With a 4-3 set upset, Panathinaikos “broke” Olympiakos’ four-year unbeaten streak in the derby

In a spectacular spectacle, which around 300 fans had the opportunity to enjoy, Panathinaikos achieved a great victory with a 3-1 set over Olympiakos in the top derby of A1 men’s table tennis while losing 1-3 to “break” as well as the unbeaten streak of the champion of Greece that he held since December 2019 and to maintain his own unbeaten streak.

The “greens” reached 8 points in 4 matches, Olympiacos is at the top with 9 points, but one match more. The last time he had lost in the indoor gym of Kareas, also, with 4-3 sets against AEK, who were then crowned champions.

The men’s A1 derby attracted people not only because it featured two world-class players, two European men’s singles champions, Ovcharov (Olympiacos) and Lebesson (Panathinaikos), but also because it was a given that athletes from the National Team would also compete of our team with a serious role in the development of the match. Olympiacos finally did not have Croatian Tomislav Pukar at their disposal and after a long time relied on two Greek internationals in a league derby.

The match was sensational, with spectacular rallies and incredible strikes, which had the spectators in awe.

The development is also exciting, with Olympiakos leading 2-0 and 3-1 and Panathinaikos making an impressive comeback. Special and many moments on an individual level because Ovcharov was in immediate danger of defeats, Kostas Konstantinopoulos “bent” the current champion of Greece, Yannis Sgouropoulos, while in the doubles there was an upset from 0-2 sets by the duo of Panathinaikos! The Frenchman Lebesson achieved… 2.5 wins together with the doubles, where he had Konstantinopoulos as his teammate.

The latter and Angelakis almost dropped “bombs” by defeating Ovcharov who made his debut in Greece today and was naturally looking for adaptation. The former had a match point that he did not take advantage of in the fifth set, the latter led 2-0 in the sets and 9-5 in the points of the fourth set, however the German top athlete found the composure and the solutions to “turn” the situation around.

Based on the set-up of the trios, Ovcharov and Lebesson did not meet in the single. The clash between the two European champions came in the doubles, where Ovcharov teamed up with Stamatouros.

In detail, the progress of the match Panathinaikos-Olympiakos 4-3:

Konstantinos Angelakis-Giorgos Stamatouros 1-3 (5-11, 7-11, 11-2, 6-11)

Konstantinos Konstantinopoulos-Dimitri Ovcharov 2-3 (7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 13-15)

Emmanuel Lebesson-Yiannis Sgouropoulos 3-1 (3-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5)

Angelakis-Ovcharov 2-3 (12-10, 12-10, 3-11, 9-11, 3-11)

Lebesson-Stamatouros 3-1 (11-2, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8)

Konstantinopoulos-Sgouropoulos 3-2 (11-6, 11-2, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9)

Lebesson/Konstantinopoulos-Ovcharov/Stamatouros 3-2 (10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6)

Saturday’s two matches were not full, as AEK’s matches with OEA Thessaloniki had been postponed due to the presence of Alexandros Madesis and Stathis Manolopoulos in the international tournament in Cyprus.

AS Pera took another step towards the top four, Aris Nikias fought the match against him, but in the end he was defeated in both of his matches, consequently remaining in last place.

It should be noted, however, that the legendary Kallinikos Kreanga, at the age of 52, achieved his first victory after his return to the Greek championship (3-2 sets against the Bulgarian Petios Krastef), while in the meeting with OEA Thessaloniki, Ilias Michailidis overcame with 3- 2, also Bulgarian international Daniel Ivanov.

In Olympiakos’ match against Tataula, Ovcharov made his debut in the Greek A1 against Yannis Boskovich (3-0 set), while Sgouropoulos’ game against Gerasimos Hatzilygeroudis was decided in five sets (in favor of the first).

In the A1 national women’s category, the program included only one competition day, the fourth. The champion Olympiacos faced the runners-up of last year’s championship, Sarises Florina, and again had the role of favorite regardless of whether the Florina team had only one foreigner in its trio.

Olympiacos went on to win 4-2, but two results were unpredictable. Liu Judith created a surprise against the Hungarian, top-class European athlete, Georgina Pota (3-2 sets), while Chrysi Fotiadou defeated the current runner-up of Greece in women’s singles, Aliki Kioufi, with 3-1 sets.

Panathinaikos easily defeated ASEA Kavala 4-0 and had the Swedish Matilda Hanson in their composition for the first time. HANTH and GAO Piraeus gave a “battle” until the evening. The match was decided in doubles for the Thessaloniki team.

In detail, the progress of the match GAO Piraeus-HAN Thessaloniki 3-4:

Evangelia Meramveliotaki-Stella Tzaridou 2-3 (11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 4-11, 11-13)

Zoe Kazakou-Tsvetelina Gergieva 1-3 (6-11, 2-11, 11-5, 7-11)

Maria Creanga-Theodora Yagou 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-6)

Meramvelliotaki-Georgieva 0-3 (1-11, 2-11, 8-11)

Kreanga-Tzaridou 3-1 (11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10)

Kazaku-Yagu 3-1 (11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-2)

Meramvelliotaki/Kreanga-Georgieva/Tzaridou 0-3 (2-11, 4-11, 5-11)

Summary of the day’s results in the major national categories:

In men’s A1:

Aris Nikias-Pera Athens 1-4

Tataula-Olympiakos 0-4

Panathinaikos-Olympiakos 4-3

OEA Thessaloniki-Aris Nikias 4-2

In women’s A1:

Sarises Florinas-Olympiakos 2-4

Pera Athens-AEK 0-4

GAO Piraeus-HAN Thessaloniki 3-4

Panathinaikos-ASEA Kavala 4-0

THE STANDING IN MEN’S A1 (in 5 matches):

1. Olympiakos 9

2. Panathinaikos 8 (in 4 games)

3. Pera Athens 7 (in 4 games)

4. OEA Thessaloniki 6 (in 4 games)

5. AEK 5 (in 3 matches)

-. Aris Nikias 5

7. OEA Rethymno 4 (in 3 games)

8. AO Tataula 4 (in 4 matches)

THE RANKINGS IN A1 WOMEN (in 4 matches):

1. Olympiakos 8

-. AEK 8

3. Panathinaikos 7

4. ASEA Sarises Florina 6

-. HAN of Thessaloniki 6

6. Beyond Athens 5

7. ASEA Kavala 4

-. GAO Piraeus 4