Determination, Timo Boll en route to gold in Montreux (Photo: Rémy Gros)
Eighteen years after winning his first title, German veteran Timo Boll is the Europe Top 16 champion again, for a record seventh time.
It was a grand double for the Germans as they also clinched the women’s singles title through an equally prolific defending champion Petrissa Solja, who picked up her eight crown at the championships in the Swiss city of Montreux.
Boll’s 4-11, 11-1, 13-11, 15-13, 11-8 victory over Darko Jorgic in the final sees him equaling the record of Sweden’s legendary Jan-Ove Waldner. The Swede set the record between 1984 in Bratislava and 1996 Charleroi.
“It took time to adjust to the speed and length of his play. I needed the time to find the rhythm for his service game. Darko is a very strong adversary. He does not play very risky, his shots are very powerful. It was a very close match and I could not make a mistake on easy points,“ said Boll
Earlier in the semi-final the 38-year-old Boll defeated Austria’s Robert Gardos 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5.
Darko, who had to bow out to the experience of Boll in the final, was a revelation in the tournament. The 21-year-old Slovenianm making his debut in the tournament, had defeated sixth seed and four time champion Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10 in his opening round match. IN the semi-finals he defeated Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar 4-11, 11-1, 13-11, 15-13, 11-8.
Gardos took third place after he edged out Pucar 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 2-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9 in the playoff for first ever podium finish in the tournament.
In the women’s singles, the second seeded Solja defeated Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska 11-3, 10-12, 11-6, 16-14, 11-7 in the semi-finals before coming back from two sets down to beat Britt Eerland of the Netherlands 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 to retain the crown.
“It started as the last year. I was two-nil down. I hoped history would not repeat with me being three-nil down like last year. It was all about the service game at the beginning. I needed time to adjust to her spins. I did not expect such heavy spin, so I missed a lot of her returns. She put me under pressure with good fast attacking forehand play and heavy top spin,” said Solja
Eerland had beaten Austria’s top seeded Sofia Polcanova 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9 in the semi-finals but had to contend to her first silver medal finish.
Polcanova finished in third place for the second consecutive year after defeating Margaryta Pesotska in five games 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 in the playoff for bronze.
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