14 Year Old Ito Becomes Youngest Ever World Tour Champion

14-year-old Mima ITO (JPN) has shocked the table tennis world, by becoming the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour German Open Champion today in Bremen, Germany.

ITO, who is currently 14 years and 152 days old,became the youngest ever ITTF World Tour women’s singles champion, after she defeated local hero Petrissa SOLJA (GER) 9-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 14-12, 12-10 in a dramatic final.

Ito again rewrites table tennis history by becoming the youngest ever World Tour Champion!

The Japanese sensation, who is used to making history after winning last year’s German Open women’s doubles title as a 13-year-old, stated:

“I am shocked and ecstatic to win such a big title at my age. This is just the beginning for me, I now need to continue playing at this high level and win many more titles.”

Clearly not satisfied with just the title here in Germany, the teenager has set higher goals:

“I now want to qualify for the Japanese team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and do well. This will then give me the experience I need of realize my dream of gold in the singles and team event at my home Olympics, Tokyo 2020.”

Runner-up SOLJA won a remarkable 14 straight matches on her march to the final, which included picking up the women’s doubles and under-21 titles along the way. This was also a historic achievement, as no player has ever featured in all three finals at an ITTF World Tour event.

The world number 45 teamed up with German compatriot SHAN Xiaona to defeat the Hong Kong pair of DOO Hoi Kem & LEE Ho Ching 11-6,11-6,11-9 to claim the women’s doubles title and defeated Hina HAYATA (JPN) 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 to secure the under-21 title.

While ITO was winning her first ITTF World Tour event, MA Long won his 19th in the men’s singles.

MA clinched gold by defeating teammate and World and Olympic Champion ZHANG Jike in the final 11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 14-16, 11-6, 14-12, 11-8.

The 26-year-old world number one, had to save a match point before getting revenge over ZHANG, who defeated him just five months ago in the Liebherr 2014 Men’s World Cup.

Venue of the 2015 German Open, credit ittfworld

“It was an extremely close match, with every single point being a big fight. Last time I played him in Germany I lost (at the Liebherr 2014 Men’s World Cup), which was very disappointing , so I am happy that we are now 1-1 and this time I can go home happy,” stated the now three times German Open Champion.

The victory gives now the three times German Open champion apsychologicaledge heading into the Qoros 2015 World Table Tennis Championships just 35 days way in Suzhou, China:

“This victory gives me massive confidence for the upcoming World Championships. ZHANG will be one of my biggest rivals there, so knowing I can beat him gives me great belief that I can win my first ever singles World Championships title.”

Germany picked up their third title for the event in the men’s doubles, where Timo BOLL partnered with Patrick FRANZISKA to defeat the Russian pair of Kirill SKACHKOV & Alexey SMIRNOV 11-6, 12-10, 4-11, 11-8.

The men’s under-21 final was an all Korean affair, with KIM Donghyun defeating close friend KIM Minhyeok 11-6, 14-12, 11-7.

The world’s best table tennis players now head to Almeria for the GAC Group World Tour Spanish Open which begins on 25 March 2015.

World’s Best Arrive In Bremen For German Open

The world’s best table tennis players have arrived in Bremen, Germany for the next stop of the prestigious GAC Group 2015 World Tour Super Series, the German Open.

The German Open is traditionally one of the most popular World Tour events among the players and fans, with 301 players from 48 countries making their way to Bremen for the fourth World Tour of 2015.

As usual in Germany, all eyes will be on the local hero and former world number one Timo BOLL (GER). BOLL will be playing his first international event since his semi-final appearance at the Liebherr 2014 Men’s World Cup in October last year.

If the 34-year-old, who has won this tournament a record four times, wins two matches at the Men’s Singles main draw, he is on course to play an intriguing quarter-final match against his Qoros 2015 World Table Tennis Championships doubles partner, world number one MA Long.

Barthel, German Open 2015, credit ittfworld

On this potential match up, BOLL stated: “I always look forward to playing against top players like MA Long. Every time we play, we have amazing matches, so if we play in the quarter-finals, I hope to give the crowd a great match.”

The capacity German crowd at theOVB-Arena, will also be treated to seeing more action from the world’s best such as World and Olympic Champion ZHANG Jike (CHN), Olympic bronze medalist Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) and world number five Jun MIZUTANI (JPN).

World number four FENG Tianwei (SIN) will be looking to continue her red hot form which saw her beat two top Chinese players on her way to winning the Asian Cup title last week.

The London 2012 bronze medalist was the form player of the 2014 World Tour, winning three titles, but has not yet got off the mark in 2015.

The Japanese pair of Kasumi ISHIKAWA and Ai FUKUHARA will also be confident for the German Open crown, as will the Qatar Open champion Elizabeta SAMARA (ROU) and the hometown favourite HAN Ying (GER).

Qualifications for the 16 available positions in the main draw of 32 takes place on 18-19 March, with the knockout action getting underway on 20 March, and the winners being crowned on Sunday 22 March.

Venue of the 2015 German Open, credit ittfworld

The GAC Group 2015 World Tour is offering a record US$3,000,000 in prize money, and will also be the most viewed in history, with more events shown live throughout the world on television, and all the events being shown live on ITTF’s live streaming platform, itTV.

As was the case in 2014, the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour will be split up into three tiers (highest first): Super (6 events), Major (6 events), Challenge (11 events).

The top 16 singles and top 8 doubles pairs on the World Tour Standings will then be invited to the prestigious World Tour Grand Finals at the end of the year, the location to be announced later.