Table tennis: season off to a perfect start for the women of the Nîmes-Montpellier Alliance

Vainqueur du premier match, Rachel Moret a mis son équipe sur les bons rails. Archives Midi Libre – Mikaël Anisset

In Quimper, the Nîmes-Montpellier Alliance, which played its first match of the season in the Pro A Women's division on Tuesday, never really trembled, winning 3-1.

Armed with its new Brazilian recruit, Bruna Takahashi, the Alliance Nîmes-Montpellier negotiated its start to the championship perfectly by winning on Tuesday evening, October 8, on Finistère soil (2nd day of Pro A Women).

Facing a Quimper team that was making its home debut after a poor start in Saint-Quentin (3-0) on September 10, the Gardoises, who will play their first day match against Saint-Denis on November 9, never really trembled.

Moret launches the debates ideally

Thus, Rachel Moret (n° 39) launched the debates ideally by dominating the Breton number 1 Xue Li (n° 24). Despite losing the first set (11-8), Moret then took the lead (6-11, 5-11) and managed to win the tiebreaker at the end of an authoritative fifth set (2-11).

This inaugural success put Nîmes-Montpellier in the best possible position, at a time when Bruna Takahashi (n°2), its new Brazilian recruit, entered the arena. Facing Marie Migot (n° 37), the new Gardoise displayed the full extent of her talent to win 3-1.

Although better ranked, Piccolini was beaten

At 2-0 at half-time, the Gard team could see it coming but was not safe from a surge from Finistère. This came under the battering ram of Ema Labosova (n°61) who sounded the revolt against Giorgia Piccolini (n°15), who was nevertheless much higher ranked. The Italian never managed to counter the physical power of the Slovenian who signed a scathing 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-9).
The Gardoises were warned, no relaxation would be tolerated in the hope of a first success this season.

The Brazilian Takahashi intractable

Takahashi's return to the table would quickly settle the matter. Facing Li, the Brazilian made her speed of execution speak and left no chance to the former French number 1. Winner 3-0 (7-11, 6-11, 7-11), Takahashi gave his team its first victory. A success that proves that, this season, the Nîmes-Montpellier Alliance will undeniably have to be reckoned with.

I subscribe to read the rest