Germany’s women stayed on course at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, securing a solid 3-0 win over hosts England to make it two victories from two in the group stage but the bigger test is still to come. Germany didn’t have it all their own way early on. Annett KAUFMANN was pushed to five games by Tin-Tin HO in her first match since returning from injury. “I was a bit surprised how well I started,” KAUFMANN admitted. “It was my first match after a long break, and mentally that wasn’t easy. I’m really happy I managed to win it in the end, it gives me confidence.” From there, Germany took control. Nina MITTELHAM added the second point with a 3-1 win, before Yuan WAN sealed the tie with a composed 3-0 performance. While Germany handled their task with clear record, Romania experienced both sides of the challenge in Group 1. They had earlier fallen to a dominant China, who left little room for resistance in a 3-0 win, but showed great character to bounce back with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Korea. Bernadette SZOCS led the way with two wins, setting the tone for the team, while Elizabeta SAMARA delivered under pressure in the deciding match to seal the victory. Despite a narrow loss from Andreea DRAGOMAN in a five-game battle, Romania held their nerve to claim an important win and stay in contention.

France emerged as one of the standout teams on a dramatic day at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, securing two important victories and strengthening their position at the top of the group. After overcoming Japan earlier in the day, the French side followed up with a 3-1 win against Germany. Despite trailing early, they recovered and turned the match around with authority. “We’re extremely happy with these two wins today,” said Felix LEBRUN. “They were both tough teams to beat, so this puts us in a strong position going into the final day of the group. We’ll try to keep the momentum going against Japan.” Germany had started strongly, with Benedikt DUDA giving his team the lead after a solid win over Simon GAUZY. However, the French response was immediate. Felix Lebrun and Alexis Lebrun delivered crucial wins, before Félix sealed the tie in straight sets in the fourth match. Simon GAUZY highlighted the importance of the result: “We had already beaten Germany at the European Championships, but that doesn’t make this win any less significant, especially since they had beaten Japan earlier today. They have three top-class players, so we’re really pleased with how the team handled going 0-1 down and then turned it around. It was a true team performance from start to finish, which is very encouraging for what’s ahead.” For Germany, the day ended with mixed emotions. After an impressive 3-2 victory over Japan, they were unable to replicate the same level later against a sharp and confident French side. Head coach Jorg ROSSKOPF remained pragmatic: “Overall, it was a good day. We beat a great team in Japan and lost deservedly to France. But we believe we can beat them.” Adding to the drama, one of the biggest surprises in recent table tennis history unfolded alongside, China suffered a 1-3 defeat to Korea, their first World Championship loss in 26 years. The result has completely reshaped the dynamics of the group and opened the door for multiple teams heading into the final round. France now carry momentum and confidence into their next match, while Germany regroup for a decisive encounter against Chinese Taipei.

Sweden have made a confident and eye-catching start at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, remaining unbeaten after two matches and setting up a blockbuster clash with China. On Saturday, the Swedish men delivered two strong performances, first sweeping past Korea 3-0 and then overcoming hosts England 3-1. It was a day that showed quality and hinted that this team is ready for something big. The opening win against Korea was particularly impressive. Truls MOREGARDH grew into his match after a slow start, while Anton KALLBERG finally broke his losing streak against JANG Woojin with a composed performance. The highlight, however, came from Mattias KARLSSON, who saved five match points before turning the match around in dramatic fashion. “We’re all in very good form,” KARLSSON said after the match. “When I was facing match points, I just focused on one ball at a time. It turned into a really nice comeback.” That momentum carried into the evening session against England. Despite dropping the opening match, Sweden stayed calm. KÄLLBERG levelled the tie after a tight opening set, MOREGARDH controlled his match against Connor Green, and KÄLLBERG returned to seal the 3-1 win with authority. Sweden’s strong start now takes on even greater significance following one of the biggest shocks in recent table tennis history. China unbeaten at the World Championships for 26 years were defeated by Korea, completely changing the dynamics in Group 1. Heading into the final round, Sweden sit on two wins, with both China and Korea on one. A victory over China would secure top spot in the group. And depending on the Korea–England result, even a single individual win against China could be enough for Sweden to finish first thanks to a superior match ratio.