CEV - European Championship Final - Berlin 2010 - Big games for the European title

Lili and Elsa (ESP) making a reaaly good season and European Championship tournament

Alexanders Samoilovs (LAT) up to the block

Fabjan sisters (SLO) playing a good tournament

The 1/8 finals will feature quite a few attractive matches that are likely to set the tone for what promises to be an exciting weekend here at the O2 World. After a couple of defeats and some shaky performances, 2009 European champions Inguna Minusa and Inese Jursone of Latvia finally made it to the knock-out with a quick 21-13, 21-9 against Sweden’s Nilsson/Hansson but there they will have to cope with an ambitious and fierce opponent, Russia’s duo Bratkova/Ukolova, that sailed comfortably and undefeated through Pool B. “We know the Latvian girls very well” says Evgenia Ukolova. “We played against them a few weeks ago in Kaliningrad at sub zonal phase of the Continental Cup, we are also good friends. But, as you know, there are no friends on sand. I think that it's better to play against Latvia, then against German teams. Honestly, I don't like playing against the Germans. Also, the Final of European Championship is in Berlin, so the draw was pretty good. We will try to do our best and qualify for the next knock-out round tomorrow” she concludes.

The real stars of the scene here in Berlin, Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig, who do not hide their purpose to get back the crown they already claimed two years ago in Hamburg, will start the next stage of the competition with a German derby against the likes of Hüttermann/Schumacher.

Dutchwomen Keizer/van Iersel, so far extremely solid and consistent in all of their outings, will play Italy’s Cella/Rosso. The “Oranjes” are chasing a medal here in Berlin and their game against two ladies who have so far enjoyed a long and pretty successful indoor career in the Italian national league will be certainly one of the main attractions of Friday’s morning session.

Note also the great tournament of Liliana Fernandez Steiner and Elsa Baquerizo Mc Millan from Spain who won their 3 games of their pool and confirm their excellent 2010 season.

Swiss veterans Sascha Heyer and Patrick Heuscher were definitely responsible for causing the major upset on the second competition day of the 2010 European Championship Final here in Berlin. Actually, that upset was not much appreciated by the local fans, because the Swiss duo managed to cruise past 2009 World champions Julius Brink/Jonas Reckermann.
Note that the 2 spanish team Herrera-Gavira and Lario-Mesa won also their 2 games and will be dangerous teams for the title.

Friday 13th August

Women

Round 1
44	13-Aug	13:00	4	Minusa-Jursone LAT [13]	Bratkova-Ukolova RUS [11]
43	13-Aug	13:00	3	Arvaniti-Tsiartsiani GRE [7]	Nystrom-Nystrom FIN [4]
42	13-Aug	13:00	2	Hansel-Montagnolli AUT [2]	Baquerizo-Liliana ESP [8]
41	13-Aug	13:00	1	Holtwick-Semmler GER [3]	Graessli-Goricanec SUI [14]
40	13-Aug	12:00	1	Fabjan-Fabjan SLO [17]	Köhler-Sude GER [16]
39	13-Aug	12:00	3	Keizer-Van Iersel NED [6]	Cella-Rosso ITA [12]
38	13-Aug	11:00	2	Kuhn-Zumkehr SUI [5]	Wesselink-Meppelink NED [10]
37	13-Aug	11:00	1	Goller-Ludwig GER [1]	Hüttermann-Schumacher GER [15]

Men

Last games of the Pools