The 2025 ETTU Champions League Women and Men Stage 1 commenced today in Novi Sad. Over three days of play, two top clubs from each group will secure their place in the next stage. The greatest upset on the opening day came from Europe Cup quarterfinalists Real Club Cajasur Priego TM. The Spanish side, featuring Hampus SÖDERLUND, Carlos MACHADO, and Alejandro CALVO, defeated the highest-seeded club on duty in Novi Sad — French AS Pontoise Cergy TT, with Europe’s no. 19 Liam PITCHFORD, Alexandre CASSIN, and Flavio MOURIER. PITCHFORD lost both of his matches, first to MACHADO and then to CALVO. “We came here without Robert GARDOS. We were under pressure and disappointed with the situation, and our chances looked slimmer. Eventually, I had to play, and it was so satisfying for me because, at the age of 45, I managed to beat PITCHFORD in the opener. Such a good start boosted our confidence and motivation. We kept the pressure on until the victory,” said MACHADO. No. 2 seeds in Stage 1, Germany’s Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 e.V. last season’s Europe Cup semifinalists, prevailed against Polish club Dojlidy Białystok, but not without a fight. The Polish side stretched the contest to the full distance, with Patryk CHOJNOWSKI and Piotr CHODORSKI both overcoming Cheng-Ting LIAO. Ovidiu IONESCU proved to be the backbone of the German team’s success with two wins, while Kay STUMPER added one more. Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier, led by Europe’s no. 3 Alexis LEBRUN, overcame ASD TT Santa Tecla Nulvi in straight matches. “Last year we had a difficult draw against Borussia Düsseldorf in the quarterfinals, playing for a place in the Final 4. It was our first really big challenge as a team, but it was a very good experience. After that match, we improved a lot, which is why we won the French Championships. We are happy about last year, but now we are moving forward. Our goal is to perform well in the Champions League and to reach at least the quarterfinals, hopefully even the Final 4, which would be a great achievement for the club. Of course, it will not be easy. Even here we are not the top seeds in our group, and we came without Félix LEBRUN and Esteban DORR, but still we have a strong team,” said the coach Vincent AVRIL. Alexis LEBRUN arrived in Novi Sad following a one-month break after hand surgery. “This is my first tournament after the break, and I am happy to return to a good level in competition. I have done a lot of training. All the teams in our group have good players. Of course, we are favorites, but it is never easy to win in the Champions League. So far, we are doing well,” said LEBRUN. n the men’s event, Stage 1 features four groups of four clubs each, seeded from position nine onwards. The top eight seeds are directly qualified for the Round of 16. The top two teams from each Stage 1 group will progress to join them. From that point, the Champions League Men will follow a knockout format, with two-legged ties in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, before the four winners advance to the Final 4. See the pictures here
Final 4 Era Begins in Novi Sad! Stage 1 Ignites a Historic Champions League Women Season
In Novi Sad, we will witness the start of what will be remembered as a historic season in the ETTU Champions League Women. The season kicks off with Stage 1 in Serbia, serving as a warm-up for the first-ever edition that will conclude by crowning the champions at the ETTU Champions League Final 4. The 2025/26 season marks a significant step forward in the evolution of European club competitions, as ETTU introduces the Final 4 format to the Champions League Women for the first time, following the successful implementation of the concept in the Champions League Men two years ago. Topping Group A are last season’s Europe Cup semi-finalists, Hungarian Budaörsi Sport Club, led by Europe’s no. 88 Dora MADARASZ. Also on duty will be Leila IMRE. The Hungarians are the top-seeded club in Group A, but French Saint-Denis TT 93 will challenge their position, led by the highest-ranked player on duty in Novi Sad, Prithika PAVADE. Last season’s Europe Cup champions have a few aces up their sleeve: besides Europe’s no. 7 PAVADE, they can count on Hana ARAPOVIC, ranked no. 33 in Europe, and Siqi FAN, ranked no. 33 in the World. PAVADE was part of Team France that won bronze at the World Championships in Busan last year; in 2025 she reached the semi-finals at WTT Contenders in Lagos and Skopje. ARAPOVIC reached the quarter-finals of the WTT Feeder in Otočec. Also in Group A are Portugal’s CTM Mirandela with Ines MATOS (Europe no. 94), and Mariana SANTA COMBA (Europe no. 195), and Spain’s MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada, led by Andrea TODOROVIC, who will play on home soil in Serbia. Andrea is currently ranked no. 56 in Europe, three places above Fiona Elvira RAD, who will also compete in Novi Sad. The line-up is reinforced by Yoo SIWOO, ranked no. 109 in the World Rankings. Leading Group B is Czech SKST Plus Hodonin. The club from Czechia lost last season’s Europe Cup final against Saint-Denis TT. The leading name in the squad is Karin GROFOVA (Europe no. 185), followed by Marketa SEVCIKOVA and Binyue ZHANG. Coach of SKST PLUS Hodonín Jaroslav MIKESKA: “The team’s goal is of course to advance to the next stage, but it will not be easy at all. The group is strong and the opponents are of high quality. I consider the Croatian club Dr. Časl, which has a very strong roster, to be the biggest favorite. But of course, it will be important which players come to the tournament. The fight for the second qualifying spot will be even.” TTC Novi Sad will play on home soil. Aneta MAKSUTI, ranked 70th in Europe, is the top name in the hosts’ line-up. Poland’s PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszow have Taipei’s Yi Tian YEH (world no. 61), alongside Europe’s no. 57 Zuzanna WIELGOS, and two Swedish players, Nomin BAASAN and 2013 European champion Fen LI. A host awaits the start of the Stage one with great anticipation and new players. From this season, STK Novi Sad has been strengthened with Russian national team players. In addition to Aneta MAKSUTI, Reka BEZEG, Sara RADAK, and Maša BOŠKOVSKI, coach Slobodan STOJANOV will also be able to count on Valeria KOTCUR, Valeria SHERBATH, and Arina SLAUTINA. “We have excellent reinforcements. They are all great players. They arrived just a week before the Champions League and immediately blended into the team. They are cheerful, hardworking, and represent the typical school with an attacking style of play. We will have the sweet trouble of deciding which lineup to field against extremely strong opponents,” said coach STOJANOV. The winners of the 2018 Champions League, Dr CASL, are the fourth club in Group B, arriving with the experienced Szandra PERGEL, Katerina TOMANOVSKA, Tamolwan KHETKHUAN. This weekend, during the three-day tournament, clubs seeded from positions 9 to 16 will compete in Stage 1, consisting of two groups of four teams. The group winners and runners-up will join the automatically qualified top eight seeds in Stage 2, which will feature four groups made up of three clubs each. The winners and runners-up from each Stage 2 group will qualify for the quarterfinals, which will be played as home-and-away matches. The winning teams will then proceed to the Final 4.
Game On in Novi Sad: Stage One of the Champions League Serves Up Fireworks
Novi Sad is the place to be as the ETTU Champions League Men 2025/26 season kicks off, bringing another thrilling season of elite club competition. The top eight seeds are exempt in this opening stage, but with Olympic bronze medalists such as the LEBRUN brothers and world-class names including Liam PITCHFORD and Tiago APOLONIA’s teams present, Stage One promises a fantastic weekend of action. The spotlight will be on Group B, where French champions Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier, led by Europe’s no. 2 and no. 3, Felix and Alexis LEBRUN, will fight for a place at the top. Their squad also features India’s Manav THAKAR, currently no. 43 in the World Rankings. Despite being seeded second in their group, they are widely considered favorites not only to progress to the next stage but also to challenge for the title. Last year they narrowly missed the ETTU Champions League Final 4, falling to Borussia Düsseldorf in the quarterfinals. Felix, an Olympic singles bronze medalist, teamed up with Alexis to also claim bronze in the Team event in Paris. Both were key players when France won gold at the European Team Championships and silver in doubles at the World Championships. Alexis also boasts European singles and doubles titles with Felix. Earlier this year Alexis clinched the title at the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup and reached the semifinals at the Singapore Smash. Group D is topped by SF SKK El Nino Praha of Czechia, last season’s Europe Cup runners-up, featuring Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA (ER 152), Tomas KONECNY and David REITSPIES. Also competing are Denmark’s Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61, with Dominykas SAMUOLIS (ER 103), and Italy’s ASD TT Santa Tecla Nulvi, led by Chile’s Nicolas BURGOS (WR 124). Coach of SF SKK El Niňo Praha Petr KAUCKÝ: “Last season, we achieved a historic success for our club by reaching the final of the Europe Cup and this year we will play with the same line-up. It will not be easy to build on this success. We have a difficult group. Roskilde has strengthened its team, Montpellier has the brothers Felix and Alexis Lebrun on the roster. It is difficult to estimate what the opponents’ rosters will be, but I think it will be harder than last year.” The top-seeded club in Stage One is French AS Pontoise Cergy TT, boasting Europe’s no. 19 Liam PITCHFORD and Alexandre CASSIN. The French side, already twice Champions League winners (2014 and 2016), return aiming for another trophy. PITCHFORD claimed the WTT Feeder Manchester in April. They will face ASC Grünwettersbach, Europe Cup semifinalists, led by world no. 23 Hiroto SHINOZUKA, Europe’s no. 33 Tiago APOLONIA, and no. 44 Ricardo WALTHER. Also in the group are Europe Cup quarterfinalists Real Club Cajasur Priego TM, featuring Hampus SODERLUND, Carlos MACHADO and Alejandro CALVO, and TTC Ostrava 2016 with Ondrej KVENTON and Jakub KLEPRLIK. Group A will be led by Germany’s Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 e.V. Europe Cup semifinalists last season, represented by Europe’s no. 30 Ovidiu IONESCU, China’s Cheng-Ting LIAO (WR 68), Kay STUMPER, and Steffen MENGEL. Their opponents include Slovakia’s STK Vyhne, Europe Cup quarterfinalists, with Adam KLAJBER, Filip SZYMANSKI, and Boguslaw KOSZYK. Patryk CHOJNOWSKI and Konstantinos ANGELAKIS in Polish club Dojlidy Białystok, which debuted in the competition last season, return alongside Lille Metropole TT, led by Tom CLOSSET, Amir Hossein HODAEI, and Roman BRARD. Austria’s SPG Felbemayr Wels, the third seeds in Stage One and seeded no. 11 overall, feature Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK (ER 74) and Felix WETZEL (ER 197). They will face SKST Havirov of Czechia, led by Manush Utpalbhai SHAH (WR 70). Also in Group C are Belgium’s TTC Sokah Hoboken, with Gabrielius CAMARA (ER 73), and Croatia’s STK Starr. Stage One features four groups made up of four clubs each, seeded from position nine onwards. The top eight seeds are directly qualified for the Round of 16. The top two teams from each Stage One group will progress and join them. From that point, the Champions League Men will follow a knockout system, with two-legged ties in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, before the four winners advance to the Final 4.
PAVADE to Lead Historic Launch of the ETTU Champions League Women in Novi Sad
Novi Sad will host the start of a historic season in the ETTU Champions League Women. Stage One kicks off on Friday, and the three-day tournament will mark the first step toward the inaugural ETTU Champions League Final Four in the women’s category. The highest-ranked player in action this weekend in Serbia will be Prithika PAVADE. Currently No. 7 in Europe, PAVADE will lead last season’s Europe Cup champions French Saint-Denis TT 93, supported by Croatia’s Hana ARAPOVIC (Europe No. 33) and China’s Siqi FAN (World No. 33). This season has already been very busy for the 21-year-old star. PAVADE, who owns four bronze medals from the European Championships (Warsaw, Cluj/Napoca, Malmö, and Linz) and a bronze from the World Team Championships in Busan, reached the Round of 16 at the Europe Smash in Sweden and the WTT Champions in Yokohama, as well as the semifinals at the WTT Contenders in Lagos and Skopje. “I had a pretty busy summer with a lot of competitions since May, and overall I am really happy with my level and performances. We have a pretty good team, so the goal is first to qualify for Stage Two and then to enter the main draw for the first time in our club’s history — but there are still many matches to win before that,” said Prithika. At the top of Group A are last season’s Europe Cup semi-finalists, Hungarian Budaörsi Sport Club, led by Europe’s No. 88 Dora MADARASZ, supported by Nora DOHOSZKI and Leila IMRE. Also competing in Group A are Portugal’s CTM Mirandela, with Yu Jhun LI (World No. 64), Ines MATOS (Europe No. 94), and Mariana SANTA COMBA (Europe No. 195). Spain’s MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada complete the group, led by Andrea TODOROVIC, who will play on home soil in Serbia. Andrea is ranked No. 56 in Europe, three places above teammate Fiona Elvira RAD. The line-up is reinforced by Korea’s Yoo SIWOO, currently World No. 109. “In our group, every team will be a challenge, but we know that we must stay focused against all adversaries. Our main goal this season is to perform at our best in every match and to progress as far as possible in the competition,” said coach Qiwen XIAO.
Riga Crowns Champions: MALOV and KOBOSZ Rule U15; ISAKSSON and WU Strike Gold in U13
The JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Riga concluded today after five days of matches. The crowned champions in the Under 15 singles events are Alexander MALOV of Spain and Lucja KOBOSZ of Poland in the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles, while in the Under 13 Singles Joel ISAKSSON of Sweden and Michelle WU clinched gold medals. In the Under 15 Boys’ Singles final, top seed MALOV overcame Serbia’s David CAPANDA to justify his status. Bronze medals went to Peadar SHERIDAN (Ireland) and Joel ISAKSSON (Sweden). In the Under 15 Boys’ Doubles, Victor BARTHOLOMÆUSSEN (Denmark) and David CAPANDA (Serbia) defeated Peadar SHERIDAN (Ireland) and Jimi KOIVUMAKI (Finland). The Polish pairing Mikolaj PILCH and Adam STACHOWIAK, as well as Latvia’s Rostislavs OVCINNIKOVS and Maksims RUSINOVS, were halted in the semi-finals. In the Under 15 Girls’ Singles final, Poland’s Lucja KOBOSZ overcame Lithuania’s Kaja TVOROGAL to clinch the title. Teresa CARRASCO (Spain) and Enya HU (Switzerland) completed the podium with bronze. The combination of Sophia PICHLER (Austria) and Lucja KOBOSZ (Poland) struck gold in the Under 15 Girls’ Doubles. Denmark’s Victoria BARTHOLOMÆUSSEN and Sofie JORGENSEN finished runners-up. Bronze medals went to Lithuania’s Marija JUCHNAITE and Emilia PSCOLOVSKA, as well as Spain’s Teresa CARRASCO VIEITO and Finland’s Yenuli AMARASINGHE. In the Under 13 Boys’ Singles, Sweden’s Joel ISAKSSON prevailed over his teammate Zac HALLÉN in the final. In the semi-finals, they overcame Hai NGUYEN (Finland) and Giorgio BORGHESE (Italy). Together, HALLÉN and ISAKSSON clinched gold in the Under 13 Boys’ Doubles, defeating Spain’s Javier GALAN and Alexander MALOV. Semi-finalists were the Slovakia–Poland pairing of Ignacy UTYLSKI and Daniel SUCHY, and Lithuania’s duo Motiejus ADAMONIS and Mindaugas STONYS. In the Under 13 Girls singles Switzerland’s Michelle WU overcame her teammate Enya HU in the final. Semifinalists were Melisa GUASSARDO Barbora Melisa of Slovakia and Matilde SOUSA of Portugal. Gold medallists in the Under 13 Girls’ Doubles were the Lithuanian pairing Karina MILTO and Kaja TVOROGAL, who defeated Portugal’s Nuria MADEIRA and Matilde SOUSA in the final. Enya HU and Michelle WU (Switzerland), and Italy’s Claudia BERTOLINI and Alice BORSANI, took bronze.
Spain and Combined Germany-Denmark-Serbia Team Crowned Mixed Teams Champions in Riga
On the second day of play at the JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Riga, the Mixed Teams champions were crowned. Spain triumphed in the Under 13 category, while the combined team of Germany, Denmark, and Serbia secured the title in the Under 15 event. Both teams lived up to their top-seeded status. In the Under 15 competition, David CAPANDA, Svejna HEPP, Charlie FRISK, and Lotta ROTHFUSS emerged at the top of the standings with two wins and one defeat. The silver medal went to the joint team of Latvia and Finland, represented by Maksims RUSINOVS, Selina TAPINA, Jimi KOIVUMAKI, and Anastasija ZIBUNOVA, who achieved five victories in six matches. Denmark, with Zacharias AL MOALEM, Victor BARTHOLOMÆUSSEN, Sofie JØRGENSEN, and Victoria BARTHOLOMÆUSSEN, took the bronze. In the Under 13 Mixed Teams event, top seeds Spain—Javier GALAN, Alexander MALOV, Aina CASANOVAS, and Celia VALPUESTA—emerged victorious. Sweden’s team of Leah TULEFALT, Saga BLANCK, Noel ISAKSSON, Zac HALLÉN, Esther WARENFELDT, and Filip AROSELL claimed silver. Bronze medals went to Lithuania 1, represented by Karina MILTO, Kaja TVOROGAL, Motiejus ADAMONIS, and Mindaugas STONYS. See pictures here.
ETTU President MOURA: ITTF Executive Board Meeting Reaffirms Unity and Progress
ETTU President Pedro MOURA, attending the ITTF Executive Board meeting in his role as President of the European Table Tennis Union, underlined the importance of unity and progress at a decisive moment for world table tennis. “This was a crucial meeting, demonstrating that our sport had a great summer despite the interruption of the AGM in Doha last May. As ETTU President, I feel positive about the governance progress ITTF President Petra SÖRLING is implementing in such difficult circumstances. We are ready to have a constructive approach to the current situation, working towards unity in our beloved sport. It’s time to stop the gossip,” MOURA stated. The ITTF Executive Board met on 18 August 2025 with the ITTF President, Deputy President, Executive Vice-Presidents, CEO, Secretary General, and Presidents of the Continental Federations in attendance. Governance Updates Significant work has been undertaken to address matters relating to the resumption of the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), in consultation with an international Swiss-based law firm. During the meeting, it was clarified that this responsibility lies with the Chair of the AGM, Graham Symons, who indicated he is considering an online format for the continuation. He will wait for the decision of the ITTF Tribunal before confirming the date and modality. In recent weeks, the ITTF Tribunal appointed a Hearing Panel. The hearing will take place later this month, with a decision expected once the panel has deliberated. The patience and support of Member Associations during this process are greatly appreciated. For further reference, Division 2 of the ITTF Tribunal Regulations provides details on the stages of this procedure. A Brilliant Summer for Table Tennis Besides these governance matters, ITTF has maintained business continuity and strong momentum. The past months have demonstrated our capacity to deliver: The ITTF remains committed to delivering on the objectives of its Strategic Plan while ensuring the smooth delivery of day-to-day operations. ITTF is confident that, by working together, we will overcome the remaining challenges and continue to grow table tennis worldwide. Expanding on the brilliant Summer for Table Tennis.
2025 JOOLA Europe Youth Series – Riga Open Kicks Off
The 2025 JOOLA EYS Riga Open officially began today at the Sport Hall of O. Kalpaks Riga Folk-Art Primary School, bringing together Europe’s most promising young talents in the U13 and U15 categories Across five days of competition (August 20–24), players will contest singles, doubles, and mixed events, with the first day dedicated to the group stages of the U15 and U13 mixed doubles The seeding highlights some of Europe’s brightest prospects: Spain’s Alexander MALOV, Slovakia’s Barbora Melisa GUASSARDO), lead their respective lists, as well as Sweden’s Joel ISAKSSON, and Switzerland’s Enya HU. With 12 competition tables and a packed schedule, Riga is set to host thrilling battles as rising stars fight for glory and ranking points in the JOOLA European Youth Series.
Elections for ETTU Athletes’ Commission Members to Take Place in 2025
The ETTU Athletes’ Commission, which serves as the official voice of athletes within European table tennis, will see five new members elected in 2025. The Commission plays a key role in representing player interests and ensuring their perspectives are included in decision-making processes across the sport. This year’s elections will fill four positions for able-bodied athletes and one position for a para table tennis athlete. Able-Bodied Athlete Elections – 4 Positions Voting will be open to all athletes participating in the 2025 European Championships. The top male and top female vote-getters will automatically be elected. The remaining two positions will go to the next highest-voted athletes, regardless of gender. To ensure fair representation, no more than one athlete per country can be elected. Para Athlete Election – 1 Position The para-athlete representative will be elected during the 2025 European Para Championships in Helsingborg. Voting will be conducted in person at the competition venue. The candidate with the highest number of votes will secure the position. Able-Bodied Athlete Candidates Para Table Tennis Athlete Candidates The ETTU has published a dedicated document containing photos, background details, and personal statements from all candidates, allowing voters to learn more about their prospective representatives before making their choice. These elections are a significant opportunity for European table tennis players to shape the future of their sport by selecting representatives who will advocate for their needs, rights, and ambitions.
Tjejfestivalen 2025 – Sweden’s Biggest TT Festival for Women and Girls Concludes in Halmstad
Halmstad was the vibrant stage for the third edition of PING PONG POWER’s “Tjejraketen” National Festival, held from 8 to 12 August 2025, once again confirming its status as Sweden’s largest table tennis festival for girls and women. Organised by the Swedish Table Tennis Association, the event brought together 165 participants aged from just 7 to 79, supported by 20 coaches – 17 of them women. Over five days of training, competition, and social activities, matches were played on 87 tables across three halls, creating an inspiring celebration of female participation in table tennis. ETTU Deputy Secretary General Galia Dvorak attended the festival and spoke with great enthusiasm: “I had heard a lot about Tjejfestivalen, but it’s something you must experience yourself. I’ve never been to an event with so many women, let alone in table tennis. This initiative is truly inspiring, and I look forward to exploring ways to internationalise it or replicate it elsewhere in Europe.” With 80 tables across three halls at Halmstad Arena, the festival created a dynamic and inclusive environment, staying true to its vision – “Together We Are Stronger”. Participants also enjoyed accommodation at Profil Hotels Halmstad Plaza, with a full programme designed to combine sporting development with community spirit. Head of Female Development at the Swedish Table Tennis Association and National Team Coach for U15 Girls, Maria Christoforaki, reflected on the conclusion of the event: “Another successful festival is now part of history — by making history! It’s unbelievable to see this initiative grow year by year. The happiness, laughter, and enthusiasm it brings to hundreds of people, both players and coaches, is the greatest reward I could ask for, and it motivates me to give my very best to develop female table tennis in Sweden. Table tennis knows no age or level — it is both a sport and a game. It brings people together… and together we are stronger!” Tjejfestivalen 2025 not only celebrated table tennis but also emphasised the importance of joy, cooperation, and respect in sport.
