The world’s table tennis governing body confirmed today that the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup will serve as a qualification event for four women and four men players to advance to the World Cup. The finest players from Europe will convene at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux scheduled for Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st 2024 marking its 53rd edition. The Men’s and Women’s Singles World Cups are set to unfold in the city of Macao China in April 2024. In the Men’s event in Montreux players such as Felix LEBRUN of France Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany his compatriot Dang QIU and Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC will compete. Additionally Swede Anton KALLBERG Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS Swede Truls MOREGARD Felix’s brother Alexis LEBRUN Liam PITCHFORD of England Danes Jonathan GROTH and Anders LIND Portugal’s Joao GERALDO Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR Ukraine’s Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO and the host nation representative Loic STOLL will participate. The 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux will show top players in the Women’s event including Bernadette SZOCS of Romania Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria Jia Nan YUAN of France Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania Nina MITTELHAM of Germany Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden Prithika PAVADE of France Natalia BAJOR of Poland Xia Lian NI Jieni SHAO and Fu YU of Portugal Tatiana KUKULKOVA and Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia Maria XIAO of Spain and Rachel MORET. However reigning champion Ying HAN of Germany was forced to withdraw. The identity of her replacement filling the 16th position will be revealed at the beginning of next week.

Reigning champion Ying Han of Germany was forced to withdraw from the 2024 edition of the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup due to injury. Ying HAN residing in Düsseldorf and a player of the Polish Champions League winner Tarnobrzeg faces an extended break. HAN had to withdraw from both the Europe Top 16 Cup in Switzerland (January 20/21 in Montreux) and the Team World Championships in South Korea (February 16-25 in Busan). The substitute for Ying HAN in the elite field where only two players from one nation are allowed is yet to be decided. Xiaona SHAN is listed as the first replacement but she is not fully fit due to neck and shoulder problems. The European Championships third-place finisher will wait until Tuesday before deciding on her potential participation. If SHAN also doesn’t travel to Montreux the German champion Sabine WINTER (Dachau) and Under 19 World Championships third-place Annett KAUFANN (Böblingen) would be the next candidates in that order. The tournament established in 1971 with twelve players also features previous winners Nina MITTELHAM (Berlin) in 2021 Dang QIU (Düsseldorf) the men’s runner-up from the previous year and the five-time winner Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Neu-Ulm) representing Germany.

At the Europe Top 16 Cup in 2021 Nina MITTELHAM stepped in as a substitute following the withdrawals of Petrissa SOLJA and HAN Ying in Thessaloniki securing her first major trophy by the event’s end. Last year she claimed a third-place finish in her fourth appearance at the tournament. Now listed as the World No. 21 at the 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup Nina is ready to compete once more. With a silver medal at the 2022 European Championships in Munich a silver medal at the European Games in the Teams event last year a gold in Mixed Doubles from the 2023 Kraków–Małopolska and a bronze at the World Championships in Chengdu Nina has significantly added to her accolades since her success in Greece. “My chances of winning the title at the Europe Top 16 are the same as in previous years and the favorites for the title remain unchanged. I’ve trained well and am in good shape. My first goal is to win a medal. But of course I can’t hide the fact that I also want to win the title. As always a lot will depend on how I perform on the day. Of course I hope that I might be able to qualify for the World Cup via the Europe Top 16 if possible. But there is no need for extra motivation for the Europe Top 16. It’s a very important prestigious tournament for me and I really enjoy playing it ” said Nina MITTELHAM. The 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux will feature top players such as Ying HAN of Germany Bernadette SZOCS of Romania (2018 titleholder) Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria Jia Nan YUAN of France Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden Prithika PAVADE of France Natalia BAJOR of Poland Xia Lian NI Jieni SHAO and Fu YU of Portugal Tatiana KUKULKOVA and Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia Maria XIAO of Spain and Rachel MORET.

The 2024 edition of the China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup marks the 10th appearance for Portugal’s star Marcos FREITAS. The winner of the 2014 edition in Lausanne and a two-time runner-up in 2021 and 2015 he finished ninth last season. Currently Marcos is participating in the WTT Star Contender Doha 2024. “I will start tomorrow and I still await the name of my adversary. I hope to perform well here. This is my first tournament of the year after a very successful end to 2023. I am thrilled with the results we achieved with the club. A.S PONTOISE-CERGY TT had good results in the National League and the Champions League. I hope to continue in the same vein ” said FREITAS. Marcos’ confidence comes from his satisfaction with his current form. “I am in good form. I feel confident because my body is strong now. Here in Doha the top players are listed and the level of the quality of the players is very strong. It is almost at the World Championships level of the tournament. I will have to play at the top level to achieve a good result.” Afterwards Marcos will fly back to Europe where the 2024 CBB Europe Top 16 Cup will take place in Montreux on Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st. “I have played there so many times and I am proud of my three podium finishes in the past. As always my goal is to go as far as possible. It is a short event; in two days anything could happen. I am focused on good preparations to overcome the opening duel and then to fight for a place on the podium. There are always a lot of spectators; it is one of the most important events in the calendar and I always enjoy playing there. Montreux is an iconic place that always makes me look forward to coming back ” said FREITAS. For sure fierce competition also makes the event worthy. At this year’s edition alongside FREITAS in Montreux are players such as Felix LEBRUN of France Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Dang QIU of Germany Slovenian Darko JORGI Swedes Anton KALLBERG and Truls MOREGARD Alexis LEBRUN of France Liam PITCHFORD of England Danes Jonathan GROTH and Anders LIND Portugal’s Joao GERALDO Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR Ukraine’s Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO and the host nation representative Loic STOLL. “It is hard to choose one favorite. There are a lot of good players. I have to note there are many young players coming up and improving really fast which is good for the sport. For sure we have players from older generations still in good shape with vast experience. I am sure it will be interesting for the spectators and for the people who follow our sport to see youngsters coming strong in the clash with the elders who are trying to keep up with the young ones. That is a good moment for the sport and good news for European table tennis having a bright future ahead of us.” What is your highlight of 2023? “The best moment for me was the recovery from the injury. I struggled for a long time and 2023 brought me a new chance and a new beginning after I finally managed to break free from the injuries. I built up my shape and body and from the summer I started to play more and to improve my game with regular training. Alongside that improvement came the second place at the European Games in singles the title at the WTT Contender in Peru and a semifinal at the WTT Contender Almaty. But on top of all it was to recover physically and to return to the training as I used to.” What are your top goals in 2024? “I want to keep my body strong and play well because this is an important year for us. The 2024 Olympics are close and I hope I will be qualified because that is the most important milestone in my career every four years.”

Ranked as the world’s No. 8 Felix LEBRUN is leading the pack of Europe’s finest players gathered at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux scheduled for Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st 2024. No surprise here as this has been a breakout year for the 17-year-old phenom Felix LEBRUN who secured a spot in the top 10 worldwide. The penholder wizard known for his upset prowess boasts an impressive 67% upset rate every time he steps onto the courts. Beside participated in the WTT Finals Men Doha LEBRUN was also teamed up with his brother Alexis LEBRUN in the Men’s Doubles event. They reached the semi finals. “I am very happy to make my debut at Montreux this year. I am hoping for a great tournament in front of many people and many great players ” stated LEBRUN. The list of players includes Europe’s “finest” at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup: World’s number 12 a five-time tournament winner Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany; his compatriot QIU Dang and Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC reigning champion; Swede Anton KALLBERG Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS Swede Truls MOREGARD Felix’ brother Alexis LEBRUN Liam PITCHFORD of England Danes Jonathan GROTH and Anders LIND Portugal’s Joao GERALDO Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR Ukraine’s Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO and the host nation representative Loic STOLL. “I think every player is strong because there is only the top of Europe in this tournament but I think Dima OVTCHAROV with all his experience and skills can be very dangerous for everybody ” added Felix. During your early days in the sport were there any top European stars you looked up to?  “Of course Timo BOLL is not in the tournament but I watched him a lot before. Also I watched Truls MOREGARD live when he made the final of the World Championships ” revealed Felix. Reflecting on 2023 what do you consider the highlight of the year? “In 2023 I had a mesmerizing year with lots of great memories. Obviously my victory in the European Games last summer in Poland was amazing for me. The highlight of 2023 is the month of October when I played so well in Lanzhou Antalya and Frankfurt won my first title in WTT and only lost against MA Long in front of an amazing crowd every time! In 2024 I am already on the road now in Doha and after that I go directly to Top 16.” Are you satisfied with your shape now? “I feel very good; my physical condition is good. I played at a good level in the last few tournaments so I’m ready for Montreux.” What goals do you have for the Top 16? “My goals for the Top 16 are to take the title this year. I know it will be difficult because there are only top players but I started the tournament as the number 1 in the seedings so I think I have my chances to win the tournament this year.” Lastly could you share your goals for 2024? “My goals for 2024 are to take one medal in the World Team Championships in Busan and qualify for the Paris Olympics and try to play at my best level there ” stated Felix LEBRUN.

With only two weeks remaining until the commencement of the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux on Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st one of the most in-form players at present is Germany’s QIU Dang. This week he advanced to the semifinals of the WTT Finals Men Doha 2023 eliminating China’s World No. 4 LIANG Jingkun and World No. 9 LIN Shidong. QIU is currently ranked at position No. 13. In last year’s Montreux event European champion QIU reached the final but faced defeat against two-time winner Darko JORGIC of Slovenia. It marked his debut appearance at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup. “It is unfortunate that I was not able to capitalize on my chances last year. However I will persistently strive to win the Europe Top 16 because it holds great importance for me and is a high priority ” said QIU. Dang QIU will also participate in the WTT Star Contender Doha 2024 starting from Monday. “I had even considered playing one or two fewer tournaments in January to ensure physical fitness. However competition practice is equally important and playing numerous tournaments is not always a disadvantage. I am eagerly anticipating the tournament and will approach the competition in Switzerland with confidence ” he added. The participants at the 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup include Felix LEBRUN of France Dimitrij OVTCHAROV of Germany Slovenian Darko JORGIC Swede Anton KALLBERG Marcos FREITAS of Portugal Truls MOREGARD of Sweden Alexis LEBRUN of France Liam PITCHFORD of England Danes Jonathan GROTH and Anders LIND Portugal’s Joao GERALDO Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR Ukraine’s Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO and the host nation representative Loic STOLL. “This year’s Top 16 will witness one of the most balanced tournaments in its history. At least a handful of players can win the title making it highly dependent on the form of the day. Truls MÖREGARDH is not even seeded in the top four despite being the runner-up in the World Championship while another runner-up Mattias FALCK is not even qualified. The field is extremely tight with everyone eager and desperate to win this prestigious title. I anticipate a very open race for the championship ” stated QIU.

As a stalwart in the elite echelons of table tennis on the continent Elizabeta SAMARA from Romania has been a consistent presence at the Europe Top 16 Cup missing the event only once in the last 15 years. The 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup set to take place in Montreux on Saturday January 20th and Sunday January 21st marks her 14th appearance. In the previous year Elizabeta secured the ninth position in the standings. Notable performances include a third-place finish in Montreux in 2018 a sixth-place finish in 2019 and a fifth-place finish in 2020. Additionally in 2016 in Gondomar SAMARA achieved a commendable fourth place. Her debut in Dusseldorf in 2009 saw her finish in the fifth position. As the table tennis world anticipates another thrilling season we had the privilege of catching up with Elizabeta SAMARA one of the sport’s inspirational figures. When asked about her current form Samara expressed enthusiasm stating: “My current shape is quite good. I dedicated considerable time to practice in December and focused on maintaining fitness. It’s essential to be in peak physical condition especially considering the fierce competition in the top ranks.” Reflecting on her achievements in 2023 Samara singled out some standout moments saying: “The year exceeded my expectations. Securing bronze in the European Games for singles and clinching the team title were significant accomplishments. Winning silver in Malmö and a memorable match against CHENG Meng from Grand Smash gave me a boost of confidence.” Discussing the competition within the Top 16 Samara emphasized the high level of skill among all players. “I think all the players in the Top 16 are good and pose a threat regardless of their ranking. It’s the Top 16 where anyone can beat anyone. Each match is a challenge and that’s what makes it exciting for both players and fans.” Regarding her goal for the Top 16 SAMARA’s passion for the sport was evident. “My goal is usual; I enjoy coming to play in this prestigious tournament every year which takes place in my favorite country and city Montreux. The goal is to perform at my best and make every moment count.” Looking ahead to her aspirations for 2024 Elizabeta outlined her objectives. “My goal for 2024 is to stay fit and healthy. Qualifying with the team for Paris 2024 is a top priority and reaching the final stage is the ultimate aim. I want to get closer and closer to the medal contributing to the success of the team.” The 2024 China Construction Bank Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux will also feature other top-seeded players such as Ying HAN Ying of Germany Bernadette SZOCS of Romania (2018 titleholder) Nina MITTELHAM of Germany (2021 winner) Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria Jia Nan YUAN of France Linda BERGSTROM of Sweden Prithika PAVADE of France Natalia BAJOR of Poland Xia Lian NI Jieni SHAO and Fu YU of Portugal Tatiana KUKULKOVA and Barbora BALAZOVA of Slovakia Maria XIAO of Spain and Rachel MORET.