Womens Table Tennis
Svetlana Ganina

Although the womens world rankings are dominated by the Asian countries, particularly China, it's Russia's Svetlana Ganina who's attracting a lot of attention.

Svetlana is currently ranked at number 96 in the womens world ranking list, although she has been as high as 34 (June 2007).

Born on 11 July 1978, Svetlana first came to prominence as a cadet and junior player, winning several prestigous titles.

In singles, Svetlana won the European Youth Championships (Cadet) in 1992 in Topolcany, Czechoslovakia and the 1994 European Youth Championships (Junior) in Paris, France.

She was also runner-up in the 1995 European Youth Championships (Junior) in Den Haag, Netherlands.

by courtesy of the ITTF

But it was on 14th April 2007 at the Liebherr Brazilian Open, that Svetlana reached a new milestone in her table tennis career.

She beat Korea's Jee Min Hyung in five games to earn a place in the semi-finals of a Women's Singles event on the ITTF Pro Tour for the first time in her career.

Prior to that victory, her best performance in singles at a Pro Tour event was a quarter final in 2004 in St. Petersburg, Russia and again in Zagreb, Croatia in 2007.

Despite her lack of womens singles titles, Svetlana has an impressive record in doubles and team events.

Her main achievements in womens table tennis doubles events are ...

• 1994 European Youth Championships (Junior) - Runner-up
• 2000 Pro Tour in Croatia - Semi-finalist
• 2002 European Championship - Semi-finalist
• 2003 European Championship - Semi-finalist
• 2004 Pro Tour in Denmark - Winner
• 2004 Pro Tour in Russia - Semi-finalist
• 2005 European Championship - Semi-finalist
• 2006 Pro Tour in Poland - Semi-finalist
• 2006 Pro Tour in Russia - Semi-finalist
• 2007 European Championship - Winner
• 2008 Pro Tour in Kuwait - Semi-finalist
• 2010 Pro Tour in Slovenia - Winner
• 2011 Pro Tour in Austria - Semi-finalist

Whilst in the team events she also has an impressive record ...

by courtesy of the ITTF

• 1991 European Youth Championships (Cadet) - Winner
• 1993 European Youth Championships (Cadet) - Winner
• 1995 European Youth Championships (Junior) - Winner
• 1996 European Youth Championships (Junior) - Winner
• 2007 European Championship - Runners-up

Russia's top woman player has adopted a defensive style which makes her a firm favourite with the crowds wherever she plays.

by courtesy of the ITTF

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