The German table tennis aces – for both men and women – are brilliant in the race at the European Championships. Especially Timo Boll amazed the spectators. And Sabine Winter played her way into the semi-finals in the evening. The German team has already secured at least one medal in the men’s singles.
On Friday evening (19.08.2022), Sabine Winter caused a storm of jubilation in the Rudi-Sedlmayr-Halle. The 29-year-old made it into the semi-finals with a surprisingly clear 4-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6) once morest Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin. And already has a medal for sure. A bronze medal will be awarded to the two semi-finalists who lose at the European Championships.
For Winter, this is the biggest success of her career – at least as a single player. There she was, already winning seven medals with team or doubles at European Championships, twice as the best quarterfinal finish (2020 and 2018). Now the fighter, who plays such a wonderful forehand, is regarding to hit the big time.
Boll makes short work of it
Timo Boll, who came close to being eliminated in his opening match once morest Samuel Kulczycki from Poland, also delighted the fans on Friday. First he defeated the heavily rated Lubomir Jancarik from the Czech Republic 4:0 (13:11, 11:3, 11:1, 11:2). The last three sets only lasted 13 minutes. “I’m happy when it’s relaxed towards the end and I can let the joy of playing shine through“, he said.
A few hours later, the veteran made it even clearer: once morest Wang Yang from Slovakia, he won once more in a completely one-sided game 4:0 (11:1, 11:8, 11:6, 11:5) and thus went into the lead quarterfinals one. The first set lasted just three minutes.
“I always have good answers once morest these types of defenders at the moment,” said Boll following the game. He was particularly happy with his physical condition: “I was able to move well today. If that’s the case, I can play well once morest these opponents.”
Ovtcharov fights his way through once morest the Portuguese
On the way to the round of 16, the second top German player, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, had no problems at first. He defeated the Hungarian Csaba Andras 4:0 (11:8, 11:7, 11:8 and 11:8).
The match once morest the Portuguese Marcos Freitas then became much closer. The game was absolutely equal up to the 3:3 split, before Ovtcharov improved a little while his opponent made a few minor careless mistakes. In the end, Ovtcharov won 4:3 (11:8, 8:11, 11:7, 11:13, 11:9, 10:12, 11:5) following 1:05 hours of play.
Dang Qiu wrestles doubles partner Duda down
In a purely German duel in the fight for a place in the last eight, Dang Qiu was ahead of his friend and doubles partner Benedikt Duda from Bergneustadt. Qiu was more stable overall and more consistent in the crucial phases and won 4:1 (11:7, 11:7, 8:11, 11:9, 13:11). Qiu now meets the next German in the quarterfinals: his opponent will be Timo Boll. It is already clear that an individual medal goes to the German team. Because if you are in the semi-finals, you are guaranteed a medal. And one of the two will surely succeed.
Patrick Franziska, who lost 4-2 to Tiago Apolonia from Portugal, was eliminated in the round of 16.
Han Ying has to give up
With the surrender of top favorite Han Ying following the first point, the German duel in the women’s round of 16 at the European Table Tennis Championships in Munich quickly came to an end between the top 10 player and the German champion Sabine Winter.
Han gave up following the first rally and Winter’s 1-0 lead and then touched his back and hips several times while talking to a doctor. Due to the bad luck of the native Chinese, Winter will play for a medal in the quarter-finals on Friday evening. Her opponent in the top eight is either Slovakia’s Tatiana Kukulkova or Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin.
Nina Mittelham was able to catch herself in the sixth set and is the third German in the quarterfinals! With 4: 2 she wrestles down the Romanian Andreea Dragonman. In the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Hall, Shan Xiaona made the decision early on in the women’s round of 16. She won with a spotless series of 4:0 once morest the Romanian Elizabeta Samara in the quarterfinals.
Ying with problems in the lumbar spine
“Ying sustained a muscular injury to his back in the lumbar spine area while warming up in the training hall.”, said Thomas Garn, team doctor at the German Table Tennis Association (DTTB). you tried it “but noticed that it wasn’t working and then stopped.” An MRI scan should provide an accurate diagnosis.