The list of players confirmed to compete at the 2021 POMEGRANATE Europe Top 16 Cup is complete. This month in Greece the competition for the prestige’s silverware will be fierce.
In Thessaloniki on 18 and 19 September 2021 the following athletes will play: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) Mattias FALCK (Sweden) Liam PITCHFORD (England) Patrick FRANZISKA (Germany) Simona GAUZY (France) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) Robert GARDOS (Austria) Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden) Darko JORGIC (Slovenia) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) Tomislav PUCAR (Croatia) Yang WANG (Slovakia) Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) Daniel HABESOHN (Austria) Andrej GACINA (Croatia) Panagiotis GIONIS (Greece). In Women’s Event will play: Sofia POLCANOVA (Austria) Bernadette SZOCS (Romania) Britt EERLAND (Netherlands) Elizabeta SAMARA (Romania) Nina MITTELHAM (Germany) NI Xia Lian (Luxembourg) Polina MIKHAILOVA (Russia) Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic) Georgina POTA (Hungary) Barbora BALAZOVA (Slovakia) YU Fu (Portugal) Yana NOSKOVA (Russia) SHAO Jieni (Portugal) Dora MADARASZ (Hungary) Ganna GAPONOVA (Ukraine) and Aikaterini TOLIOU (Greece).
For a third time in her career Yana NOSKOVA of Russia will face the challenge in Thessaloniki.
“Top 16 is very good competition and I am really happy to be a part of it. I played some close matches before at Top 16 and I will try my best this year in Greece. I know it will be difficult because everyone comes to Top 16 in the best shape. There are no easy matches there the pressure starts from the first match ” said NOSKOVA.
Earlier this summer NOSKOVA played at the Olympics in Tokyo.
“Olympic Games tournament was very hard for me. In the first round I directly get Prithika PAVADE of France. Last time in Portugal I lost 1-4 against her so I was really happy that I managed to beat her in Tokyo. I think she is one of the best young players from Europe at the moment. In the second round I lost in really close battle against ZHANG Mo. So I was happy with my performance there. It was also difficult for Russia’s player to play under measures but our Olympic committee did everything to make things easier for us. Big thanks for them I am so grateful” said Yana.
The schedule this year is frantic. There is no much time for a break.
“After the Olympics I had 10 days holidays and then I played at the tournament in Hungary. Now we have preparations in the training camp with national team and then I will prepare in Moscow in my hometown hall. I think I will be fully ready for Top 16 ” concluded Yana NOSKOVA.