Page 3 - Simon Daish News Today

Zaharia triumphs in Havirov with Under-17 title 09 Jun 2021 Restricted to a runner-up finish at last month’s WTT Youth Series event in Vila Real, Elena Zaharia has gone one better at WTT Youth Contender Havirov with her Under-17 Girls’ Singles title success. Elena Zaharia puts Vila Real disappointment well and truly behind her by Simon Daish Romania’s Zaharia, 11th in the ITTF Youth Rankings, came mightily close to falling short with Ukraine’s Veronika Matiunina, ranked 124t...

By Simon Daish Providing the opposition for Voronina in the final was Ece Harac, ranked 63rd in the ITTF Table Tennis Youth Rankings, and the Turkish player looked well on her way to a sensational win with both the opening two games going in her favour. Voronina kept the dream alive with back-to-back game successes […]

By Simon Daish The lowest-ranked player in his group at 519th in the ITTF Table Tennis Youth Rankings, Turkey’s Dursun accounted for world number 73 Deepit Patil 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8) before backing it up with victory over the host nation’s Youssef Ben Attia, ranked 165th (11-7, 14-12, 4-11, 11-7). Another inspiring performance came […]

Welsh elation as magnificent Hursey claims career-first title 17 May 2021 Anna Hursey has reached a significant milestone in her young career, taking down one of the brightest talents at WTT Youth Contender Vila Real on her way to a historic first singles title on the international stage. A day to remember for Anna Hursey by Simon Daish Just 14 years of age, Welsh star Hursey booked her date with destiny off the back of a mesmerising final against the highest ranked player in the U...

International Table Tennis Federation 14 May 2021 Another undeniably impressive performance from the Romanian contingent present at the Pavilhão dos Desportos de Vila Real, has resulted in two further titles as Darius Movileanu and Iulian Chirita emerged victorious on the third day of play at WTT Youth Contender Vila Real. Darius Movileanu one of two Romanian title winners on day three in Vila Real by Simon Daish A young man who wasn’t in the mood for sharing the spotlight in the...

Chirita defies expectations to land U-17 title in Vila Real 13 May 2021 Packed with drama, the second day of play at WTT Youth Contender Vila Real saw the event’s first champions being crowned with Romania’s Iulian Chirita providing the headline act with his success in the Under-17 Boys’ Singles tournament. Iulian Chirita lands U17 title in Vila Real by Simon Daish Earlier than anticipated departures for Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo and Belgium’s Louis Laffineur blew the ti...

International Table Tennis Federation 25 Apr 2021 Seeded 37th for the women’s singles draw, Polina Trifonova has been one of the outstanding performers at the European Olympic Singles Qualification Tournament in Guimarães with a host of shock victories throughout the five-day event. On the morning of Sunday 25th April, the Bulgarian moved one step closer to dreamland with a ticket to Tokyo 2020 now within reach. Polina Trifonova needs just one more win to claim an unlikely place ...

By Simon Daish Amongst the final four names in the second women’s singles knock-out event, Maria Xiao, seeded sixth, met Slovak no.2 seed Barbora Balazova in the all-important qualification match, a contest which went right down to the wire. Boasting a commanding 3-1 lead, Xiao required just one further game to cross the finish line […]

International Table Tennis Federation 21 Apr 2021 The second-highest seeded competitor involved in men’s singles group stage action at the 2020 European Olympic Singles Qualification Tournament in Guimarães, Romanian no.6 seed Ovidiu Ionescu has been put on the backfoot in Group C after experiencing defeat in his opening encounter on Wednesday 21st April. Not the start Ovidiu Ionescu was hoping for (Photo: Hussein Sayed) by Simon Daish Ovidiu Ionescu entered his meeting with Jesu...

International Table Tennis Federation 21 Apr 2021 Play underway in Guimarães, Great Britain’s Charlotte Carey has opened her account at the 2020 European Olympic Singles Qualification Tournament in impressive fashion, toppling one of the leading names competing in the women’s singles group stage on Wednesday 21st April. Dream start for Charlotte Carey (Photo: Rémy Gros) by Simon Daish Challenged with the most difficult match on paper with the highest seeded group stage player ...