CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux February 2-3
Four-time Europe Top 16 Cup winner Vladimir SAMSONOV is approaching his 22nd appearance at the event that gathers best 16 (before 12) players from Europe. Belarus legend started his journey through the Euro Top 16 cups in the French city of Dijon 24 years ago as the youngest participant sharing fifth spot with Jorg ROSSKOPF from Germany. The crowned champion of that edition was Jan-Ove WALDNER record holder with seven titles.
Since Dijon SAMSONOV won four titles (Halmstad 1998 Split 1999 Wels 2001 Arezzo 2007) and finished eight times as runner-up (Eindhoven 1997 Rotterdam 2002 Saarbrucken 2003 Rennes 2005 Frankfurt 2008 Dusseldorf 2009 and 2010 and Liege/Luttich 2011). Last year at the 2018 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux he reached semi-final stage.
If you could choose one moment from your previous 21 appearance at the Euro Top 16 (12) what would you choose and why?
“Every win was special. Difficult to say when it was more important.”
How did you feel playing as 19-year-old in 1995 Dijon against all those names like WALDNER ROSSKOPF JM SAIVE JP GATIEN KARLSSON PERSSON…?
“I did not think so much about who I was playing against. Just wanted to win. I remember that the last match in the group was against M. APPELGREN.
Are you satisfied with your results at 2018 Euro Top 16?
“Yes I played well won against strong players. Because of the qualification for the World Cup it was important to reach semi-finals. “
How do you see the list of 2019 favourites and your chances at Euro Top 16?
“At the event like Top 16 so many players have a chance to win (even me). However I think Timo (BOLL) and Dima (OVTCHAROV) are still the favourites.”
In men’s singles will play: Timo BOLL (Germany) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) Mattias FALCK (Sweden) Liam PITCHFORD (England) Vladimir SAMSONOV (Belarus) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) Simon GAUZY (France) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) Tiago APOLONIA (Portugal) KOU Lei (Ukraine) Ovidiu IONESCU (Romania) Panagiotis GIONIS (Greece) Lionel WEBER (Switzerland).
Women’s Event: Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) LI Jie (Netherlands) Petrissa SOLJA (Germany) Matilda EKHOLM (Sweden) LI Qian (Poland) Georgina POTA (Hungary) Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia) NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) Natalia PARTYKA (Poland) Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic) Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) Rachel MORET (Switzerland).
CCB Europe Top 16 Cup is going to be covered (replay or delay) by Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2. Table Tennis fans can enjoy watching their favourite sport on TV within two days February 3rd (Eurosport 2 18:45 – 20:10 delay) and February 4th (Eurosport 2 – 13:00 – 14:00 reply Eurosport 1 – 16:45 – 17:30 reply).
CCB Europe Top 16 Cup will be shown in total of 54 countries. They are following: Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Kazakhstan Kosovo Kirghizstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Morocco Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey UK Ukraine Vatican.
Tickets are available here.
