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 quality, particularly her forehand and service, admitting that she had struggled to find effective tactical solutions.
“In the end, I don’t think tactics were the deciding factor. It was more about nerves and who could remain calmer.”
ABRAAMIAN explained that she had tried to remove the fear of defeat by talking to herself during the decisive moments.
“OK, Elis, if you lose, it doesn’t matter. Just let it go.”
That approach helped her remain composed under pressure, even as both players struggled with the physical demands of a long and exhausting match.
The eventual champion admitted that fatigue affected her movement and concentration, particularly during the longer rallies, but she was proud of the character she had shown.
Her journey had been anything but straightforward. Before arriving in Ljubljana, ABRAAMIAN had dealt with an injury, visa and travel difficulties, and the loss of her luggage during a journey from Italy to Moscow. Her belongings were returned only three days later.
Even qualification had presented a serious challenge. In one group-stage encounter, she surrendered a 2-0 advantage and trailed 2-5 in the deciding game before recovering to win.
At that stage, a European title seemed a distant possibility.
“I never expected to reach the final,” she admitted, explaining that she had gradually improved her form as the tournament progressed.
Her achievement was particularly significant given her starting position. ABRAAMIAN was the first player to emerge from the Women’s Singles qualification groups and reach the European semifinals since Yu FU in 2013. She went two steps further in Ljubljana, ultimately claiming the title.
PAVADE was left with mixed emotions after securing her first European Championships Women’s Singles medal.
“Honestly, it was a great match. That match point was really tough. That’s table tennis for you, for the spectators. There’s often very little between winning and losing. I genuinely have no regrets about anything I did,” said PAVADE.
“I think both of us played the best match we possibly could have. There were so many twists and turns throughout the match.
“Obviously, it hurts a lot because, given how well I was playing, I was naturally dreaming of reaching the European final and, who knows, maybe going even further.”
The 22-year-old Frenchwoman nevertheless took pride in her performances across all three events.
“I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved this week. Across all three events, I think I’ve played some really great table tennis.
“I beat a player who’s in the world top 10, who was the top seed and whom everyone saw as the biggest favourite. Then I backed that up with another great performance and another big match.
“I come away feeling incredibly proud because this also rewards all the work I’ve been putting in recently. But, of course, this particular loss is going to hurt for quite some time.”
KAUFMANN fights back to overcome MITTELHAM
The other semifinal was equally dramatic, with KAUFMANN recovering from a 2-3 deficit to defeat compatriot Nina MITTELHAM 4-3 (11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 2-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-4).
KAUFMANN made a flying start, winning the opening two games, but MITTELHAM responded with three consecutive games to move within touching distance of the final.
The 20-year-old then produced a remarkable turnaround, taking the sixth and seventh games by identical 11-4 scores.
“It was a very wild match, especially when you look at the scores of the individual games,” said KAUFMANN.
“Apart from the third game, which was a little closer and could have gone either way, most of the games were decided relatively early. You could usually tell quite quickly which way they were going.”
KAUFMANN praised her teammate’s performance throughout the Championships.
“Nina has played amazingly well all week. There were shots where I was thinking, ‘Good heavens, how am I supposed to get to that?’ And I’m sure there were moments when she felt exactly the same about my shots.
“She could absolutely have won it 4-3.”
According to KAUFMANN, there was no single tactical adjustment that decided the match. Precision, concentration and the ability to maintain the right tactical approach against an opponent with few weaknesses were essential.
The young German also expressed admiration for MITTELHAM’s achievement of collecting three medals in Ljubljana.
MITTELHAM, however, was frustrated that she had been unable to maintain her momentum after taking a 3-2 lead.
“It was a strange match. It took me quite a long time to find my rhythm. I also felt I was a little unlucky, particularly at the beginning of games, when I would quickly fall 0-2 behind even though I thought I was playing solid shots,” she explained.
After increasing her aggression and improving her movement, MITTELHAM felt she had gained control.
“I had her exactly where I wanted her.”
But the momentum changed once again, with MITTELHAM becoming more passive and struggling to cope with the quality and spin of KAUFMANN’s attacks.
“In the end, I can’t really blame myself. I tried everything I could.”
MITTELHAM also felt that her performance had fallen short of the level she had produced earlier in the Championships.
“I can only speak for myself, but I don’t think my level today was quite as high as it had been over the previous few days.”
She pointed to imprecise serving, difficulties initiating attacks against KAUFMANN’s short game and an inability to return to the tactics that had brought her success in the middle stages of the match.
Despite the disappointment, MITTELHAM had considerable reason for satisfaction.
Her bronze medal completed a remarkable sequence of three consecutive European Championships Women’s Singles podium finishes, following silver in Munich in 2022 and bronze in Linz in 2024.
She also left Ljubljana with three medals across the Championships, a particularly meaningful achievement after returning to competitive table tennis following a difficult period.
“If someone had told me before the tournament that I would win three medals, I probably would have thought they were crazy!” she said.
MITTELHAM admitted that the demanding schedule, including the late Mixed Doubles final the previous evening, had made preparation and recovery particularly challenging. Nevertheless, she was delighted that her body had withstood the demands of the tournament.
A new generation takes centre stage
The Women’s Singles semifinals in Ljubljana featured the youngest quartet of players at this stage of the European Championships since 1986.
KAUFMANN, aged 20, PAVADE, 22, ABRAAMIAN, 23, and MITTELHAM, 29, underlined the strength of a new generation competing at the highest level of European table tennis.
Forty years earlier, the 1986 semifinal lineup had featured Otilia BADESCU, aged 17, Csilla BATORFI, 18, Lisa BELLINGER, 19, and Fliura BULATOVA, 23.
For ABRAAMIAN, however, Ljubljana will be remembered above all as the place where an unlikely dream became reality.
From the qualification groups to a European Championships final against a close friend, from match point down in the semifinal to victory in another seven-game battle for gold, her journey was defined by determination, resilience and an ability to deliver when the pressure was greatest.
