ETTU - European Table Tennis Union - News

[Milica Nikolic]

Danilo FASO of Italy crowned a breakthrough week at the European Youth Championships by fighting back from two games down in the final to lift the Under 19 Boys Singles trophy. The 15-year-old defeated France’s Nathan PILARD 4-2 (10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5), while Bulgaria’s Yoan VELICHKOV and AIN’s Aleksei SAMOKHIN finished with bronze medals.

After losing the opening two games, FASO once again demonstrated the resilience that had defined his tournament. He edged a pivotal third game to stay alive before taking complete control of the match, winning the final three games to complete another impressive comeback.

Reflecting on his triumph, the Italian highlighted what the title meant at such a young age.

“It was a very good match and I’m really happy with the way I played. Most of the players in this event are about three years older than me, and I’m only 15, so reaching the final means a lot. Over the past few months I’ve been playing at a really high level, and I think I showed that again today.

Coming back after losing games is something I’ve managed to do quite often. In a final you know your adversary is going to play really well, so it’s important to stay calm, keep believing in yourself and try to raise your level as the match goes on. That’s what I managed to do today.

Looking back over the whole singles event, I think there were two matches that were especially difficult for me. They both demanded everything I had, so I’m very pleased to have come through them.”

PILARD, seeded No. 13, reached the final by defeating Bulgaria’s No. 14 seed Yoan VELICHKOV 4-1 (9-11, 11-6, 14-12, 11-7, 12-10). After dropping the opening game, the French player recovered strongly, edging a crucial third game before sealing victory in five.

“I’m really happy to have reached the final. To be honest, I didn’t even expect to make the semi-finals, so to win this match and book my place in the final is an amazing feeling. It was a very difficult match because my adversary made things extremely challenging throughout.”

PILARD explained that maintaining his concentration proved decisive.

“The key was to stay mentally strong from the first point to the last. He’s the kind of player who takes a lot of time between points and tries to disrupt your rhythm and concentration. I managed to stay focused on my own game, not let that affect me, and I think that was the key to the victory.”

The second semi-final produced one of the most dramatic encounters of the championships, with No. 26 seed FASO recovering from a two-game deficit to overcome No. 20 seed Aleksei SAMOKHIN of AIN 4-3 (2-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-5, 11-9).

“It was a very difficult match. I made a poor start and quickly found myself 2-0 down because my adversary was playing really well, and I lost those first two games quite easily. After that I told myself to stay calm, give everything I had left and keep fighting for every point. In the third game I led 10-7 and managed to stay in the match. From there my confidence grew. I won the sixth game comfortably to level the score before coming through a very close deciding game 11-9. I’m really, really happy with the victory.”

FASO also revealed the tactical adjustment that sparked his comeback.

“The biggest change was in my receive. At the beginning I was giving my opponent too many easy balls, which allowed him to attack with confidence. Later in the match I became much more aggressive on the receive, and I think that tactical adjustment made the difference.”

Final

• Danilo FASO (Italy) – Nathan PILARD (France) 4-2 (10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5)

Semi-finals

• Nathan PILARD (France) – Yoan VELICHKOV (Bulgaria) 4-1 (9-11, 11-6, 14-12, 11-7, 12-10)
• Danilo FASO (Italy) – Aleksei SAMOKHIN (AIN) 4-3 (2-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-5, 11-9)

The post FASO Completes Remarkable Comeback to Capture Under 19 Boys Singles Crown first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The European Youth Championships in Gondomar concluded with France producing one of the most dominant performances in the history of the competition. With seven of the 14 titles on offer, the French delegation matched the achievement of Russia in 2017 and the Union of Independent States in 1992. Only the Soviet Union, which claimed eight titles in 1990, has enjoyed a more successful edition.

France’s outstanding campaign was spearheaded by Nina GUO ZHENG and Leana HOCHART, who finished as the championships’ most decorated players with three gold medals each. Together they guided France to the Under 19 Girls Team title before successfully defending their Under 19 Girls Doubles crown. GUO ZHENG added the Under 19 Girls Singles title, while HOCHART completed her golden collection alongside Antoine NOIRAULT in the Under 19 Mixed Doubles event.

By retaining their Under 19 Girls Doubles title, GUO ZHENG and HOCHART joined an exclusive group of players to have successfully defended the crown. Before them, only Bernadette SZOCS and Petrissa SOLJA (2011 and 2012), Romania’s Mihaela STEFF and Antonela MANAC (1994 and 1995), the Soviet Union’s Iolanta DANILIAVICIUTE and Elena VECEROK (1981 and 1982), and Valentina POPOVA and Narine ANTONIAN (1977 and 1978) had achieved the feat.

The Under 15 events also produced several remarkable stories. Amina ILIMBETOVA completed a memorable championships by winning both the Under 15 Girls Singles and Doubles titles, while Spain’s Ladimir MAYOROV collected two gold medals in doubles and a bronze in singles. Türkiye’s Gorkem OCAL crowned an outstanding tournament with the Under 15 Boys Singles title, adding silver in mixed doubles and bronze in boys doubles.

History was also made in the Under 15 Boys Doubles event. Ladimir MAYOROV, just one day before his 13th birthday, and Austria’s Louis FEGERL, aged 12 years and 340 days, became the youngest pairing ever to win the title. Never before had two Under 13 players captured the European Under 15 Boys Doubles crown, although their success came after reaching the final together a year earlier.

Ireland also celebrated a milestone as Peadar SHERIDAN claimed a bronze medal in the Under 15 Boys Doubles event. He became only the second Irish player to win a medal at the European Youth Championships, following Sophie EARLEY, who collected three medals across the 2021 and 2022 editions.

Another historic statistic emerged from the singles competitions. Under 19 champions Danilo FASO of Italy and Nina GUO ZHENG of France are both only 16 years old. While previous champions such as Jan-Ove WALDNER (1981), Britt EERLAND (2010), Bernadette SZOCS (2011), Adina DIACONU (2014) and Annette KAUFMANN (2022) had each won the title at the same age, Gondomar marked the first time in the history of the championships that both the Under 19 boys and girls singles champions were 16-year-olds in the same edition.

The post France Reaches Historic Heights as European Youth Championships Conclude first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The European Table Tennis Union is deeply saddened by the passing of Jacques DENYS, one of the most respected and dedicated figures in Belgian table tennis, who died on 19 July at the age of 76.

For decades, DENYS devoted himself wholeheartedly to the development of the sport. He served as President of the Flemish Table Tennis League (VTTL), President of the West Flanders Provincial Committee, and Vice President of the Royal Belgian Table Tennis Federation (KBTTB). More recently, he had stepped back from his official duties to allow a new generation of administrators to take over, while being recognised as Honorary Vice President of the KBTTB and Honorary President of the VTTL.

In a tribute, the VTTL described him as a familiar face, a warm presence, and above all a valued friend whose passion for table tennis and the people within it never faded.

The ETTU extends its sincere condolences to Jacques DENYS’ family, friends, and the entire Belgian table tennis community during this difficult time.

The post In Memoriam: Jacques DENYS (1950–2026) first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Medals table all events
Nr	Assoc	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	France	7	1	6	14
2	Individual Athletes	2	2	5	9
3	Poland	2	1	2	5
4	Spain	2		2	4
5	Türkiye	1	1	1	3
6	Austria	1	1		2
7	Italy	1			1
8	Germany		4	1	5
9	Romania		3		3
10	Sweden		1	6	7
11	Bulgaria		1	1	2
12	Portugal			2	2
13	Switzerland			1	1
13	Azerbaidjan			1	1
13	Ireland			1	1

The post European Youth Championships Medals Table first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The European Table Tennis Union is deeply saddened by the passing of Kenneth STRONG, Honorary Life President of Table Tennis Ireland.

STRONG dedicated many years of outstanding service to Irish table tennis, making a lasting contribution to the development of the sport through his commitment and leadership. His passion and devotion earned him the respect and gratitude of the entire table tennis community.

The post In Memoriam: Kenneth STRONG first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The inaugural Open European Games of TT Hopes concluded successfully in Hungary after four days of competition, bringing together 93 young players from 11 countries. Held from 18 to 21 June as part of the Veszprém–Balaton European Sports Region project, the event was jointly organized by Veszprém, Balatonfüred, and Várpalota, providing Europe’s youngest talents with an international stage to compete alongside invited teams from beyond the continent.

The tournament opened with the Under 13 singles events, where Hungary’s Bálint GILICZ lived up to his status as favourite by securing the boys’ title with a series of commanding performances. In the girls’ competition, China’s Liu Qianyu enjoyed an outstanding debut against European opposition, capturing the title in impressive fashion.

The official opening ceremony featured addresses by ETTU President Pedro MOURA and Roland NÁTRÁN, Chairman of the Organising Committee. The medal ceremony was attended by László FÁBIÁN, Secretary General of the Hungarian Olympic Committee.

The following two days were dedicated to the team events, with both Under 13 and Under 15 categories in action. Table Tennis England emerged as the dominant force, winning three of the four team titles. The only exception came in the Under 15 Girls Team event, where China’s Liu Qianyu and Pan Enxi claimed gold.

The championships concluded with the Under 15 singles competitions, where several Under 13 players also tested themselves against older opponents. Liu Qianyu completed a remarkable tournament by winning the girls’ singles title, finishing with three gold medals from the three events she entered. In the boys’ competition, Hungary’s Simon ZSIGMOND produced a convincing display to secure the title.

Among the clubs, Turris SE Sopron finished as the most successful Hungarian club, while Table Tennis England topped the international team standings.

Following the successful debut edition, the Open European Games of TT Hopes will return next year.

Under 13 Boys Singles

• Bálint GILICZ (HUN)
• Lusio WEN (ENG)
• Yang HAOLIN (CHN)
• Csongor HALMAI (HUN)

Under 13 Girls Singles

• Liu QIANYU (CHN)
• Sara SZONDY (HUN)
• Serene RAHMANI-WALENTYNSKA (ENG)
• Dorina LACZKO (HUN)

Under 15 Boys Singles

• Simon ZSIGMOND (HUN)
• Adam TOKAI (HUN)
• Pablo Rioja RAMIREZ (ENG)
• Zsombor VARY (HUN)

Under 15 Girls Singles

• Liu QIANYU (CHN)
• Pan ENXI (CHN)
• Soraya RAHMANI-WALENTYNSKA (ENG)
• Zsofia FEGYVER (HUN)

Under 13 Boys Team

• Lusio WEN / Malek SHAMAKH (ENG)
• Yang HAOLIN / Lin DONGZE (CHN)
• Peter KISS / Martin KUKUCSKA (HUN)
• Csongor HALMAI / Erik PALOS (HUN)

Under 13 Girls Team

• Serene RAHMANI-WALENTYNSKA / Bethany YANG (ENG)
• Nina CRNKOVITY / Kriszta Orsolya UNGVARI (SRB/ROU)
• Isabella DEAC / Sara SZONDY (ROU/HUN)
• Zsofia LICSAK / Alina WINTER (AUT)

Under 15 Boys Team

• Pablo Rioja RAMIREZ / Rishaan SAWANT (ENG)
• Zsombor VARY / Matyas KAROLY (HUN)
• Pietro BOLOGNA / Loris CECCOLI (SMR)
• Zalan GARNAI / Alexandru DEHELEAH (ROU)

Under 15 Girls Team

• Liu QIANYU / Pan ENXI (CHN)
• Emma VARADI / Kincso Zoe PENTEK (HUN)
• Borbala VASS / Julia BARANYAI (HUN)
• Soraya RAHMANI-WALENTYNSKA / Kiishi ADEKOLA (ENG)

The post First Open European Games of TT Hopes Ends on a High Note first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Fresh from another successful domestic season, Olympiacos S.F.P. have unveiled formidable men’s and women’s squads for the 2026/27 campaign, blending world-class international stars with established Greek champions and emerging young talent.

The Piraeus club enters the new season after claiming the Greek Men’s A1 League title with a perfect 17 victories from 17 matches, while the women’s team finished third after ending the season level on points with runners-up AEK.

The men’s team is headlined by Slovenian ace Darko JORGIC and Swedish star Truls MOREGARDH, who will be joined by an experienced Greek core featuring Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS, Anastasios RINIOTIS, Georgios STAMATOUROS and veteran Ioannis VLOTINOS, alongside rising talent Petros MORALIS.

JORGIC is looking forward to experiencing Greek club table tennis for the first time.

“I’ll be playing a few matches for Olympiacos. I’ve always been a Red Star fan, so I know what it means to play for Olympiacos as a brother club. I’m really happy that, for the first time, I’ll have the chance to play in Greece.

“After eight seasons in the German Bundesliga, I’ve decided to move to other leagues. My main focus is training and international tournaments, so Greece and Poland were the right choices for me. I honestly can’t wait for everything to begin, to experience the atmosphere and see what it’s like to compete there. I’m very excited and looking forward to my first match in the Greek league.”

Olympiacos were outstanding throughout last season, winning every one of their 17 league encounters while compiling an impressive individual match record of 68 wins from 74 matches.

The squad also reflects both the club’s present and future. Fifteen-year-old Petros MORALIS has already celebrated a Greek league title with Olympiacos despite his young age and is regarded as one of the country’s brightest prospects. At the other end of the spectrum stands Ioannis VLOTINOS, one of the legends of Greek table tennis, whose remarkable career includes a record 14 Greek national singles titles.

The women’s team combines experience and continuity with the addition of another familiar face. Maria CHRISTOFORAKI, Despina DANDOULA, Aliki KIOUFI, Evelina MERAMVELLIOTAKI, Georgina POTA, Elisavet TERPOU and Ukrainian international Margaryta PESOTSKA are joined by former Greek international Archontoula VOLAKAKI.

A special milestone awaits PESOTSKA, who enters her fifth season with Olympiacos. During her time with the club she has become the most successful player in the history of the women’s team, recording an extraordinary 110 appearances and 106 victories, an outstanding 96.4 per cent winning record.

Her performances last season once again underlined her importance, as she won 22 of her 23 singles matches to help Olympiacos finish level on points with second-placed AEK.

With Olympic medallists, European stars, Greek legends and exciting young talents all wearing the red-and-white colours, Olympiacos once again appear ready to challenge for domestic honours while further raising the profile of the Greek league on the European stage.

The post Olympiacos Reinforce Ambitions with Star-Studded Squad for 2026/27 first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The European Table Tennis Union mourns the passing of Isabelle BEUMIER, one of the most respected figures in international officiating and a long-serving member and former Chair of the ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee. Isabelle dedicated decades of her life to table tennis, making an outstanding contribution to the development of referees and umpires across Europe and beyond.

“Isabelle was one of the most dearest personalities in international table tennis. We will all miss her passion and dedication to our sport, but, above all, her kindness to all of us. May she rest in peace,” stated ETTU President Pedro MOURA.

The following tribute has been prepared by her colleagues from the ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee, who had the privilege of working alongside her for many years.

“After serving as Deputy Chair of the ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee from 2014 to 2016 and from 2020 to 2024, Isabelle was appointed Chair of the Committee in 2016, a position she held with distinction until 2020. Throughout these years, she shaped the future of officiating in European table tennis with exceptional professionalism, vision and dedication.

As an International Referee and Blue Badge Umpire, BEUMIER officiated at the highest level of our sport. She served as an umpire at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, was appointed Deputy Referee at the ITTF World Championships in Düsseldorf in 2017, and later served on the Referee Team at the European Games in Kraków 2023. These prestigious appointments reflected the confidence that both the ETTU and the ITTF placed in her expertise, professionalism and leadership. Throughout her career, she represented the ETTU at numerous international competitions, championships, educational seminars and development programmes, always demonstrating the highest standards of professionalism, fairness and integrity.

These appointments represent only a small part of Isabelle’s outstanding international career. Over many years, she fulfilled numerous roles at ETTU and ITTF events around the world, serving as umpire, referee, deputy referee, instructor and mentor. Her experience, expertise and dedication made her one of the most respected match officials in international table tennis, leaving an enduring legacy that extends far beyond the positions and events listed here.

Under her leadership, the ETTU URC strengthened education programmes, promoted the development of young officials and created new opportunities for referees and umpires to progress onto the international stage. Isabelle was also a passionate advocate for women in officiating. She actively encouraged and mentored female umpires and referees, helping them gain confidence, develop their skills and pursue international careers. For many aspiring female officials, Isabelle was more than a mentor she was proof that commitment, excellence and leadership know no gender. She firmly believed that diversity and equal opportunities would strengthen the officiating community and worked tirelessly to make that vision a reality.

Whether acting as referee, instructor, mentor or committee chair, Isabelle was always willing to share her knowledge, support colleagues and inspire others to achieve their full potential.

For countless officials across Europe, Isabelle was their first mentor, their strongest supporter and the person who encouraged them to believe that an international career was within reach. Her influence can be seen in every generation of European match officials who have benefited from her guidance, patience and encouragement.”

Paying tribute to Isabelle, the current ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee Chair, Werner THURY, said:

“Isabelle was a role model for referees across Europe and around the world. Through her dedication, passion, and commitment, she paved the way for countless young referees to build international careers.

I had the privilege of learning from her. Her leadership of the ETTU URC was truly outstanding and left a lasting impact on our sport.

But above all, I will miss Isabelle as a dear friend.

Thank you, Isabelle, for allowing me to work alongside you, for your guidance, and for the friendship we shared. Your legacy will live on in the many people whose lives you touched.”

These words reflect what so many of us feel today.

Beyond her remarkable achievements and her outstanding service to European table tennis, Isabelle will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, warmth and humanity. She brought people together, believed in developing others and created a spirit of friendship within our officiating family that will endure for years to come.

“On behalf of the entire ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee, we extend our deepest condolences to Isabelle’s family, friends and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside her.

Her contribution to European table tennis cannot be measured only by the events she officiated or the positions she held. It lives on in the standards she established, in the officials she mentored and in the community she helped build.

Thank you, Isabelle. Your dedication, friendship and legacy will forever remain a part of the ETTU Umpires and Referees family,” the Umpires and Referees Committee expressed in the tribute.”

The European Table Tennis Union joins the ETTU Umpires and Referees Committee in extending its sincere condolences to Isabelle’s family, friends and loved ones, as well as to everyone in the Belgian and international table tennis community who had the privilege of knowing and working with her. Her contribution to our sport will never be forgotten, and her legacy will continue to live on through the many officials whose careers she helped shape.

The post In Memoriam: Isabelle BEUMIER first appeared on European table tennis union.

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