MIKHAILOVA sees three ways for medal

Polina MIKHAILOVA will be once again the biggest hope of Russia in the Women`s events at the LIEBHERR 2018 ITTF European Championships in Alicante, Spain (18-23 Sep 2018). She made her career-best success three years ago, in front of her fans in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, by winning bronze medal in the Women`s Singles event. Two years ago in Budapest, she lost to future champion HU Melek in the Round 3, after six games.

“I am in good shape, as we are already ten days on training camp in Linz, practicing with Austrian and Romanian team together. About expectations, off course I would like to get a medal”, stated MIKHAILOVA, actual Russian champion and current World No. 45, who sees many ways to the podium. “My personal goal is medal in double or single. I think I have chance with Vika PAVLOVICH. Regarding mix, you never know and I will play with Alexander SHIBAEV. Of course I wish to be able to play good and fight for a medal in singles. And we will see soon what is possible…

MIKHAILOVA stressed that there is no clear favorite in the Women`s Singles event:

“Favorites for me off course are Germans, Romanians, LI Jie, FU Yu, POTA, EKHOLM, POLCANOVA, but I think in Europeans without Asians everything is possible depends, of your shape motivation and mental strength”.

But, that is not the end of the list of the candidates for the podium. What about possible upsets…

“Upsets, we gonna see … Because, now with this new ranking some of really good players play qualification as Daniela DODEAN, LI Fen, BILENKO, LANG from Germany and some others, so it will be very dangerous for any of seeded players to play with them.”