Ovtcharov & Samara are Crowned Best in Europe

Ovtcharov and Samara both celebrated like champions after the European titles.

Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Elizabeta SAMARA are the 2015 European Champions after winning dramatic finals on the final day of the Liebherr 2015 European Table Tennis Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Germany's OVTCHAROV defended his title from two years ago with a near faultless display against Portugal's Marcos FREITAS 14-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 to add a second European title to his growing list of titles.

To celebrate time, the world number 5 took off his German National Team shirt, raced to the medal podium and placed the garment on the top step of the podium and raised his hands.

"It was wonderful tournament, one of the best in which I have ever played; I want to express my gratitude to the organisers, to the sponsor and all the volunteers who made this tournament run smoothly", said the 27 year old German. "Marcos pushed me to the limits, it brought the best out of me; the final was an epic battle with the fantastic service, return, a powerful match, I am proud I was part of it."

Romania's SAMARA snatched the biggest win of her career in life in the women's singles. The 2007 European Youth champion had to go the full distance with LI Jie in an entertaining final showdown, finally prevailing 11-6, 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 12-14, 11-4, 11-4 to give her coach Viorel FILIMON the perfect birthday present.

"My dream and it came true", said SAMARA who jumped on the table once she secured victory. "I cannot possibly be happier than I am right now."

Outsiders for gold, together for the very first time, the combination of Austria's Stefan FEGERL and Portugal's Joao MONTEIRO won the Men's Doubles.

The no.11 seeds, they accounted for the top seeded duo comprising Stefan FEGERL's gold medal winning team mates in the team event Robert GARDOS and Daniel HABESOHN in a thrilling full distance seven games encounter. In an electric atmosphere with the tiered seating full to capacity, some 3,000 spectators, they saved one match point before securing victory: 11-9, 14-12, 6-11, 8-11. 13-15, 11-8, 12-10.

The Quarter-finalists at the Qoros 2015 World Championships in Suzhou earlier in the year, which the only previous occasion when they played together, Turkey's HU Melek and Spain's SHEN Yanfei combined to win the Women's Doubles title.

Number 4 seeds at the tournament, they beat the pairing formed by Hungary's Georgina POTA and singles champion Romania's Elizabeta SAMARA, the no.5 seeds, at the final hurdle, to become the champions: 11-4, 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 11-4.

Earlier in the week Austria became the European Men's Team champions for the first time and Germany won their third Women's team title in a row.

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