Timo Boll - Mr. Super Cup
December 3, 2009

Timo Boll - Super Cup Gold Medalist Photo By: Alex Lomaev

Courtesy of ITTF Timo Boll is the only ever winner in the short history of the European Super Cup. Following successes in 2007 and 2008, Europe’s dominant player in the recent years completed the hat-trick on Wednesday December 2, 2009. In St. Petersburg, in an all-German duel, Boll overcame the surprise of the tournament, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, in four straight games to win the first prize of US$50,000. In the match for the third position, Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus beat Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece by four games to one.

Highest Hurdle in the Semis - Perfect Final
Boll’s toughest challenger in St. Petersburg was Vladimir Samsonov in the semis.

Once in the final the 28 year old made short shrift of his compatriot Dimitrij Ovtcharov. “I played perfectly”, Boll was quoted on the website of the European Table Tennis Union. “We cannot blame Ovtcharov for a quick final; in addition as a left-hander and a player who knows his style very well I prevented him from attacking with the serve, Dima lost that advantage and it affected his self-confidence as well.”

Boll Won the Semi-Final Clash in Seven Games
World no.4 and Super Cup defending champion Timo Boll played against Europe’s number two player Vladimir Samsonov in the semi-final. The German won the anticipated final but his Belarusian opponent stretched Boll to the limit.

Samsonov seemed beaten in the sixth game when he was 3-6 down and trailed by three games to two but the 33 year old had the spectators on his side in St. Petersburg. He surprised Timo Boll with several clever services and leveled in games. However, Boll was the more active player in the seventh and dominated the latter rallies.

Samsonov saw a level match, but “then I could not return Boll’s serves well”, the hero of the Russian public explained his difficulties in the last rallies.

Ovtcharov Followed Boll
The other semi-final match between Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Greek Kalinikos Kreanga saw again the German contender emerging as winner. The 21-year-old Ovtcharov, born in Kiev, Ukraine, controlled the match most of the time other than in a miserable second game.

The match could have taken a different path however.

Kreanga saved game points in the first game but missed his opportunities. If he had gained a two-nil lead in games, the pressure on Ovtcharov would have been much higher. However, Ovtcharov won the close first game 15-13 and made life difficult for the 37-year-old Greek with his services.

Furthermore Kreanga’s normally superior backhand could not make the difference either; Ovtcharov as well is an excellent backhand player.

RESULTS

Final: 
BOLL Timo GER vs. OVTCHAROV Dimitrij GER, 4:0
(11-4, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7)

Semifinals:
BOLL Timo GER vs. SAMSONOV Vladimir BLR, 4:3
(11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 3-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6)
OVTCHAROV Dimitrij GER vs. KREANGA Kalinikos GRE, 4:1
(15-13, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9)

3rd Place Playoff
SAMSONOV Vladimir BLR vs. KREANGA Kalinikos GRE, 4:1
(11-9, 14-12, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7)