On June 8, the annual General Assembly of the Table Tennis Federation of Latvia took place at the sports facilities of the O. Kalpaks Folk Applied Art Primary School in Riga. The agenda of the meeting included the approval of the TTF of Latvia Council meeting minutes from June 15, 2024, presentation and discussion of reports from the President, Vice Presidents, and the Audit Committee on the activities and results of 2024, approval of the 2024 annual report, as well as elections for the positions of President, Board Members, and Audit Committee members. For the position of President, there was only one candidate – Ina JOZEPSONE. Members unanimously re-elected Mrs. JOZEPSONE for another term. There were thirteen candidates for the eight available positions on the Board: Davis AVDJUKEVICS, Janis AVDJUKEVICS, Vadims BEREZKOVS, Baiba BOGDANOVA, Egmonts CILDERMANIS, Nauris KARELIS, Genadijs KARTUZOVS, Aleksandrs MASKALONOKS, Kalvis SILJANIS, Eduards SPAGIS, Guntis SENHOFS, Viktors TOLKACEVS, and Sandijs VASILJEVS. “Before the vote, Genadijs KARTUZOVS requested to speak, during which he officially withdrew his candidacy. We extend our sincere thanks to Mr. KARTUZOVS for his many years of dedicated service on the TTF of Latvia Board” announced TTF Latvia. Following the vote, the newly elected Board Members are: Immediately after the General Assembly, the first meeting of the newly elected Board was held. During this session, Mr. Vadims BEREZKOVS and Sandijs VASILJEVS were appointed Vice Presidents, and Mr. Eduards SPAGIS was appointed Secretary General. The newly elected Audit Committee consists of:
All-Czech Final: El Nino Praha to Face HB Ostrov for Europe Cup Men’s Title
Two clubs from Czechia will decide the winner of the Europe Cup Men this season, as SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA joins HB Ostrov z.s. in the final. In the second leg of the semi-final, ASC Grünwettersbach prevailed against SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA with a 3-2 win, but it was not enough to overturn the 1-3 defeat from the opening leg in Germany. David REITSPIES was the key figure for the Prague side, recording two points: “It’s an unbelievable achievement for our club to reach the final of the Europe Cup. We are also in the final of the Czech league, and we didn’t expect such a great season before it started. Today, I won both matches 3:2, so they were extremely tight. Playing a fifth set to only six points is very tough, but I felt quite comfortable and managed to win both. In the final, we’ll have a Czech derby against Havlíčkův Brod, and we will give our best to win the trophy.” For ASC Grünwettersbach, all three players — Léo DE NODREST, Guilherme TEODORO, and Rafael TURRINI — contributed with one win each. SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA – ASC Grünwettersbach 2-3 Opening leg ASC Grünwettersbach – SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA 1-3
ŠURJAN Shines as ttc berlin eastside Take First-Leg Advantage in Champions League Final
In Germany, ttc berlin eastside secured a 3-1 victory in the opening leg of the Champions League Women’s final against Metz TT. With two matches going the full distance, it was a night of suspense and momentum swings — but the standout performer was Sabina ŠURJAN, who delivered two crucial wins for the home side. ŠURJAN began in superb style, winning the first two games against Charlotte LUTZ, but the French player fought back to level the score. At the end of the fourth game, trailing 6-10, ŠURJAN showed great composure to close the gap, but LUTZ held firm to push the match into a decider. In the final game, however, the Serbian took full control and dominated from start to finish to seal the win.“Until 2-0, I was very confident, but after I stopped to play, I was very passive. And that’s why it came to 2-2. So, after 2-2, I changed the approach and started to play more aggressive again. I think that was the key. And, of course, because of the atmosphere in the venue,” said ŠURJAN. In the second match, Adina DIACONU notched her ninth Champions League victory this season, overcoming Xiaona SHAN in four games. Before this encounter, DIACONU had suffered only one defeat in the entire campaign — against China’s HE Zhuojia, who also represents the Berlin club. The evening featured another five-game thriller as Mia GRIESEL overcame Mariia TAILAKOVA. The Metz player took the opening game, but GRIESEL responded strongly by taking the next two. TAILAKOVA fought back to level, but GRIESEL stayed composed in the decider to win. In the final match, ŠURJAN returned to the table and outplayed DIACONU in straight games, capping a brilliant night and securing Berlin’s 3-1 lead ahead of the return leg.“Mia played tactically perfectly against TAILAKOVA. She really fought strong. Concerning my match against Adina, everything fell into place,” SURJAN added. This season, the two teams already met twice in the group stage, with ttc berlin eastside emerging victorious on both occasions — 3-1 and 3-0. The second leg is scheduled for 12 June in France. ttc berlin eastside – METZ TT 3-1
Champions League Women’s Final: ttc berlin eastside Host Metz TT in Opening Leg Tonight
Two of Europe’s top clubs go head-to-head tonight as ttc berlin eastside welcomes Metz TT for the first leg of the Champions League Women’s final, with the action streamed live on YouTube. Berlin’s road to the final was dramatic. Trailing 1-3 after the first leg against reigning champions KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg, the German sideand five times champions produced a clean 3-0 win in Poland to force a golden match. With the same line-ups, Xiaona SHAN and Sabina SURJAN delivered in style, winning the first two matches to eliminate Tarnobrzeg and book Berlin’s spot in the final. Backed by experience, Berlin is looking to reclaim the Champions League crown. Fresh off a commanding performance in the second leg of their all-French semifinal, Metz TT, the runners up in 2023, are entering their first Champions League final in top form. After a narrow loss in the opening match against Saint-Quentin TT, the French side responded with a dominant 3-0 win at home. Adina DIACONU continued her remarkable season, defeating Camille LUTZ to secure her eight win in the competition. Charlotte LUTZ showed mental strength to turn the tables on Linda BERGSTRÖM, while Mariia TAILAKOVA added the finishing touch with a victory over Polina MIKHAILOVA.
Draw Sets the Stage for Intense Battles at 2025 European Teams Championships in Zadar
The road to European glory is now clear. The official draw for the Final Stage of the 2025 European Teams Table Tennis Championships was conducted today at the elegant Hotel Hyatt Regency in Zadar, revealing the highly anticipated group stage line-ups that will shape the battle for continental supremacy. The draw, based on the June 2025 ETTU Men’s and Women’s Team Rankings, determined the composition of eight groups in both the men’s and women’s competitions. Each group consists of three teams, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stage. In the Men’s Team Event, defending champions Sweden headline the top seeds, joined by 2023 silver medalists Germany, bronze medalists Portugal and France, as well as Denmark, Romania, Croatia, and Belgium. With powerhouses spread across the groups, several early showdowns are expected to test even the most seasoned squads. The Women’s Team Event is equally stacked, led by reigning champions Germany, 2023 silver medalists Romania, and bronze medalists France and Portugal. Completing the top-seeded lineup are Sweden, Poland, Croatia, and Ukraine. The competition promises to be fierce as these teams chase a spot in the Round of 16. The stakes are high. Germany’s women are on the brink of equaling the all-time record of four consecutive European titles, a feat last achieved by the Netherlands from 2008 to 2011. On the men’s side, Sweden will aim to defend their crown and add to their historic legacy, which includes record streaks of six straight titles (1964–1972) and four more from 1984 to 1992. Tickets are now available here for fans eager to witness the action live in Zadar. The official event website is also launched.
SKST Plus Hodonín Overturns Deficit to Reach Europe Cup Final
Czech side SKST Plus Hodonín bounced back from a straight-match defeat in the opening leg of the Europe Cup semifinal in Hungary to secure a spot in the final. Playing on home soil, they responded with a 3-1 victory over Budaörsi Sport Club, forcing a decisive golden match. Markéta ŠEVČÍKOVÁ opened the match with a straight-games win over Helga DARI and later sealed the overall victory by avenging her first-leg loss to Dora MADARÁSZ with a dramatic five-game triumph, decided by a sudden death point. Karin GROFOVÁ also overcame MADARÁSZ, while Maria FAZEKAS earned the only point for the visiting team. Jaroslav MIKESKA, coach of SKST Plus Hodonín, commented: “Our lineup worked out well—that’s exactly how we planned it. But the match itself wasn’t easy. We aimed for a 3-0 win because Markéta ŠEVČÍKOVÁ wasn’t the favorite against Dora MADARÁSZ. However, she played superbly and turned the fifth set around from 3-5 to 6-5, securing the golden match. That final match was heavily influenced by luck. We’re extremely happy—after reaching the Champions League semifinals, we’re now in the final of the Europe Cup. The Champions League may carry more prestige, but our season isn’t over yet. We’ll fight for the title in the final.” SKST Plus Hodonín – Budaörsi Sport Club 3-1 Marketa SEVCIKOVA – Helga DARI 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-3) Karin GROFOVA – Dora MADARASZ 3-1 (11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8) Solomiya BRATEYKO – Maria FAZEKAS 1-3 (8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11) Marketa SEVCIKOVA – Dora MADARASZ 3-2 (11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 6-5) Golden Match SKST Plus Hodonín – Budaörsi Sport Club 2-1 Karin GROFOVA – Helga DARI 11-6 Marketa SEVCIKOVA – Dora MADARASZ 9-11 Solomiya BRATEYKO – Maria FAZEKAS 11-7 Opening leg Budaörsi Sport Club – SKST Plus Hodonín 3-0 Dora MADARASZ – Marketa SEVCIKOVA 3-0 (11-4, 11-7, 13-11) Helga DARI – Karin GROFOVA 3-2 (5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 6-4) Maria FAZEKAS – Natalia PARTYKA 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-9)
Undefeated Olympiacos Crowned A1 Men’s Champions Once Again
Olympiacos SFP has claimed its fourth consecutive and 18th overall Greek Men’s Table Tennis Championship title. In the playoffs, which concluded on Wednesday, May 28, at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, Olympiacos secured three more victories, finishing the 2024–2025 season undefeated in all 17 matches. They defeated AEK 4-0, Pera Athens 4-0, and their long-standing rival Panathinaikos 4-3. Although they officially clinched the title in the second round of the playoff pool, Olympiacos had essentially secured first place back in late April with another 4-3 win over Panathinaikos, ending the regular season two points ahead. In the playoff group, Olympiacos collected six points, Panathinaikos finished second with five, while AEK came third with four points. In the bronze medal match, AEK overcame Pera Athens 4-2. Olympiacos also celebrated a double triumph, winning both the men’s and women’s national championships for the fourth straight year. During the final playoff stage of the men’s event, the team fielded Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS, Giorgos STAMATOUROS, Tasos RINIOTIS, and Croatian star Tomislav PUCAR. Throughout the regular season, Swedish standout Truls MOREGARD and Ukrainian Jaroslav ZMUNDENKO also contributed to the squad, led by head coach George CHRISTOFORAKIS. Panathinaikos was notably without Panagiotis GIONIS and Spanish international Alvaro ROBLES for the last three matches. The final clash between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos featured exclusively Greek players and once again delivered a thrilling spectacle. For the fifth time in two years, the outcome was decided in doubles, where SGOUROPOULOS/STAMATOUROS prevailed 3-1 over GIORGOS and Konstantinos KONSTANTINOPOULOS. A particularly emotional moment occurred during the playoffs on Tuesday, when all teams observed a minute of silence in memory of Olga GEORGOPOULOU, the beloved athlete and coach of Pera Athens, who sadly passed away on May 6 at the age of 39 after battling cancer. The matches were emotionally charged for the Pera players, marking their first appearance since her passing. Present at the stadium were her parents, Michalis and Anastasia, as well as the club president, Vicky CHRISTOFORIDOU.
OVTCHAROV Undergoes Successful Surgery
After sustaining an injury during the World Championships in Doha, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV underwent a successful minor endoscopic procedure on his cervical spine on Monday. “According to the surgeon, the short procedure went very well. He removed the disc tissue that was pressing on the nerve,” explained the former world number one. “I can now immediately begin the rehabilitation process.” Severe neck pain radiating down to his wrist had affected the six-time Olympic medalist so badly in Qatar that he was unable to compete in the singles event after using the doubles match as a test run. As a result, the 2017 World Cup winner has had to withdraw from both the upcoming German Table Tennis Finals in Erfurt during the long Whitsun weekend, as well as the WTT tournaments in Skopje and Zagreb later in June.
Draw for the European Teams Championships Final Stage to Take Place in Zadar
The stage is set for the official draw of the 2025 European Teams Championships Final Stage, which will be held on Thursday, 5th June 2025, at 12:00 noon, in the prestigious Hotel Hyatt Regency Zadar. The seeding for the draw will be based on the ETTU June 2025 Men’s and Women’s Team Rankings. The draw ceremony will be streamed live on ETTU TV.
ETTU and Saarbrücken Celebrates Successful Final 4 – Dates Confirmed for 2026 Edition
The curtains have just fallen on the 2025 HYLO Champions League Final 4, but preparations are already underway for the next edition. Saarbrücken will once again host the tournament, with the 2026 event scheduled for 16th and 17th May—marking the city’s third consecutive time as host. As the excitement of the weekend still lingers, ETTU President Pedro MOURA reflected on what was another spectacular show of European club table tennis. “The ETTU Champions League Final Four held in Saarbrücken this past weekend was a resounding success, both in terms of sporting excellence and organizational quality. We witnessed table tennis at its very best—intense matches, passionate crowds, and flawless execution by the local organizers. This success also confirms the good decision taken by the ETTU Executive Board two years ago, when this model was implemented, marking a new benchmark for our premier club competition. From high-caliber matches to enthusiastic fan support and seamless event management, the tournament showcased the strength and professionalism of European table tennis, respecting its traditions and projecting the future … a bright one ! I extend heartfelt thanks to our German hosts and to all teams for their incredible performances. Together, we are lifting European table tennis to new heights.” The driving force behind the organization in Saarbrücken is Nicolas BARROIS, General Manager of 1. FC Saarbrücken TT. “After the premiere edition in 2024, I think we managed to raise the bar once again this year. The number of spectators and the fantastic atmosphere speak volumes. It makes me proud of what we can achieve here in a small Bundesland like Saarland.” “The crowd played a key role in shaping the event’s vibrant energy. Both days saw enthusiastic support not only for the home team but also for international visitors. The Polish clubs—KS Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki and KS Global Pharma Orlicz 1924 Suchedniów—brought great spirit and contributed to the electric atmosphere during Saturday’s semifinals. “In the final, I heard it clearly after Anton KALLBERG won his first singles match—people were cheering for everyone. It was loud, passionate, and very fair. And that’s what it’s all about: supporting each other and celebrating table tennis together. From an organizer’s perspective, I hope we can make it even better next year. There are new opportunities—Montpellier could be in the frame, which might change the draw. If so, we may even outgrow our current venue,” BARROIS added. Over the two days, more than 5,000 fans came through the doors of Saarlandhalle. “On the opening day, we had around 2,500 to 2,600 spectators. For the final, it was already sold out in advance—2,600 tickets—and more came to the box office, so we estimate around 2,800. Altogether, we’re well above 5,000. That’s a great sign of the event’s growing popularity. It’s been a lot of work, a lot of preparation, with many changes and improvements. We made more space for fans, we had four great teams, and a truly amazing atmosphere. Bogoria gave Düsseldorf a great fight in the semis, and Suchedniów pushed us hard. Now I’m just excited to see how we can grow the event even further in 2026.”
