Open-Rohan, Tanishq, and Rayan Medal!

Fremont Table Tennis Academy sent 9 of its best students to the US Open in Ontario, CA this past week playing against the best players in North America. Students showed good team spirit, supported each other, and went through the ups and downs that go along with every major tournament. There were many exciting, tense, and close matches of which we came home with 3 medals….

Read More »