Lithuania’s top table tennis players will gather in Alytus for the 2026 Lithuanian National Table Tennis Championships, organised by the Lithuanian Table Tennis Association from 20-22 March. The tournament will once again determine the country’s national champions across five events: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. This year’s edition introduces a small but notable change to the competition format. Unlike previous years, there will be no qualification tournament, and all Lithuanian citizens will be eligible to participate in the championships. The competition begins on Friday (20 March) with the opening rounds of the singles events. On Saturday, the tournament continues with the main draw featuring the best 32 players in both men’s and women’s singles, including the 16 highest-ranked players in each category who enter the competition directly at this stage. The doubles and mixed doubles competitions will also take place later that afternoon, while the finals in all events are scheduled for Sunday. In the women’s singles event, defending champion Kornelija RILIŠKYTĖ will once again be the player to beat. She has dominated the national scene for years and arrives in Alytus aiming for her eighth consecutive Lithuanian national title, having won the last seven championships in a row. Among the main challengers will be her sister Emilija RILIŠKYTĖ, who has consistently been among the country’s strongest players. Young talents will also look to make their mark. Lukrecija JUCHNAITĖ, who won the Under-21 event at the Finlandia Open at the end of 2025, will aim to challenge the established names and fight for a place among the top contenders. In the men’s singles event, reigning champion Kęstutis ŽEIMYS will pursue his third national title in a row. One of the most promising challengers is Ignas ŠIŠANOVAS, who gained international recognition after winning a title at the WTT Youth Contender Batumi 2024. 2025 Champions

On the occasion of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the French Table Tennis Federation (FFTT) reaffirms its commitment to promoting the feminisation of both participation and governance in table tennis across the country. Following a year dedicated to feminisation, declared a major federal cause in 2025, the FFTT is continuing this momentum with a special week from 2 to 6 March 2026 dedicated to highlighting initiatives carried out by its clubs across the country. Throughout 2025, the Federation implemented an ambitious programme centred on the “Jeu, Set et Féminisation” Tour de France, designed to meet clubs, leaders and players in order to promote a more inclusive practice of table tennis. The FFTT also launched, together with 21 women, the “Club of 300 Female Leaders”, an initiative linked to a CNOSF training programme aimed at encouraging women’s involvement in local, regional and federal sports governance. The programme also promotes networking and the sharing of experiences among women committed to creating momentum towards gender parity in regional governing bodies by 2028. In summer 2025, the FFTT mobilised its leagues and club network through a call for projects aimed at encouraging the reception, participation and coaching of women. The objective was to increase both the number and proportion of female licence holders in clubs while stimulating concrete and sustainable initiatives. Following this call for projects and the allocation of €100,000 in financial support, numerous initiatives were launched across France within the 62 selected clubs, including: At Amicale d’Épernon (Eure-et-Loir), for example, the introduction of an inter-company women’s training session and targeted communication campaigns led to significant progress in just six months. The club increased from 23 to 35 female licence holders, while the number of women competing more than doubled (from 4 to 9) between June and December 2025.

Following her impressive run to the semifinals of the Singapore Smash, Germany’s Sabine WINTER has climbed to No. 11 in the latest world ranking, marking another milestone in her remarkable rise on the international stage. In an interview released by the German Table Tennis Association (DTTB), WINTER reflected on her semifinal encounter with world No. 2 WANG Manyu, the lessons learned from defeat, and her busy schedule across Asia before returning to domestic competition and the TT-Finals in Erfurt. Although the scoreboard against WANG Manyu appeared clear, WINTER emphasised that the match itself was far more competitive. “I can’t say the match against WANG Manyu hurts,” WINTER explained. “It was a fantastic tournament for me. Against the world No. 2, I had nothing to lose. Of course, I would have liked it to be even closer, but overall it’s encouraging to see that I can compete with someone like her. She celebrated her points and showed her fighting spirit, which proves she took me very seriously. When the Chinese take you seriously, that builds confidence.” Rather than dwelling on defeat, the 33-year-old views such encounters as stepping stones. “I actually learn more from very close matches and especially from losses. When my limits are exposed, I know exactly what I need to improve. Matches like this are extremely valuable when I return to training.” Instead of returning to Germany after Singapore, WINTER travelled directly to Sanya, on the southern tip of China’s Hainan Island. There she is competing in a team event alongside Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG, Germany’s Yuan WAN and Austria’s former European champion Sofia POLCANOVA, facing Chinese teams composed of three men and one woman. “It was tight with travel, I landed just three hours before the first match,” she admitted. “But I had already planned to stay in Asia. The constant long flights and jet lag are exhausting. This way I can manage my energy better.” WINTER’s recent achievements include victory at the Europe Top 16 Cup, becoming the first European woman to reach a Champions final in Montpellier, and now a Grand Smash semifinal. Naturally, her status on the tour is evolving. “I do feel that my status has changed a bit, but not dramatically,” she said. “I haven’t been playing at this level for that long yet. Others have done so for years. But there is more attention now, and I’m asked to do more for social media.” With success also come expectations. “When I play against someone ranked No. 30 now, people suddenly see me as the favourite. Before, a win against that level would have been a huge result for me. I try not to let external expectations influence me. Of course, confidence grows with good wins, but I focus on my own development and continuing to improve my game.” After her Asian campaign, WINTER will return to Bundesliga action with Dachau in April before competing at the TT-Finals in Erfurt in June. “Dachau is my home club. I’ve played there for many years, and it’s always special to enter that hall and see familiar faces. The German Championships have always meant a lot to me. I’m looking forward to them again and will try to finish as high as possible.” With renewed confidence and the belief that she belongs among the world’s elite, Sabine WINTER’s 2026 season continues to gather momentum and the message is clear: the world’s best are now taking her very seriously.

For the first time in history, the Czech Republic Championships for men and women will take place in the South Bohemian Region. From 20 to 23 March, the country’s top players will gather at the Stromovka Sports Hall in České Budějovice to compete for national honours. Fans will see the full Czech elite in action, including reigning singles champions David Reitšpies and Zdena Blašková. As tradition dictates, five events will be contested: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s and Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. The tournament will open with singles qualification rounds on Friday, while the new national champions will be crowned on Sunday. Among the standout names is Lubomír Jančařík, fresh from his triumph at the WTT Star Contender Chennai in February. He arrives in České Budějovice with clear ambitions. “Of course, I feel very good. Last year I didn’t reach the final — David Reitšpies played excellently. This year, I would like to become national champion,” Jančařík said upon returning from India. In the men’s singles, his main challengers are expected to be David Reitšpies, Pavel Širuček and Jiří Martinko, alongside other experienced contenders, making the race for gold wide open. The women’s singles promises equal intrigue. Following the retirement of Hana Matelová, the title is up for grabs. Zdena Blašková, Karin Grofová and talented juniors Veronika Poláková and Hanka Kodet all know each other well from the Czech Extraliga, meaning current form and composure under pressure are likely to prove decisive. Beyond the matches, spectators can look forward to a vibrant Fan Zone and a special exhibition match featuring two legends of Czech table tennis, Milan Orlowski and Jindřich Panský — a tribute to the sport’s rich national heritage. Czech Republic Champions 2025

Belgium’s finest table tennis players will gather in Spa on 21-22 March for the TT Belgian Championships A and the Belgian Masters A TT Handisport. Hosted at the Sports Center Warfaaz, the event promises two days of high-level competition as national titles and Masters honours are decided. Across two intense days of competition, singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles will be decided, while Sunday will also feature the prestigious Masters Handisport events for seated and standing athletes. In the men’s singles, reigning champion Cedric NUYTINCK returns as the player to beat. He will face strong challenges from Adrien RASSENFOSSE and Martin ALLEGRO, both determined to claim the national crown. In the women’s event, defending champion Nathalie MARCHETTI leads the field. Among the main contenders are Margo DEGRAEF and Lilou MASSART, both eager to challenge for the top step of the podium. Last year’s winners return with ambitions to defend their titles: In addition to the Championships A, the Belgian Masters A TT Handisport will take place on Sunday. The event includes two categories: Seated Series – last year’s winner Aurelio ZUTTERMAN and Standing Series – last year’s winner Marc LEDOUX