French club Saint-Denis TT 93 clinched the Europe Cup Women’s title, repeating their success from the 2020/21 season. This evening, they overcame SKST Plus Hodonín in Czechia, needing just four matches -just as they did a few days ago in Paris during the first leg of the final. The lineup remained unchanged in both legs of the final, with Hsing-Yin LIU, Prithika PAVADE, and Agathe AVEZOU securing the victory. On the opposing side were Solomiya BRATEYKO, Karin GROFOVÁ, Markéta ŠEVČÍKOVÁ, and Natalia PATYKA. “We’re super happy to win this ETTU Cup – the second one for our club!” said Prithika PAVADE, celebrating the team’s success on the European stage. Hsing-Yin LIU reflected on the road to the trophy: “It was a tough way to get here. Every opponent was strong. The semifinal was really tough and intense, and in the final, we managed well to win both matches.” “For the Champions League, of course we wanted to pass the group,” noted Agathe AVEZOU. “But we had a tough one, I think. Still, it will help us to be better next season!” The Team Manager Julien JACQUEMONT and coach Qiwen XIAO were satisfied with the team’s performance. “We’re really happy to have won the Europe Cup. The players all performed very well tonight. I think what we did best was that we didn’t get carried away by our victory in the previous match. Instead, we stayed focused on this game and worked hard, actively looking for the win. We learned from our loss in the final of the French league — we knew that even though we won the first match, the second one would be the hardest. We were well prepared for the challenges, “stated coach Qiwen XIAO. Coach XIAO continued: The atmosphere today was great, and the crowd created a very exciting environment. The first match was especially important — LIU Hsingyin gave the team a great start, playing with spirit and giving a big boost of confidence to her teammates. After that, Prithika played a very solid match and secured another win for us. Although Agathe lost in the third match, she played really well — as a young player, it’s not easy to step up and fight bravely like she did. The fourth match wasn’t easy either. By that point, we knew we had already secured the European Cup title based on the score, but we still wanted to win that match. Prithika had to refocus, fight point by point, and find a way to win — and that was not easy at all.” On their way to this year’s title, the French team defeated Poland’s Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszów in the semifinals and Portugal’s CTM Mirandela in the quarterfinals. Earlier in the season, they competed in Stage Two of the Champions League but failed to reach the knockout rounds. In Group C, they managed only one win in four matches, finishing behind Austria’s Linz AG Froschberg and Italy’s ASD Quattro Mori. “We’re really proud to take this title. Even though we went out of the Champions League too early this year, we proved ourselves here in the European Cup. We’re a fantastic team – everyone enjoys being together, and it feels amazing to work towards a common goal. There will always be wins and losses in sport, but this team will keep pushing forward.” SKST Plus Hodonin – Saint-Denis TT 93 1-3 Opening leg Saint-Denis TT 93 – SKST Plus Hodonin 3-1
From rising stars to veterans – Prishtina Open 2025 had it all
The Prishtina Open 2025 concluded with remarkable success, turning Prishtina into the epicenter of European and global table tennis for three consecutive days. With the participation of hundreds (275) of players from over 25 countries and a high-level organizational, branded and logistical setup, this year’s edition reaffirmed the tournament’s status as the largest event of its kind in Kosovo and one of the most important in the region. The tournament kicked off in an impressive atmosphere at the Palace of Youth and Sports in Prishtina with a symbolic friendly match between the youngest participant, 5-year-old Jon MATOSHI, and the oldest veteran, Shaip REQICA, aged 80. The venue was meticulously prepared, featuring rich visuals and elegant choreography that gave the event a truly international and dignified feel. On the first day, the U19 and Veterans categories took center stage, delivering intense matches and a wide variety of winners. In the U19 category, the champions were Georgia SPANAU (Greece) for the girls and Max RADIWEN (United Kingdom) for the boys. Among the veterans, Sheshivar VELIU stood out by dominating in two separate age categories. The U13 category brought fresh energy to day two, with Kosovar players dominating the boys’ competition. Rejan KRASNIQI (KPP TTC Ferizaj) claimed the title after a dramatic final against Olti BEHLULI (KPP Ahmet Hoxha), while Imran DURAKI (KVPP Prizreni) secured third place. In the girls’ event, STOJANOVSKA (North Macedonia) emerged victorious, defeating Sara Hoxha (Kosovo) in the final, with Ana KOKONESHI (Albania) taking third place. Later in the evening, the senior group matches began, with an even greater international presence and strong performances from players representing a wide array of European and global table tennis federations. The third and final day of the tournament delivered exciting matches across all categories, drawing a large and enthusiastic audience to the stands. In the U11 category, Adena BERISHA claimed the girls’ title, while Dimitar BOZHKOV (Bulgaria) won the boys’ competition. In the Seniors category, Lenë OSMANI became a national highlight by reaching the semifinals and ultimately earning third place after an excellent performance. The women’s event was won by Mavra KONTOPOULOU (Greece), who defeated fellow Greek Chrysi FOTIADOU in the final. In the men’s competition, Aleksander Chen (Austria) triumphed over Patryk DZIUBA (Poland) in the final, with Leo VEKIC (Croatia) finishing in third place. The tournament concluded with a festive awards ceremony where winners were honored with medals, trophies, and a total prize pool of €5,500. “Prishtina Open is more than a tournament, it’s a celebration of international friendship, youth development, and the sporting spirit of Kosovo. Year after year, we are proud to bring together athletes from around the world and raise the bar for table tennis in our country and we are looking forward to have POTTIT with ETTU ranking points in 2026,” said Kastriot ORANA, Head of KPP Priping and the lead organizer of Prishtina Open tournament. Beyond its competitive achievements, Prishtina Open 2025 once again underscored the power of international cooperation through sport and strengthened Prishtina’s image as a welcoming host for world-class events.
