2012 London to London

In the key match of group C Czechoslovakia,
although without Bohumil
Vana, managed to defeat Yugoslavia
five-three and won the group.
The first play-off was between England
and Japan and the superiority of the
visitors was soon evident. Ogimura won
all of his matches and Tomita beat Bergmann
and Simons to make the final score
five-two. In the second play-off, between
Czechoslovakia and England, the English
team was clearly still feeling the effects
of their previous night’s efforts against
Japan and they were below their best.
London, the Home of Table Tennis
Ivan Andreadis won three matches
and Vaclav Tereba beat Bergmann and
Leach, to give Czechoslovakia victory
by five matches to three. Two defeats
for England meant the third play-off
between Japan and Czechoslovakia became
effectively the final of the competition.
It proved to be a close contest.
Andreadis, one of the few players who
seemed able to deal with the Asian
style of play, beat all three Japanese
players, including Ogimura. Stipek
beat Tomita but with Tereba losing all
his matches, the outcome depended
on the contest between Stipek and
Kishiji Tamasu. Stipek fought hard but
Tamasu was too good and for the first
time Japan won the Swaythling Cup.
Japan lost only one match in group
A of the women’s team event, when
Trude Pritzi just managed to beat
Kiiko Watanabe. Group B was headed
by England, who almost equalled
the Japanese result by dropping only
two matches, Kathleen Best losing to
Krejcova of Czechoslovakia and Diane
Rowe to Audrey Bates of Wales.
Photo: ITTF Archives
Ichiro Ogimura
The Men’s Singles winner
The crucial match in group C was between
Romania, the holders, and Hungary,
a match in which Rozeanu suffered
her only loss in the tournament,
beaten by Koczian. Play started late
and was further delayed by a disagreement
about the score in the game between
Eva Koczian of Hungary and
Ella Zeller of Romania. Matters culminated
with Koczian personally altering
the score indicators; by the time the
match ended, well after midnight, with
a victory for Hungary, there were only
about 20 spectators left in the arena.
For the play-off against Hungary, England
rested Diane Rowe, who had
seemed to be off form and replaced
her with Ann Haydon. Alas for the host
nation, this did not bring the hoped
for improvement and Hungary won
three-one. Rosalind Rowe’s defeat of
Koczian was the only English success.
London to London 51