ETTU - European Table Tennis Union - News (1 Cititor)

[Milica Nikolic]

France finished at the top of the medal table at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana, claiming six medals – two gold, one silver and three bronze – across the five events at Arena Stožice.

Germany secured second place with five medals, including one gold, one silver and three bronze, while Poland completed the top three with one gold and one silver.

Russia and Slovakia each claimed one gold medal to share fourth place in the standings. Sweden collected three medals – two silver and one bronze – to finish sixth.

Romania followed with two bronze medals, while Moldova completed the list of eight medal-winning nations with one bronze.

France’s success was highlighted by Félix LEBRUN’s Men’s Singles triumph and the successful defence of the Men’s Doubles title alongside his brother Alexis.

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men’s Singles	Félix LEBRUN (FRA)	Anton KÄLLBERG (SWE)	Léo DE NODREST (FRA), Dang QIU (GER)
Women’s Singles	Elizabet ABRAAMIAN (RUS)	Annett KAUFMANN (GER)	Prithika PAVADE (FRA), Nina MITTELHAM (GER)
Men’s Doubles	Alexis LEBRUN / Félix LEBRUN (FRA)	Kristian KARLSSON / Anton KÄLLBERG (SWE)	Esteban DORR / Florian BOURRASSAUD (FRA), Vladislav URSU / Andrei PUTUNTICA (MDA)
Women’s Doubles	Tatiana KUKULKOVA (SVK) / Natalia BAJOR (POL)	Zuzanna WIELGOS / Anna BRZYSKA (POL)	Annett KAUFMANN / Nina MITTELHAM (GER), Bernadette SZOCS / Elizabeta SAMARA (ROU)
Mixed Doubles	Benedikt DUDA / Nina MITTELHAM (GER)	Alexis LEBRUN / Charlotte LUTZ (FRA)	Kristian KARLSSON / Christina KÄLLBERG (SWE), Patrick FRANZISKA / Sabine WINTER (GER)

The post France Tops Medal Table at European Championships in Ljubljana first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Brunetti Castel Goffredo celebrated their eighth Italian Women’s Super Cup title after a dramatic comeback victory over Tennistavolo Norbello in the ninth edition of the competition, held at the PalaTennistavolo “Elia Mazzi”. The winners received the trophy from FITeT Deputy Vice President Carlo BORELLA.

For the second consecutive year, the Super Cup was contested in the relay format, with players alternating at the table every five points and each game played to 45 points. Castel Goffredo recovered from losing the opening game to secure a thrilling 2-1 victory (40-45, 45-44, 45-28).

Norbello, represented by Anastasiia KOLISH, Ana TOFANT and Irene MORETTI, made the stronger start and claimed the opening game. They came agonisingly close to victory in the second, earning two match points, but were unable to convert either opportunity.

Castel Goffredo’s Nikoleta STEFANOVA, Nicole ARLIA, Cecilia CICUTTINI and Azzurra MARINELLI refused to surrender. Having survived the match points, they completed a remarkable turnaround by edging the second game 45-44 before taking complete control of the decider, winning it 45-28 to reclaim the trophy.

Castel Goffredo President Franco SCIANNIMANICO highlighted the special significance of the triumph, achieved with a team deeply connected to the club.

“This victory is even more important than our previous successes. I am extremely happy because it was achieved by players who were born and raised in Castel Goffredo. I consider Nikoleta one of them as well, since she has lived here for many years. This Super Cup means even more because we won it without any foreign players. The very young CICUTTINI was also outstanding and made a significant contribution to our success,” said SCIANNIMANICO.

Technical Director Alfonso LAGHEZZA praised the team’s determination and ability to respond under pressure.

“We are used to playing competitions of this kind, and that experience helped us enormously. Last year, we lost the Super Cup quite comfortably, so this time we were determined to bring the trophy back. We are delighted with the result. The second game was extremely close, and the girls showed great character to save Norbello’s match points. After that, we made some tactical adjustments that allowed us to take control and achieve our goal,” explained LAGHEZZA.

Brunetti Castel Goffredo – Tennistavolo Norbello 2-1 (40-45, 45-44, 45-28)

First game

• STEFANOVA – KOLISH 5-2
• CICUTTINI – TOFANT 2-8 (7-10)
• ARLIA – MORETTI 8-3 (15-13)
• CICUTTINI – KOLISH 3-7 (18-20)
• STEFANOVA – MORETTI 6-5 (24-25)
• ARLIA – TOFANT 4-5 (28-30)
• CICUTTINI – MORETTI 3-5 (31-35)
• ARLIA – KOLISH 3-5 (34-40)
• STEFANOVA – TOFANT 6-5 (40-45)

Second game

• STEFANOVA – KOLISH 5-2
• CICUTTINI – TOFANT 5-6 (10-8)
• ARLIA – MORETTI 4-7 (14-15)
• CICUTTINI – KOLISH 3-5 (17-20)
• STEFANOVA – MORETTI 8-4 (25-24)
• ARLIA – TOFANT 5-1 (30-25)
• CICUTTINI – MORETTI 5-6 (35-31)
• ARLIA – KOLISH 3-9 (38-40)
• STEFANOVA – TOFANT 7-4 (45-44)

Third game

• STEFANOVA – KOLISH 5-0
• CICUTTINI – TOFANT 5-1 (10-1)
• ARLIA – MORETTI 5-2 (15-3)
• CICUTTINI – KOLISH 5-8 (20-11)
• STEFANOVA – MORETTI 5-1 (25-12)
• ARLIA – TOFANT 5-4 (30-16)
• CICUTTINI – MORETTI 5-3 (35-19)
• ARLIA – KOLISH 5-4 (40-23)
• STEFANOVA – TOFANT 5-5 (45-28)

The post Brunetti Castel Goffredo Claim Eighth Italian Super Cup After Dramatic Comeback first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Belgium’s Timo HENNAUT and Türkiye’s Defne UZUMCU emerged victorious at the 19th edition of the STIGA Masters, with HENNAUT making history by securing Belgium’s first-ever title at the Under 11 competition.

In a thrilling boys’ final, HENNAUT recovered from a two-game deficit to defeat France’s Hugo GRELLIER COFFY 3-2 (7-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8). The Belgian had also been pushed to five games in the semifinals, where he overcame Germany’s Manoj SANKARA 3-2.

GRELLIER COFFY reached the final after a similarly close semifinal, defeating Sweden’s Valerio BRANTE 3-2.

In the girls’ competition, Defne UZUMCU claimed the title following an all-Turkish final against Derin MULAZIM, winning 3-1. UZUMCU had earlier defeated Portugal’s Lara MONTEIRO 3-1 in the semifinals, while MULAZIM secured her place in the final with a 3-1 victory over Finland’s Kamilla KADAR.

The STIGA Masters has a strong tradition of showing Europe’s emerging table tennis talents. Among its former winners are two newly crowned European singles champions, France’s Félix LEBRUN and Elizabet ABRAAMIAN, who claimed their European titles earlier this month in Ljubljana.

The post Historic Belgian Triumph as HENNAUT Claim STIGA Masters Titles first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The European Table Tennis Union successfully organised its Match Officials’ Webinar on 28 October 2026, bringing together 174 participants for an informative and interactive session dedicated to the latest developments in European table tennis, competition regulations, umpire career development and safeguarding.

The webinar was opened by ETTU Secretary General Pierre KASS, who welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of continuous education and professional development for match officials.

The session was moderated by Asko RASINEN, who guided participants through a comprehensive programme featuring presentations by Alen IVANCIN, ETTU Competition Manager; Werner THURY, ETTU URC Chairperson; and Senga THOMPSON, ETTU Safeguarding Officer.

Alen IVANCIN presented the latest developments in ETTU club competitions, with particular attention to the changes introduced for the 2026/27 season.

A major focus was the revised playing system in the women’s Champions League and Europe Cup, including game-based team scoring, updated competition formats, player eligibility requirements and procedures for match officials.

The presentation also highlighted the differences between men’s and women’s club competitions, providing referees and umpires with practical guidance on applying the relevant regulations.

Werner THURY provided an extensive overview of international umpire career development, including the requirements for Blue Badge and Gold Badge qualifications, evaluation procedures and maintaining active umpire status.

He also reviewed recent developments in the interpretation of service rules, addressing important aspects such as ball visibility, the open palm requirement and the verticality of the service toss.

Practical examples and challenging match situations encouraged discussion and helped participants develop a consistent approach to decision-making.

ETTU Safeguarding Officer Senga THOMPSON addressed the essential role of match officials in maintaining a safe, respectful and inclusive sporting environment.

Her presentation emphasised professional boundaries, appropriate conduct, safeguarding responsibilities and the importance of reporting concerns through established channels.

The webinar also highlighted five golden rules for match officials, focusing on professionalism, neutrality, respect, confidentiality and exemplary behaviour, both inside and outside the playing hall.

The programme concluded with discussions of challenging situations that match officials may encounter during competitions. These practical scenarios provided an opportunity to exchange experiences, clarify interpretations and reinforce consistent officiating standards.

With 174 participants, the webinar demonstrated the strong interest within the European match officials’ community in continuing education and professional development.

The post ETTU Match Officials’ Webinar Attracts 174 Participants first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

European players continued to impress at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, with Austria’s Nina SKERBINZ and Poland’s Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA advancing to the Women’s Singles quarterfinals following impressive victories in the Round of 16.

SKERBINZ produced one of the day’s most remarkable comebacks, recovering from a 1-3 deficit to defeat Antigua and Barbuda’s Stuti KASHYAP 4-3. The Austrian has enjoyed an impressive campaign in Dakar, having also recorded victories over Chinese Taipei’s CHEN Min-Hsin and Romania’s Andreea BAIASU. She will face Hong Kong, China’s SU Tsz Tung for a place in the semifinals.

Poland’s RAJKOWSKA also secured her place among the last eight, overcoming Korea Republic’s HEO Yerim.

The first table tennis medals of the Games were awarded in Mixed Doubles, where Japan’s Ryuusei KAWAKAMI and Miku MATSUSHIMA claimed gold with a 3-1 victory over Hong Kong, China’s LI Ki Ho and SU Tsz Tung. Chinese Taipei’s LIN Chin-Ting and CHEN Min-Hsin took bronze.

The competition also welcomed several table tennis legends, including Belgium’s seven-time Olympian Jean-Michel SAIVE, who joined IOC President Kirsty COVENTRY and other distinguished guests at the Dakar Expo Centre.

The singles competition continues with the quarterfinals, while the remaining medals will be decided by Thursday, 5 November, when the table tennis events conclude.

The post European Players Shine in Singles at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The third edition of the international veterans’ table tennis tournament Stone Racket Istria will take place from March 3–7, 2027, in Vrsar, Croatia, aiming to further strengthen its position as one of Europe’s most attractive international veterans’ table tennis events.

Previous editions have welcomed players from numerous countries, while the exhibition matches have featured some of the greatest legends in world table tennis – Jörgen PERSSON, Vladimir SAMSONOV, Kalinikos KREANGA, Branka BATINIĆ and Zoran PRIMORAC. Their appearances have added a special dimension to the tournament and further enriched the overall experience for participants.

Stone Racket Istria is built around a distinctive concept: “Play + Fun + Experience”, where competition is only one part of the event. The organizers aim to create an international gathering of veterans that combines excellent sporting conditions with a rich programme of activities beyond the table tennis hall – socializing, entertainment, and opportunities to discover Istria’s local culture, gastronomy and natural beauty.

“Stone Racket Istria has everything a great veterans’ tournament should offer – excellent organization, outstanding playing conditions and a fantastic atmosphere. I believe this tournament has the potential to become one of the most recognized veterans’ table tennis events in Europe,” said Zoran PRIMORAC, one of Croatia’s greatest table tennis players of all time.

The organizers are already preparing new surprises for the third edition, aiming to further enrich the programme and overall experience for participants. The 2026 edition welcomed players from an impressive 19 countries, and Vrsar is expected to once again bring together veterans from across Europe and beyond in 2027, with ambitions to set a new participation record.

The tournament is open to players aged 40 to 80+, with competitions in men’s and women’s singles and doubles.

Stone Racket Istria is more than just a tournament – it is an international sporting experience that brings together competition, friendship and the discovery of Istria.

For more information and registration details, visit the official website www.stoneracketistria.com and the tournament’s official Facebook page.

The post Stone Racket Istria Welcomes Players From Around the World first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The 2026/27 ETTU Champions League Women enters second stage this week, with eight of Europe’s leading clubs beginning their battle for places in the Final Four. Defending champions and No. 1 seeds KTS Enea Siarkopol TARNOBRZEG headline the competition, alongside French contenders Metz TT and Etival ASRTT, Germany’s TTC Berlin eastside and four other ambitious challengers.

Unlike the men’s competition, which moves directly into the knockout rounds, the women’s Champions League features a single group of eight teams. Each club will face every other opponent once over seven rounds, making every result important in the race for the Final Four.

Six directly qualified clubs are joined by Linz AG Froschberg and SKST Plus Hodonin, who earned their places through Stage 1 in Budaörs. Both teams completed the opening stage unbeaten, recording three victories from three matches.

Polish powerhouse KTS Enea Siarkopol TARNOBRZEG returns as the defending champion after lifting the trophy at last season’s inaugural Final Four. The No. 1 seeds have retained an outstanding squad, led by Germany’s Ying HAN, Portugal’s Fu YU, Monaco’s Xiaoxin YANG and China’s Zhuojia HE.

TARNOBRZEG begins its campaign at home against fourth seeds Etival ASRTT on Tuesday, 10 November.

The French side will provide an immediate test for the title holders. Etival’s squad features Portugal’s SHAO Jieni, Sweden’s Christina KÄLLBERG and Australia’s Liu YANGZI, giving the visitors a strong international line-up.

Second seeds Metz TT are among the strongest challengers to TARNOBRZEG’s dominance. The French club boasts an impressive squad led by France’s Charlotte LUTZ, Serbia’s Izabela LUPULESKU, Egypt’s Hana GODA, Croatia’s Lea RAKOVAC and Luxembourg’s Sarah DE NUTTE.

Metz opens its campaign away to third seeds TTC Berlin eastside on Wednesday, 11 November, in one of the most anticipated encounters of the opening round.

Berlin’s experienced squad features Germany’s Nina MITTELHAM and SHAN Xiaona, Poland’s Natalia BAJOR and Serbia’s Sabina SURJAN. With both clubs aiming for a place among the leading contenders, their opening meeting promises an early indication of the balance of power in Stage 2.

Fifth seeds UCAM Cartagena TM will also have ambitions of reaching the Final Four. The Spanish club has assembled a strong line-up featuring Spain’s Maria XIAO, Wales’ Anna HURSEY, England’s HO Tin-Tin and Chile’s Daniela ORTEGA.

Cartagena begins Stage 2 away to SKST Plus Hodonin, who impressed during the opening stage in Budaörs.

Sixth seeds Saint-Quentin TT will rely on Sweden’s Linda BERGSTRÖM, Slovakia’s Barbora VARADY, Canada’s ZHANG Mo and France’s Camille LUTZ.

The French club hosts Linz AG Froschberg in its opening encounter on Tuesday, 10 November.

Austrian side Linz AG Froschberg secured its Stage 2 place by winning Group A in Budaörs with three victories from three matches. The team demonstrated its fighting qualities with a narrow 8-7 victory over STK Dr. Časl Zagreb before defeating MIRÓ Ganxets 8-2 and PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszow 8-1.

Linz’s squad includes Slovakia’s Tatiana KUKULKOVA, Belgium’s Lilou MASSART, Slovenia’s Sara TOKIC and Japanese players Emiko TAGUCHI and Yurika NAMBA, who contributed to the successful qualification campaign.

SKST Plus Hodonin followed a similarly impressive route, finishing unbeaten at the top of Group B. The Czech club secured the decisive victory with an 8-4 success against ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari.

Russia’s Vlada VORONINA and China’s Binyue ZHANG played important roles in that victory, while Karin GROFOVA and the other members of the squad provide additional depth for the challenges ahead.

Both qualifiers now face a significant step up in competition as they join six of Europe’s strongest clubs in the battle for the Final Four.

Stage 2 will feature seven rounds of matches, with all eight teams competing in a single round-robin group.

The top two clubs in the final standings will qualify directly for the Final Four, scheduled for 1-2 May 2027.

Teams finishing third to sixth will continue into Stage 3, where the third-placed team faces the sixth-placed side and the fourth-placed club meets the fifth-placed team. Both play-offs will be decided in a single match, hosted by the higher-ranked club.

The two winners will complete the Final Four line-up, while the teams finishing seventh and eighth in Stage 2 will be eliminated.

ETTU Champions League Women – Stage 2

Tuesday, 10 November

• 18:00 – SKST Plus Hodonin (CZE) – UCAM Cartagena TM (ESP)
• 18:30 – KTS Enea Siarkopol TARNOBRZEG (POL) – Etival ASRTT (FRA)
• 19:30 – Saint-Quentin TT (FRA) – Linz AG Froschberg (AUT)

Wednesday, 11 November

• 18:00 – TTC Berlin eastside (GER) – Metz TT (FRA)

Round 2

Saturday, 14 November

• 19:00 – UCAM Cartagena TM (ESP) – KTS Enea Siarkopol TARNOBRZEG (POL)
• 19:00 – Etival ASRTT (FRA) – SKST Plus Hodonin (CZE)
• 19:30 – Metz TT (FRA) – Saint-Quentin TT (FRA)

Sunday, 15 November

16:00 – Linz AG Froschberg (AUT) – TTC Berlin eastside (GER)

The post Europe’s Elite Eight Set for Champions League Women Showdown first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The 2026 European Under 13 Championships will bring together some of Europe’s most promising young table tennis players in Nevşehir, Türkiye, from 11 to 15 November. The five-day competition will take place at the Hacı Bektaş Veli University Sports Centre.

A total of 30 national teams will compete in the Mixed Team event, while 88 boys and 86 girls are entered in the individual singles competitions. Four titles will be contested: Mixed Teams, Boys’ Singles, Girls’ Singles and Mixed Doubles.

The championships will feature several players who have already enjoyed success on the European youth circuit.

Among those to watch in the Girls’ Singles is Türkiye’s Defne UZUMCU, who recently claimed the title at the 19th STIGA Masters. She will be joined in the home team’s line-up by Gizem CIGIL, winner of the U13 Girls’ Singles title at the JOOLA Europe Youth Series Serbia Open in Beočin.

Italy will field a strong contingent featuring Pietro CAMPAGNA, winner of the U13 Boys’ Singles event in Beočin, alongside Luca FRANZONI and Giorgio BORGHESE. The Italian girls’ team includes Serena ROSSATI, Weilan CHEN and Maya PAVEL.

Other notable entrants include Slovakia’s Adela VASKOVA, who reached the U13 Girls’ Singles final in Beočin, and Luxembourg’s Noah VALENTE, runner-up in the U13 Boys’ Singles competition at the same event.

Portugal’s Lara MONTEIRO, a semifinalist at the recent STIGA Masters, is also among the Girls’ Singles entrants, along with Finland’s Kamilla KADAR.

In Mixed Doubles, several partnerships will be looking to make their mark. Italy’s Luca FRANZONI and Weilan CHEN, winners at the Serbia Open, are entered together again, while Türkiye’s Emre BUCAK and Defne UZUMCU will represent the host nation. The competition will also feature pairs combining players from different national associations.

The Mixed Team event will open the championships on Wednesday, 11 November, with the first group stage. Each team match consists of five contests, beginning with Mixed Doubles, followed by two Girls’ and two Boys’ Singles matches. All five contests will be played during the group stages.

The 30 teams will initially be divided into eight groups, with the top two from each progressing to the second-stage A final groups. The four group winners from that stage will advance to the semifinals and compete for the medals.

The individual competitions begin on Friday, 13 November, with the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles group stages. The top two players from each group will advance to the main draw, while the remaining players will enter the B final draw.

The Mixed Doubles competition will be played in a direct knockout format, with pairs from different national associations also permitted to compete together.

The championships will conclude on Sunday, 15 November, with the final stages of the individual competitions, bringing five days of competition in Nevşehir to a close.

The post Nevşehir Ready to Welcome Europe’s Next Generation of Champions first appeared on European table tennis union.

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