he 2025 European Veterans Table Tennis Championships officially began today with a festive Opening Ceremony held at the Novi Sad Fair (Novosadski Sajam). Organized by the Serbian Table Tennis Association under the authority of the European Table Tennis Union, the prestigious event will take place from Monday, June 16 to Saturday, June 21.
The opening marked the official launch of one of the largest sporting events ever hosted in Novi Sad, bringing together more than 2,500 players from 44 countries, competing across 11 age categories ranging from 40 to 90+ years. With thousands of visitors expected, the city is poised to become the epicenter of European veteran table tennis for the week ahead.
In the Women’s Singles Over 40 Event, the defending champion Marina DONNER of Finland tops the seeding list, followed by last year’s runner-up Emilia KIJOK of Poland and Sweden’s Sofia WESTHOLM. In the Over 45 category, Olga CHRAMKO of Portugal is the top seed, with Germany’s Nikola JACKEL seeded second. The Over 50 category features Larisa LAVRUKHINA (AIN), Tumay EKREM of England, and Krisztina SPENGLER of Hungary as the leading names.
Sweden’s Lena JOHNSSON is the top seed in the Over 55 category, while Galyna YENENKO of Ukraine leads the Over 60. Croatian legend Branka BATINIC is the top seed in the Over 65 event.
In the youngest men’s category, Men’s Singles Over 40, the top seed is Grigory VLASOV (AIN), followed by Dauud CHEAIB of Germany and Stefano TOMASI of Italy. Last year’s winner in this category, Lucian FILIMON of Romania, has moved into the Over 45 group, where he holds the top seed. Croatian veteran Dragutin ŠURBEK competes in Group 6.
In the Over 50 category, Maxim SHMYREV (AIN) leads the seedings, with Serbian legend Aleksandar KARAKAŠEVIĆ close behind as the second seed.
Denmark’s Henrik VENDELBO tops Group 1 in the Over 55 category, while defending champion Thierry MILLER of Switzerland leads Group 3.
This year’s edition marks a major milestone for Serbia, which is hosting the European Veterans Championships for the first time. However, Novi Sad is no stranger to major table tennis events. The city has previously hosted the European Championships in 1974, the European Youth Championships in 1988 and 2003, the World Championships in 1981, and the entire 2021 Women’s Europe Cup season during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Novi Sad is now ready to write another memorable chapter in European table tennis history as it welcomes some of the sport’s most seasoned and celebrated players.
