(ITTF) Defending champions Germany managed to eke out a 3-2 win over Egypt yesterday as the team aspect of the World Table tennis Championships got underway yesterday in Sweden.
Omar Assar who spent three years at the Halmstad Club and is to join Borussia Düsseldorf, the club where Timo Boll plays, was the man in form. In the second match of the fixture, he beat Ruwen Filus (4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9), after Boll had given Germany the early advantage by overcoming Mohamed El-Beiali (11-4, 11-5, 11-4).
Matters level, Dimitrij Ovtcharov restored the German advantage by overcoming Khalid Assar (14-12, 11-7, 9-11- 11-6), before Omar Assar shocked Boll in five games (11-9, 6-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8).
“Though we lost, I think I am happy that I did not disappoint the Halmstad fans. It was a good home coming for me beating Timo Boll in front of the Halmstad fans where I lived for over three years. I am so happy personally with my performance against the Germans and generally as a team it was a good start for us,” he said afterwards.
The contest level; the outcome rested on the duel between Ruwen Filus and Mohamed El-Beiali, the decision went in favour of the German, his ability to combine stout defence and spasmodic attack a telling factor in a straight games win (11-5, 11-6, 11-8).
Defeat for Egypt but a most respectable performance in their opening fixture in the Men’s Team event.
