The team with the most impressive lineup in this season’s European club competition made a commanding statement in the Round of 16. After advancing through the Group Stage, Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier showed their full strength in front of an electrified home crowd at the Palais des Sports Pierre de Coubertin in Montpellier. This match marked the Champions League debut for Europe’s No. 1 player, Felix LEBRUN, and No. 3, Alexis LEBRUN, and they did not disappoint. Their stellar performances propelled the French team to a dominant win over Austria’s SPG Felbermayr Wels in straight matches. Felix LEBRUN faced a brief challenge in the opening game against Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK but quickly turned the tide, dictating the pace from the second game onwards in a one-sided display. Alexis LEBRUN entered the arena fully prepared and dispatched Andreas LEVENKO in straight games with clinical precision. Esteban DORR, the only player from the team who also participated in Stage 1 last month in Suchedniow, completed the triumph with a composed 3-1 victory over Felix WETZEL. The fantastic atmosphere in Montpellier, coupled with the outstanding performances of its players, solidifies Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier as a top contender in this season’s Champions League Men. Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier – SPG Felbermayr Wels 3-0
Stage 2 Europe Cup Women: Intense Battles in France and Portugal
This weekend, the Stage 2 matches of the Europe Cup Women are underway, hosted across four groups in France and Portugal. The competition sees favorites delivering on expectations and fierce contests among strong contenders. The winners and runners-up from all four groups progress to Round 3, which will follow a home-and-away format (double round robin). The Round 3 winners will then advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face teams relegated from the Champions League (CL Round 2 3rd-placed teams). Group A: Montpellier, France At the Palais des Sports Pierre de Coubertin in Montpellier, the top-seeded Alliance Nîmes Montpellier TT justified their status, defeating Portugal’s União Sebastianense in straight matches. Similarly impressive, Czech team HB Ostrov z.s. prevailed over Spanish side SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA, maintaining the group’s competitive spirit. Group B: Mirandela, Portugal FIBRAIN KU AZS POLITECHNIKA RZESZOW and Spain’s Museo de la Almendra Francisco Morales remain unbeaten after two rounds. Both clubs were awarded walkovers due to the absence of TT Moravský Krumlov. In their played matches, they secured wins against BEBETTO AZS UJD CZESTOCHOWA from Poland, asserting their dominance in the group. Group C: Mirandela, Portugal Spanish team MIRÓ GANXETS REUS secured a hard-earned win over Hungary’s Győri AC. Bernadett BALINT claimed victory over Japan’s Takara MURAKAMI, but Margaryta PESOTSKA proved unstoppable, recording two straight-game wins against BALINT and Alexa SZVITACS. The hosts, CTM Mirandela, featuring Ines MATOS, Annamaria ERDELYI, and Mariana SANTA COMBA, also swept aside the Hungarian club with a dominant straight-match victory. Group D: Mirandela, Portugal In a three-team group, UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – RM TERAN finished on top after a series of grueling matches. In the morning, Gabriela FEHER, Maria BERZOSA, and Candela MOLERO triumphed over CP LYSSOIS LILLE METROPOLE’s Shouhan MAN, Filippa BERGAND, and Lilou MASSART after a five-game thriller. The afternoon match saw them pushed to the limit once again before prevailing against Girbau-Vic TT. Notably, Charlotte CAREY delivered standout performances, defeating both FEHER and BERZOSA. Europe Cup Women Stage 2 Group A Alliance Nîmes Montpellier TT – União Sebastianense FC 3-0 SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA – HB Ostrov z.s. 0-3 Group B Museo de la Almendra Francisco Morales – BEBETTO AZS UJD CZESTOCHOWA 3-2 FIBRAIN KU AZS POLITECHNIKA RZESZOW – TT Moravský Krumlov 3-0 w/o TT Moravský Krumlov – Museo de la Almendra Francisco Morales 0-3 w/o FIBRAIN KU AZS POLITECHNIKA RZESZOW – BEBETTO AZS UJD CZESTOCHOWA 3-0 Group C Győri AC- MIRÓ GANXETS REUS 2-3 Győri AC – CTM Mirandela 0-3 Group D UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS RM TERAN – CP LYSSOIS LILLE METROPOLE 3-2 Girbau-Vic TT – UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – RM TERAN 2-3
Europe Cup Men Stage 2: Action Unfolds Across Austria, Denmark, and France
This weekend, Austria, Denmark, and France host the four groups of Stage 2 in the Europe Cup Men. The winners and runners-up of these groups will advance to the Round of 16, joining the eight teams eliminated in the Champions League Round of 16. Group A: Linz, Austria Spanish team UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – TPF finished day one unbeaten. Daniel BERZOSA, Cai SHUNHANG, and Aitor COLINA delivered victories against both TTC SOKAH HOBOKEN and SPG Linz. Currently, CSS SZAK Odorheiu Secuiesc from Romania occupies second place in the standings. They went the distance twice, losing to the hosts before overcoming TTC SOKAH HOBOKEN in a hard-fought match. Group B: Roskilde, Denmark Two clubs remain unbeaten in Roskilde. Spanish side REAL CLUB CAJASUR PRIEGO TENIS DE MESA, represented by Carlos MACHADO, Alberto LILLO, and Alejandro CALVO, triumphed over Slovakia’s TJ Geológ Rožňava and Poland’s KS VILLA VERDE OLESNO. Hosts Roskilde Bordtennis, featuring Jens LUNDQVIST, Tobias RASMUSSEN, Allan BENTSEN, and Dominykas SAMUOLIS, also defeated the Slovakian and Polish teams, setting up a key clash for group dominance. Group C: Lille, France Host team LILLE METROPOLE T.T. took the lead with a 3-1 win over Slovakia’s SK Vydrany. Romain BRARD, Tom CLOSSET, Amir Hossei HODAEI, and Fabio RAKOTOARIMANANA starred for the French side. SK Vydrany, represented by Peter SEREDA, Zoltan LELEKAS, and Peter MUSKO, fought hard but fell short. Another Slovakian team, STK Vyhne, featuring Boguslaw KOSZYK, Filip SZYMANSKI, and Miroslav HOREJSI, overcame Croatia’s team led by Miho SIMOVIC, Filip CIPIN, and Tomislav JAPEC. Group D: Lille, France In a tightly contested group, KTS GLIWICE from Poland emerged at the top after two nail-biting matches. Jaroslaw TOMICKI, Grzegorz FELKEL, and Dariusz STEUER defeated Germany’s ASC Grünwettersbach and Spain’s ENOLI BORGES VALL. Meanwhile, Croatia’s STK Starr and ASC Grünwettersbach each claimed one win, keeping the group standings competitive. The weekend continues with more action as teams vie for spots in the next stage of the Europe Cup Men. Group A UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – TPF – TTC SOKAH HOBOKEN 3-0 SPG Linz – CSS SZAK Odorheiu Secuiesc 3-2 SPG Linz – UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – TPF 1-3 CSS SZAK Odorheiu Secuiesc – TTC SOKAH HOBOKEN 3-2 Group B Roskilde Bordtennis – KS VILLA VERDE OLESNO 3-1 REAL CLUB CAJASUR PRIEGO TENIS DE MESA – TJ Geológ Rožňava 3-0 Roskilde Bordtennis – TJ Geológ Rožňava 3-1 REAL CLUB CAJASUR PRIEGO TENIS DE MESA – KS VILLA VERDE OLESNO 3-1 Group C SK Vydrany – LILLE METROPOLE T.T 1-3 STK Vyhne – STK LIBERTAS MARINKOLOR 3-0 Group D ENOLI BORGES VALL – KTS GLIWICE 2-3 ASC Grünwettersbach – STK STARR 3-0 KTS GLIWICE – ASC Grünwettersbach 3-2 STK STARR – ENOLI BORGES VALL 3-2
SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt is not underdog anymore
Last season’s surprising Champions League Men semifinalists, SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt, commenced this season’s journey with an impressive win in the opening leg of the Round of 16. In the Czech Republic, Austria’s team defeated TTC Ostrava 2016 in commanding style. In the first match, Ivor BAN was forced to go the full distance against Piotr CYRNEK. Amirezza ABBASI MONJEZI needed one game less to overcome Jakub KLEPRLIK, and Frane KOJIC sealed the victory in straight games with a win over Adam KLAJBER. “We came to Ostrava as favorites, but that status was only on paper. We arrived well-prepared to justify it, and we did. We knew what to expect and correctly anticipated their lineup,” said BAN. “I opened the match against Piotr CYRNEK, who, as I heard, is currently the best player in the Czech League with a record of 10-1. My chances were 50-50, but even early on, I had an opportunity to win the first game. I had a 9-8 lead but made a mistake on my service. That cost me my momentum, and I started poorly in the second game.” BAN trailed 0-1 in games and was losing 0-5 in the second game before staging a remarkable comeback. “That brought me back into the match. From that point, I knew everything was up to me, so I played without pressure. The fourth game was close; I missed a few chances. In the decisive game, I was determined. After the first point, I saw my opportunities and the direction the game was going. It was a long rally, but it was the key point,” BAN reflected on the tightest contest of the day. Last season’s success for the Austrian club came as a surprise, but this year, SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt is on everyone’s radar. “We will take it one match at a time. Our main focus is to give everything we have in each match. That approach pushed us forward last season. We weren’t favorites, not even to pass Stage 1, but we succeeded because we didn’t play under stress. Now we know the situation is different, and it will be much more difficult to reach the Final 4. But we will give our best again. What we experienced last season—playing in the Final 4—was one-of-a-kind. We enjoyed every moment, playing every point. It was special, and we hope to succeed again this year,” BAN added. In Stage 1, TTC Ostrava 2016 finished second in their group behind Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier. Champions League Men Round of 16 TTC Ostrava 2016 – SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt 0-3
Dr. Wolfgang DÖRNER Becomes New DTTB CEO
The German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) has announced a new CEO: Starting 1 March 2025, Dr Wolfgang DÖRNER will assume leadership of Germany’s tenth-largest Olympic sports federation. The 50-year-old holds a doctorate in business informatics and has spent over 25 years in management consulting with the renowned Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Currently serving as Managing Director for Germany and Central Europe, he is also a senior partner at the firm. At the 19th Annual General Meeting in Frankfurt am Main on Saturday, Dr DÖRNER introduced himself to the delegates of the DTTB’s member associations and committees. “It is a cause close to my heart to dedicate my energy and experience to the development of table tennis in Germany,” DÖRNER said. “For over two decades, I have given my all to BCG and my clients, and I will continue to do so until my transition. However, the chance to apply the management expertise I’ve gained over 25 years to my lifelong passion for table tennis was an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up.” A native of Frankfurt and father of four, Dr DÖRNER has been an active table tennis player for more than 40 years. Last season, he competed in Germany’s fifth division and currently plays at the regional level for TTC Langen 1950 in Hesse. A regular at the German Veterans Championships, he claimed bronze in the over-50 singles category this year and won the over-45 mixed doubles title last year. At the World Masters Championships in Rome, he reached the round of 16 in the singles event. He is currently ranked among the top 300 male players in Germany. “We received applications from several highly qualified and impressive candidates,” said DTTB President Konrad GRILLMEYER, whose Supervisory Board oversees the appointment of the Managing Board. “Dr Wolfgang DÖRNER stood out as the best choice due to his professional credentials and deep commitment to the sport.” Dr DÖRNER will succeed Andreas HAIN, who made history as the first CEO in the DTTB’s 99-year existence and has been serving as interim head of the association. Dr Wolfgang DÖRNER will also complete tasks at BCG by the end of June. The DTTB’s three-member Managing Board – comprising the CEO, the Director of Sport (Richard PRAUSE), and the Director of Administration (Matthias VATHEUER) – functions as the executive arm of the organization. Tasked with implementing the association’s strategy, the Managing Board handles all operational decisions. The Supervisory Board, acting as the oversight body, focuses on strategic governance and coordinates overarching policy with the Managing Board, without involvement in day-to-day management. FOTO: DTTB
