Félix LEBRUN of France completed a magnificent European Championships in Ljubljana by claiming the Men’s Singles title, adding a second gold medal to the Men’s Doubles crown he won alongside his brother Alexis just 24 hours earlier. The 20-year-old top seed defeated Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG 4-3 (7-11, 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-1) in a dramatic final at Arena Stožice, succeeding Alexis as European champion. KÄLLBERG secured silver, while France’s Léo DE NODREST and Germany’s Dang QIU claimed bronze medals. Pictures by Remy GROS here. The final was a thrilling contest in which KÄLLBERG came within one game of victory before the Frenchman produced an extraordinary finish. The Swede made the stronger start, taking the opening game 11-7, but LEBRUN responded to win the next two 11-9 and 13-11. KÄLLBERG then regained control, claiming the fourth and fifth games 11-8 and 11-9 to move ahead 3-2. With his European title hopes hanging in the balance, LEBRUN made a crucial decision. Rather than continuing with a tactical approach that was not producing the desired results, he decided to play more freely and fight for every point. The transformation was spectacular. LEBRUN won the sixth game 11-6 before delivering a breathtaking performance in the decider, overwhelming KÄLLBERG 11-1 to complete his comeback and secure the title. “I really don’t know what happened, to be honest. I played the best game of my life in the last one,” said LEBRUN. “At 3-2, I told my coach that we had a tactical plan, but I wasn’t serving well enough to execute it. So I said, ‘OK, let’s forget about the tactics, just fight and see what happens. I’ll give everything I have.’ “And somehow, that helped me produce some amazing table tennis in the last two games. “I’m incredibly proud of myself and of the entire team that works with me every day to achieve results like this.” The triumph was particularly meaningful because Félix succeeded his older brother Alexis, who had won the European Men’s Singles title in Linz in 2024. “It’s amazing. I think we always manage to play well at the biggest tournaments,” said Félix. “I’m really proud to succeed Alexis after he won the title two years ago. It’s a wonderful feeling for our family. I’m also so happy for everyone on the team who works with us. And, of course, for myself. I’m really, really happy and proud.” The LEBRUN brothers had already celebrated together on Saturday evening, when they successfully defended their European Men’s Doubles title by defeating KÄLLBERG and Kristian KARLSSON 3-2 in another dramatic final. “I really didn’t think I could achieve something like this before the tournament. I wasn’t feeling at my best when I arrived, but step by step, I started playing better and better. “And in the end, I won both titles. It feels incredible.” As for his celebrations, the new European champion was already looking forward to sharing the moment with those closest to him. “It’s Sunday, so maybe there won’t be much of a party outside, but I’ll celebrate with my family and friends. And when I return to Montpellier, I’ll enjoy it there as well.” KÄLLBERG left with two silver medals after another final against the LEBRUN brothers For KÄLLBERG, the defeat was particularly difficult after he had taken a 3-2 lead and appeared to be closing in on his first European Men’s Singles title. The 29-year-old Swede had already secured his first European Championships Men’s Singles medal by reaching the semifinals, but his ambitions had grown considerably during the tournament. “It’s disappointing, of course. You want to win gold. This would have been so much sweeter with a gold medal,” said KÄLLBERG. “There’s a big difference between winning gold and silver, so it’s really tough to take.” KÄLLBERG acknowledged that he had felt confident about his chances after taking the lead, particularly given his previous encounters with the Frenchman. “I felt I had a real chance. We’ve played each other before, and I knew I could beat him, so I felt good about my chances. “But in the last two games, I was pretty much helpless. He started serving better, and after he changed his serves, I couldn’t find a way back into the match. “I wasn’t getting much out of the rallies or putting him under any pressure, so I struggled to deal with his spin and his shots.” Despite continuing to search for a solution, the Swede could not halt LEBRUN’s momentum. “I was just trying to keep fighting and find something that would work, hoping he might make a few mistakes “Unfortunately, he didn’t. I simply didn’t have much left to fight back with towards the end. Of course, I kept trying, but it was tough.” KÄLLBERG leaves Ljubljana with two silver medals, having also finished runner-up in the Men’s Doubles alongside KARLSSON. Although that represents an outstanding achievement, the disappointment of missing out on gold was still fresh. “Obviously, before the tournament, I would have been happy to win two silver medals. “But if you’d asked me yesterday, I wouldn’t have been satisfied with two silvers. “Right now, I’m disappointed because winning gold would have been so special.” LEBRUN survives French semifinal battle against historic qualifier DE NODREST Earlier on Sunday, Félix LEBRUN had been pushed to the limit by compatriot Léo DE NODREST, whose extraordinary run from the qualification groups was one of the biggest stories of the Championships. The top seed eventually prevailed 4-2 (6-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 14-12), but the scoreline only partly reflected the difficulties he faced. DE NODREST, seeded No. 67, made an excellent start, winning the opening game and then taking a 2-1 lead. His aggressive play, strong service and ability to attack immediately after the serve repeatedly disrupted LEBRUN’s rhythm. The favourite responded by winning the fourth and fifth games, but the sixth remained fiercely contested before he finally closed it out 14-12. “It’s fantastic! But it was really tough. Every time I play against Léo,

Elizabet ABRAAMIAN of Russia completed an extraordinary journey from the qualification groups to the top of the European podium, claiming the Women’s Singles title at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana. The 23-year-old, seeded No. 35, became the first qualifier ever to win the European Singles title, defeating Germany’s 20-year-old Annett KAUFMANN 4-3 (15-13, 11-5, 5-11, 9-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-6) in a dramatic final at Arena Stožice. KAUFMANN secured silver, while France’s Prithika PAVADE and Germany’s Nina MITTELHAM claimed bronze medals. Pictures by Remy GROS here. ABRAAMIAN’s triumph was the culmination of a remarkable week in which she overcame difficult preparations, battled through qualification and survived two consecutive seven-game encounters on the final day of the Championships. Her victory also brought an end to KAUFMANN’s impressive campaign, with both players contesting their first senior European Women’s Singles final. The title decider delivered everything expected of a European Championships final, with dramatic momentum swings, outstanding rallies and two exhausted players refusing to surrender. ABRAAMIAN took the opening game 15-13 and extended her advantage with an 11-5 second game. KAUFMANN responded by winning the next two games, including the third after recovering from a 3-9 deficit, to level the contest. The fifth game proved another turning point. KAUFMANN led 10-8, but ABRAAMIAN fought back to claim it 12-10. The German refused to give up, winning the sixth 11-6 to force a decider. In the seventh game, ABRAAMIAN found the strength and composure to finish the contest 11-6 and become European champion. “I think this is the best match I’ve ever played. There were amazing rallies, and the level was incredible, both mentally and tactically,” said ABRAAMIAN. “We were both so tired, and you could really feel it. This was the last match of the tournament, and we were both ready to give absolutely everything we had left. “This is exactly why I love table tennis. “Of course, if I had lost, I would have been sad, but I still want to say that I really enjoyed this match and the entire tournament. Maybe that’s easier to say because I won, but I genuinely enjoyed every moment.” Despite the intensity of their battle, the final was also a meeting between two players who have been close friends since their youth. ABRAAMIAN revealed that KAUFMANN had predicted their meeting in the final several days earlier. “Two or three days ago, after I won one of my matches, Annett sent me a message saying, ‘Congratulations! You’re playing really well. See you in the final!’ “I don’t think either of us really expected it to happen exactly like that, but we had this little agreement between us, and I felt I had to make it happen!” The new champion also had warm words for her opponent. “I hope Annett enjoyed it too, and I hope she understands that she played at an incredibly high level. She has her whole future ahead of her, and I’m sure that one day she will become European champion as well.” ABRAAMIAN paid tribute to everyone who had contributed to her success. “I’m just so happy. I want to thank my entire team, everyone who has worked with me, helped me prepare and tried to make me a better player. “I love everyone around me – our federation, our coaches, my family and everyone who has supported me. “I also want to thank all the people who watched the matches. I know there were so many people following, cheering and supporting us. It felt as though everyone was connected. “Table tennis brings people together, and that’s something incredibly important to me. Once again, that’s why I love table tennis.” For KAUFMANN, the defeat was particularly painful after coming so close to taking the lead in the fifth game. “It was definitely a difficult match. I never really found my rhythm on the return of serve, and I didn’t feel that I could gain a significant advantage with my own service either,” explained the German. “ABRAAMIAN produced some incredible shots, often at moments that were particularly difficult for me. “I shouldn’t have let the fifth game slip away when I was leading 10-8 at 2-2 in games. But then again, she shouldn’t have let the third game slip away when she was leading 9-3. That’s how it goes sometimes. It’s a game of give and take. “It was a tough match. In the end, she played the better shots and placed the ball more effectively, so she deserved to win.” Although disappointed, KAUFMANN recognised the significance of reaching the European final. “Of course, I know it was a good result. I’m not really used to losing finals, to put it a little bluntly, because whenever I’ve reached a final, I’ve usually managed to win it. “But yes, I think it was a good tournament. Once I’ve had a little time to distance myself from the match, I’m sure I’ll be able to look back on it positively. “I fought hard, gave everything I had in the final, and I can’t blame myself for anything. The only thing I can do now is accept the result, focus on the positives and use this experience as motivation.” ABRAAMIAN survives match point to reach the final Earlier in the day, ABRAAMIAN had already demonstrated extraordinary mental strength in her semifinal against Prithika PAVADE. The Frenchwoman, who had eliminated top seed Sabine WINTER (GER) in the Round of 16, came within a single point of reaching the European final. ABRAAMIAN eventually prevailed 4-3 (8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 13-11), recovering from a 2-3 deficit and winning the deciding game 13-11. The contest was another example of the resilience that had carried the No. 35 seed through the tournament. “I seem to play like this all the time. Maybe I like a little drama, I don’t know!” ABRAAMIAN joked afterwards. “I remember winning a Contender tournament in Tunisia this year, where I won every match 3-2 and then the final 4-3.” She praised PAVADE’s attacking