The Yasaka player, Mattias Karlsson

New titles for Mattias Karlsson at ITTF Pro Tour French Open[2008-06-06]YASAKA player Mattias Karlsson has had a very successful 2008. To ITTF Junor Pro Tour event he went full of confidence after winning two Pro Tour tournaments earlier (Hungary and Venezuela) and Swedish Junior Championships. However in France it was close that Mattias disappeared already in the first round against BROSSIER (FRA) where he was down 2-3. Somehow Mattias managed
to raise his game and took the two following games. In second round he won 4-0 against EMFINOV (POR). In the quarterfinal he faced the very promising GAUZY (FRA) who is still a cadet. Mattias proved, like many times before, to be strong in the end of the sets and won 4-1. The semfinal against CHIU Cheng Hei went the full distance but finally Mattias had booked his place in the final where another YASAKA player Viktor Brodd waited. In the final Mattias won 4-2 and probably he had advantage from experience gained from previous finals on the Pro Tour. Both players are using blade YASAKA Ma Lin Soft Carbon and for rubbers Mattias is using YASAKA Original T-version (fh) and Mark V (bh) and Viktor is using YASAKA V-Stage (fh) and Mark V (bh). Mattias completed his success by winning also the double event togeher with his Swedish collegue Simon Arvidsson. In the final they overcame GAUZY/LORENTZ (FRA) 3-2.

The Yasaka player, Ma Lin

has regained the number 1 position in the ITTF world ranking.
Ma Lin has played in 4 of this years Pro Tour tournaments and he is now the leader in the battle for points.
In February Ma Lin won the Qatar Open and was runner up in the Kuwait Open.
Ma Lin is also the most successful player in the Word Cup.
In October 2006 Ma Lin captured his fourth victory in this prestigious event. No other player has ever won the World Cup more than twice.
In 1998 Ma Lin first entered the 'top ten' in the World Ranking, and since then has been among the real World Class players.
As a Junior Ma Lin chose to play with a Yasaka blade.
With the Yasaka Extra he found a blade not only with enough speed and power, but also with good ball 'feel', so important in returns and blocks.
Together with the Yasaka technicians Ma Lin worked to develop the Ma Lin Carbon blade.

The Gold Medal for Boll – The Silver Medal for Dimitrij Ovtcharov!

He ran, he slogged, he groaned and he sweated.
Dimitrij Ovtcharov tried everything to achieve the impossible in the final of the 75th German Championships: A win against Timo Boll.
But at least he won respect: He was the only player who brought the fourth of the world ranking list in difficulties in Chemnitz and directly at the beginning he won two sets against Boll who had not lost any set until this time. In the end, however, the left hand player won with 4:2 (-7,1,9,7,-11,5) his 8th World Champion title in single competition – and found praising words for his opponent: “He is a strong and unpleasant opponent, and he was a real challenge for me.” Timo Boll, however, is in real good shape at the moment and it is nearly impossible to win against him. “I have played a perfect tournament”, he said himself.
But also Ovtcharov had reasons to be satisfied. Although the 18-years old had to congratulate the favorite Boll, but also Dima belonged to the winners of the title matches. For the first time he had reached the final of the German Championships in men’s competition. Due to this achievement Ovtcharov underlined that he is a prospective candidate for the role of the crown prince in men’s table tennis.
He also confirmed this in the semi-final against Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth. Although the player from Grenzau presented himself in brilliant shape, he did not have any chance in the end. And Dimitrij Ovtcharov was satisfied and said after his 4:2 (6,-6,4,9,-11,3) winning: I deserved this winning.”
Also Ovtcharov’s partner in double competition, Patrick Baum, could be proud on his achievements in Chemnitz. The left-hand player went home with two Bronze Medals. In the semi-final in single competition he lost against the superior Timo Boll with 0:4 (-7,-5,-5,-10) and in double competition he slightly missed the semi-final together with Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Seven sets long the two youngsters delighted the 2000 spectators in the “Richard-Hartmann Hall” in an exciting match against Torben Wosik and Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth. In the end the DONIC star Wosik and Fejer-Konnerth won 4:3 (7,-9,-12,5,-12,3,14).

This means good conditions for the European Championships which begin on 24 March in Belgrade. With his impressive performance in Chemnitz Dima Ovtcharov has recommended himself for a firm place in the German National Team. And at the European Championships the double Baum/Ovtcharov (Patrick Baum has only been nominated for individual competition in Belgrad) can build on their performance they have achieved at the German Championships.