The opening leg of the HYLO ETTU Champions League Men Round of 16 produced a series of surprises on Friday evening, with Denmark’s Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 stunning last season’s runners-up Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier 3-0 and France’s Lille Metropole TT defeating defending champions 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 3-2. Roskilde delivered the biggest shock of the evening, overcoming fourth seeds Nîmes/Montpellier in front of 500 spectators. The French side arrived without European champions Alexis and Félix LEBRUN, but the Danish club still produced an outstanding performance to secure a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg. Experienced Swede Jens LUNDQVIST set the tone with a 3-1 victory over Rémi BETELU. Anders ERIKSSON followed with another four-game success against Grégoire JEAN, recovering after losing the opening game 3-11. Tobias RASMUSSEN completed the remarkable result by defeating Felipe DOTI ARADO in straight games. Roskilde coach Allan BENTSEN could hardly hide his delight. “What a fantastic evening in Roskilde! We were hoping for some great table tennis and felt we might have a reasonable chance, especially with Nîmes/Montpellier arriving without the LEBRUN brothers. But to win 3-0 was simply amazing. “All my players performed at an exceptionally high level. The atmosphere was fantastic, with 500 spectators enjoying top-class table tennis. It was a wonderful evening for our club.” Lille Metropole TT added another major surprise by overcoming defending champions and top seeds 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 3-2. Romain BRARD gave Lille an excellent start with a 3-1 victory over Álvaro ROBLES, but Patrick FRANZISKA quickly brought the German side level by defeating Amir Hossein HODAEI in straight games. Fabio RAKOTOARIMANANA restored Lille’s lead with a 3-0 success against Albert VILARDELL before FRANZISKA claimed his second victory of the evening, overcoming BRARD to force a decisive fifth encounter. HODAEI then delivered the winning point against ROBLES, completing a memorable victory for the French club and putting the reigning champions under pressure ahead of the return leg. The surprises continued in Belgium, where TTC Sokah Hoboken edged eighth seeds Real Club Priego Kutxabank (ESP) 3-2 in another five-match contest. Quentin ROBINOT gave the hosts the opening advantage with a straight-games victory over experienced Spaniard Carlos MACHADO. Japan’s Machi ASUKA responded by defeating Benjamin BROSSIER 3-1, but Olav KOSOLOSKY restored Hoboken’s lead with a convincing 3-0 success against Portugal’s Diogo CHEN. ASUKA kept the Spanish club in contention with his second victory of the evening, overcoming ROBINOT 3-1 to level the overall score at 2-2. However, BROSSIER rose to the occasion in the deciding match, defeating MACHADO in straight games to secure a valuable home victory for the Belgian qualifiers, who had progressed from Stage 1 in Lille with a perfect record. In the all-Polish encounter, sixth seeds KS Orlicz 1924 Suchedniów made a convincing start with a 3-0 away victory over KS Dojlidy Białystok. Austria’s Robert GARDOS opened with a straight-games victory over Aleksandr KHANIN before Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC produced a remarkable comeback against Amirezza ABBASI MONJEZI. Making his Champions League debut for Suchedniów following his move from Saarbrücken, JORGIC recovered from two games down to prevail 3-2. Deni KOZUL completed the victory with a 3-1 success against Piotr CHODORSKI. JORGIC was delighted with the result but stressed that the tie was far from decided. “We are one step away from the quarterfinals, but we know the job is not finished yet. We still need to win two matches in the return leg at home, and we will have to give our maximum. “I am very happy with my debut for Orlicz, especially because I managed to come back from 0-2 down and help the team secure a 3-0 victory. That was very important for us. “I think Robi GARDOS and Deni KOZUL played brilliantly. They were consistent from beginning to end and fully deserved their victories. “The return leg is in almost a month’s time, and we will have to perform at our very best again to secure our place in the quarterfinals. Hopefully, we can then face my former club, Saarbrücken, who I expect to reach the Final Four.” France’s GV Hennebont TT also secured a commanding advantage with a 3-0 away victory over HB Ostrov z.s. (CZE), ending the Czech club’s unbeaten run in this season’s competition. Lev KATSMAN opened with a 3-1 victory over Moldova’s Vladislav URSU before France’s Simon GAUZY overcame Pavel SIRUCEK by the same margin. GAUZY faced a particularly difficult challenge after losing the opening game 13-15, but turned the match around by winning the next three, including a crucial second game 13-11. “I’ve known Pavel SIRUCEK for 20 years, and I know how good a player he is. I expected a very close and difficult match. He has an excellent serve and backhand, so I had to be particularly careful. “The end of the second game was crucial, but I knew the match was far from over. Even if I had lost that game, I would have continued fighting. I decided to take some risks with deep serves, and fortunately, that approach paid off,” said GAUZY. Alan KURMANGALIYEV completed Hennebont’s victory with a straight-games success against Tomas TREGLER, sealing the final game 18-16. Poland’s KS Dekorglass Działdowo also recovered from an early setback to defeat SF SKK El Nino Praha (CZE) 3-1 away from home. David REITSPIES gave the Czech side the opening point with a five-game victory over Matteo MUTTI, but India’s Manush SHAH brought Dekorglass level by overcoming Tomas KONECNY 3-1. Mateusz SAKOWICZ then put the visitors ahead with a straight-games success against Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA before SHAH returned to defeat REITSPIES 3-1 and secure the overall victory. The result ended El Nino Praha’s unbeaten run after their three victories during Stage 1 in Lille. The Round of 16 action began on Thursday, when second seeds Borussia Düsseldorf (GER) secured a 3-1 away victory over AS Pontoise Cergy TT (FRA). The opening legs conclude on Saturday with KS Orlen Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (POL) hosting ASD TT Santa Tecla Nulvi (ITA). HYLO ETTU Champions League Men – Round
Quattro Mori and CSM Constanta Win Tight Battles as Hosts Novi Sad Shine in Europe Cup Women Opener
Hosts TTC Novi Sad made an impressive start to the 2026/27 ETTU Europe Cup Women, defeating Spain’s Girbau Vic TT 8-1 on Friday as the opening stage got underway at SPENS Arena. Croatia’s STK Dr. Časl Zagreb, Poland’s PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszow and Spain’s CD Indiana Games also impressed with 8-0 victories, while ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari and CSM Constanta emerged victorious from the day’s closest encounters. Sixteen clubs, divided into four groups, are competing in Novi Sad from 13 to 15 November, with each team playing three encounters in the opening stage. Italy’s ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari overcame Spain’s Museo de la Almendra Francisco Morales 8-6 in one of the most closely contested encounters of the opening day. The Spanish side started strongly through MENG Jiaqi, who defeated Tania PLAIAN 2-1. However, KIM Seongjin and Pauline CHASSELIN responded with straight-games victories over Marija GALONJA ZOLOTIC and Monika KNEZEVIC, putting the Italian club ahead 7-2. MENG Jiaqi kept the Spanish team in contention with a 3-0 win over KIM Seongjin, before the encounter concluded during the fifth individual match between GALONJA ZOLOTIC and PLAIAN. The players split the first two games, with the Italian side reaching the required eight points. Poland’s PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszow enjoyed a much more comfortable start, defeating France’s CP Lyssois Lille Métropole 8-0. Zuzanna WIELGOS and Ilona SZTWIERTNIA each won three games, while Paula KRYSINSKA added the final two to complete the victory. Croatia’s STK Dr. Časl Zagreb opened with a commanding 8-0 victory over Austria’s SU Sparkasse Kufstein. Japan’s Kotomi OMODA and Ukraine’s Margaryta PESOTSKA both won in straight games, while Katerina TOMANOVSKA contributed the remaining two points. Spain’s Son Cladera TTC – Mallorca also impressed, defeating Poland’s MAWA AZS UJD Częstochowa 8-2. Adina DIACONU and Olga VISHNIAKOVA each prevailed 2-1 in their opening individual matches against Paulina KRZYSIEK and Tetyana BILENKO. Katarzyna WEGRZYN then defeated Julia JEDRASIAK 3-0, before VISHNIAKOVA secured the decisive point against KRZYSIEK. Romania’s CSM Constanta defeated Hungary’s SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club 8-5 in another competitive encounter. Luciana MITROFAN gave the Romanian side an early advantage with a 2-1 victory over Dora MADARASZ, winning two tight games 14-12. Elena ZAHARIA followed with a straight-games success against Leila IMRE, but Nora DOHOCZKI kept Budaörs in contention by defeating Andrea TEGLAS 3-0. ZAHARIA then overcame MADARASZ 2-1, before MITROFAN collected the final point against IMRE to complete the Romanian victory. Spain’s CD Indiana Games were equally successful in their opening encounter, overcoming Slovakia’s SK SOG Nitra 8-0. Japan’s Haruna OJIO and Romania’s Roxana ISTRATE each contributed three games, while Maria BERZOSA completed the result with two straight-game wins against Natalia GRIGELOVA. TTC Novi Sad delivered one of the strongest performances of the day, defeating Spain’s Girbau Vic TT 8-1. Japan’s Kasumi KIMURA opened with a 3-0 victory over Honoka KAWAKITA, before Valeria SHCHERBATYKH recovered from losing the first game against Silvia COLL to win the next two. Aneta MAKSUTI completed the encounter with a straight-games victory over Irina GIMENO FONT, securing a convincing opening result for the Serbian hosts. Spain’s MIRÓ Ganxets also began with a victory, overcoming Austria’s TTV Tulln 8-4. The Austrian club initially took the lead through Anastasiya DYMYTRENKO, who defeated Olga VOROBEVA 3-0. However, Ringo KOBAYASHI and Elvira RAD responded with straight-games wins over Ana NIKOIANI and Nikoleta PUCHOVANOVA. KOBAYASHI returned to face DYMYTRENKO and secured two further games, completing the Spanish club’s victory. The competition continues on Saturday, with the teams returning for their second group encounters before the opening stage concludes on Sunday.
STARR Croatia Fight Back as Europe Cup Men Opens in Varaždin
The 2026/27 ETTU Europe Cup Men began in Varaždin on Friday, with hosts STK STARR Croatia producing a dramatic comeback to defeat TJ Geolog Roznava 3-2. Spain’s CTT Les Borges Vall also prevailed in a five-match thriller against KS Olesno, while six other clubs opened their campaigns with 3-0 wins. Sixteen teams, divided into four groups, are competing at the Gospodarska škola Sports Hall from 13 to 15 November. Austria’s SPG Felbermayr Wels made an emphatic start against Portugal’s Clube Desportivo 1º de Maio, winning 3-0 through Felix WETZEL, Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK and Patryk ZATOWKA, who all prevailed in straight games. The day’s first five-match battle saw CTT Les Borges Vall overcome Poland’s KS Olesno 3-2, with Francesc CARRERA proving decisive. The Spaniard recovered from two games down to defeat Lubomir PISTEJ 3-2 in the opening match, but Olesno responded through Marcel BLASZCZYK. Luca KHIDASHELI restored the Spanish advantage before PISTEJ forced a decider with victory over Joan MASIP. CARRERA delivered again in the fifth match, edging BLASZCZYK 3-2, with the deciding game ending 6-5. STK STARR Croatia delighted the home crowd by recovering from 1-2 down against Slovakia’s TJ Geolog Roznava. Ingemar PETER put the visitors ahead before ZENG Jia levelled for the hosts. Gergely SABJAN then restored Roznava’s advantage with a four-game victory over Nikola HORVAT. With the Croatian club facing defeat, QIU Liang overcame Andrii GREBENIUK in straight games to make it 2-2. ZENG Jia completed the turnaround, defeating PETER 3-1 (11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6). Czechia’s SKST Havirov enjoyed a more comfortable opening encounter, overcoming Spain’s Irun Leka Enea 3-0 without dropping a game. Gustavo GOMEZ, Mykhailo LOVHA and Stepan BRHEL secured the points. Poland’s Energa Manekin Torun defeated TTC Ostrava 2016 of Czechia 3-0, with Yuto MURAMATSU, Andrei PUTUNTICA and Dimitrije LEVAJAC all contributing. LEVAJAC completed the encounter with a straight-games victory over Jakub KLEPRLIK, taking the final game 16-14. Spain’s CTT Olot matched that result against Slovakia’s AŠK Mária Huta. Miguel PANTOJA and Dylan CHAPERON won in straight games, while Rafael DE LAS HERAS overcame Milosz SAWCZAK 3-1. SKST Chodov of Czechia defeated Slovakia’s STK Vyhne 3-0. Antonin GAVLAS and Jakub ZELINKA both recovered from losing their opening games, while Jiri MARTINKO prevailed against Adam KLAJBER in straight games, closing the third 18-16. Spain’s Alicante TM also secured a 3-0 result against Romania’s CSS-SZAK Odorheiu Secuiesc. Alberto LILLO faced the toughest challenge, overcoming Szabolcs TAMAS 3-2, with the deciding game ending 6-2. Humberto JUNIOR and Shoma NISHIHARA completed the win. After the opening round, SPG Felbermayr Wels, SKST Havirov, Energa Manekin Torun and SKST Chodov lead their respective groups. The competition continues on Saturday, with the teams seeking to strengthen their positions ahead of Sunday’s conclusion of Stage 1.
Russia and Ukraine Advance to Mixed Teams Final
Russia and Ukraine reached the Mixed Teams final at the European Under 13 Championships in Nevşehir, Türkiye, after both recorded 3-0 victories in Friday evening’s semifinals. Russia overcame Germany, while Ukraine defeated France to secure their places in the gold medal match. Both finalists maintained their unbeaten records in the competition, having previously won all three encounters in their respective Stage 2 groups. Russia produced a convincing performance against Germany, opening with a 3-1 victory in the Mixed Doubles. Elisei KLOCHKO and Olesia ILINA defeated Kirill MANALAKI and Dana HASPEL (11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9) to put their team ahead. Viktoriia RYBALCHENKO then doubled Russia’s advantage with a straight-games victory over Hannah SCHLAUCH (12-10, 11-2, 11-5). The opening game was closely contested, but RYBALCHENKO took control thereafter. Mikhail KIRILLOV completed the victory by defeating Joel ROHALY 3-0 (11-5, 11-4, 11-4), sending Russia into the final without dropping a singles game. Ukraine were equally successful against France, although their 3-0 victory featured two closely contested singles encounters. David DROBOV and Oleksandra BAHATKO gave Ukraine the lead with a 3-1 Mixed Doubles victory over Hachim TISSAFI IDRISSI and Blanche SEBBE (5-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-5). After losing the opening game, the Ukrainian pair recovered to win three consecutive games. The second match produced the most dramatic contest of the evening. Lidiia SHYIAN overcame Avelina DIRMENT NUNEZ in five games (11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11). The French player led 2-1, but SHYIAN fought back to force a deciding game before edging the contest 13-11 to put Ukraine 2-0 ahead. Mark VORONOI then sealed Ukraine’s place in the final with a 3-1 victory over Arthur XIAN (12-10, 8-11, 11-6, 13-11). The Ukrainian held his nerve in two tight games to complete the semifinal victory. Mixed Teams – Semifinal Results Germany – Russia 0-3 Ukraine – France 3-0
