The Head Slovak Open 2008 began on Thursday with the qualification rounds. This is an interesting tournament as many young and emerging players have entered the only Future Series tournament on the European Circuit. This in the reason why Badminton Europe decided to locate a SOTX Team Europe 2012 training camp here, to give the young players valuable match practise in a competitive international tournament.
Badminton in Slovakia raised its profile this summer as one of their female players, Eva Sladekova, participated in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Sladekova is the seventh seed in her home event and will play Elina Vaisanenof Finland in the first round.Another Slovakian, Zuzana Orlovska, is a member of the SOTX Team Europe 2012 group and will be keen to impress. The tournament is being played in her home city.Orlovska faces fifth seed Claudia Mayer of Austria in the opening round.
From Sunday to Wednesday the SOTX Team Europe 2012 group will train together in Presov.Here is a list of players who will attend the training camp –
Female players
Michaela Mathis (AustriaLianne Tan (Belgium)
Karoliine Him (Estonia)
Nanna Vainio (Finland)
Anna Narel (Poland)
Lubov Chudentceva (Russia)
Zuzana Orlovsk (Slovakia)
Laura Molina (Spain)
Ezgi Epice (Turkey)
Male players
Luka Zdenjak (Croatia)
Pavel Florin (Czech Republic)
Eetu Heino (Finland)
Misha Zilberman (Israel)
Michal Rogalski (Poland)
Pedro Martins (Portugal)
Nikita Khakimov (Russia)
Ernesto Velazquez (Spain)
