Photo: ITTF

Yesterday the Qatar Open ended with the thrilling final between Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) and Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR). The past master Samsonov could beat Germany’s new number one in 5 games. Besides this result the Werner Schlager Academy is very proud of its athletes who have started for their nations at the Qatar Open!

Let us begin with the women’s singles competition where Tetyana BILENKO (UKR) has played a superior tournament. The SVNÖ Ströck player, who is playing for the WSA partner club since some years and practices regularly at the WSA, scintillated in her first KO-match against CHENG I-Ching (TPE) with a straight 4-0 success. Her opponent could not even win more than five points per game. In the next round Spain’s number one, SHEN Yanfei (ESP), waited for her. Although it was a closer match she was not able to stop Tetyana as well. Only in the quarter finals the Korean YANG Haeun was a worthy adversary. In a very, very close match which was decided in the final seventh game, the Korean could win the duel against BILENKO. The WSA proudly congratulates Tetyana on her brilliant performance!

Also in the men competition the WSA was represented well by the members of its permanent training group. The OETTV players Robert GARDOS and Daniel HABESOHN both fought their way into the quarter finals. HABESOHN could beat Simon GAUZY (FRA) and CHO Eonrae (KOR) in the previous rounds before he was stopped by his training colleague Marcos FREITAS (POR). FREITAS proceeded into the semi-finals but was defeated by Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) in a 2-4 match. His team colleague Joao MONTEIRO (POR) reached the quarter finals as well, where faced a loss against the future winner Vladimir SAMSONOV in a 1-4 match. Also the second OETTV player Robert GARDOS showed a great performance against TAN Ruiwu (CRO) and TANG Peng (HKG) before he was stopped by the third Asian-born player CHUANG Chih-Yuan (TPE) in the quarter finals.

The WSA congratulates all players on their great performance at the Qatar Open and is happy that so many athletes of its permanent professional training group could represent their countries and the WSA with their brilliant achievements.

All videos can be watched on itTV from ITTF:

http://www.ittf.com/ittv/