European women retain table tennis titles in Italy

There were three titles were retained in the women’s singles events; but in the counterpart men’s singles competitions, it was just one.

Sweden’s Ann-Carin Ahlqvist, France’s Thu Kamkasomphu and Turkey’s Nesilhan Kavas retained their titles in the women’s singles events at the ITTF European Para-Table Tennis Championships on Monday (30 September) in Lignano, Italy.

Ahlqvist accounted for Fanny Bertrand of France at the final hurdle (11-5, 11-6, 11-3) to retain her Class 3 title, whilst Kamkasomphu defeated Norway’s Aida Dahlen (12-10, 12-10, 11-8) to win Class 8.

Similarly, Neslihan Kavas overcame Russia’s Olga Gorshkaleva (3-11, 11-8, 9-11, 14-12, 11-6) to once again be crowned the Class 9 champion.

Only One Repeated Success

There were three titles were retained in the women’s singles events; but in the counterpart men’s singles competitions, it was just one.

Poland’s Patryk Chojnowski won the men’s singles Class 10 title, beating Bas Hargelink of the Netherlands in the fina (11-3, 11-3, 11-4).

Silver to gold

Titles retained and there were those who moved one step higher having been silver medallists at the last edition of the event in 2011.

For the women, Serbia’s Borislava Peric-Rankovic won Class 4-5, Turkey’s Umran Ertis secured the Class 10 title, whilst for the men it was the top prize Great Britain’s Robert Davies in Class 1, Norway’s Tommy Urhaug in Class 5 as it was for Ukraine’s Mykhalyo Popov in Class 7.

Borislava Peric Rankovic beat Germany’s Sandra Mikolaschek (10-12, 11-7, 16-14, 13-11) to clinch the honours; whilst Umran Urtis overcame colleague Hilal Turkkan to secure gold (11-7, 11-6, 11-4).

Also impressive

Impressive performances and it was the same from Robert Davies, Tommy Urhaug and Mykhalyo Popov. Notably Robert Davies beat Germany’s Holger Nikelis, the London 2012 Paralympic Games gold medallist at the semi-final stage (11-4, 11-6, 11-6), before clinching the title by overcoming colleague and namesake, Paul Davies in the final. (11-8, 11-7, 11-5)

Tommy Urhaug was also quite impressive. At the final hurdle he accounted for Turkey’s Ali Ozturk (8-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10), whilst like Davies, Popov caused an upset. He overcame Great Britain’s Will Bayley, the defending champion (4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8) to reverse the decision of two years earlier in Split.

Bronze becomes gold

Silver turned to gold for five players, for three more, bronze two years earlier became gold two years later.

In the women’s events, Ukraine’s Victoriia Safonova won the Class 7 title beating Russia’s Yulia Ovsyanikova in the final (9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8), having at the semi-final stage ended the hopes of Kelly Van Zon of the Netherlands (11-8, 11-3, 13-11), the gold medallist in Split two years ago and the winner one year ago at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Likewise in the men’s singles competition, there were players who moved two steps higher.

Germany’s Thomas Schmidberger secured the Class 3 and Turkey’s Abdullah Ozturk, Class 4.

At the final hurdle Thomas Schmidberger beat Sweden’s Alexander Ohgren (11-4, 5-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6), Abdullah Ozturk overcame Maxime Thomas of France (11-9, 13-11, 11-8).