The quarterfinal line-up is set in the Under 15 Boys Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar. Top seeds Spain will face third seeds Germany, eighth seeds France meet fifth seeds Czechia, ninth seeds Romania take on fourth seeds Poland, while Sweden will play Türkiye for the remaining semifinal place. Top seeds Spain progressed with a 3-1 victory over 15th seeds Italy. Ladimir MAYOROV gave Spain the opening point with a four-game victory over Tommaso SIMI, controlling the first two games before holding his nerve to close out the fourth 12-10. Italy responded through Pietro CAMPAGNA, who produced a commanding straight-games victory over Alexander MALOV, edging the third game 12-10 to level the tie. Spain regained the advantage in the doubles as Marcos GOMEZ and MAYOROV defeated CAMPAGNA and SIMI in straight games, winning each game 11-7. MAYOROV then returned to complete the job, beating CAMPAGNA in straight games to send Spain into the last eight. Eighth seeds France also enjoyed a comfortable passage, sweeping 23rd seeds Israel 3-0. The opening singles proved the closest contest of the tie as Nolan JOHNSTON recovered from losing the first game to defeat Nir ENGLER in four. Noah TESSIER then comfortably overcame Maor NICHANEVICH before TESSIER and Quentin SANDONA dominated the doubles, allowing their Israeli opponents just 15 points to book a quarterfinal meeting with Czechia. Fifth seeds Czechia advanced with a convincing 3-0 victory over 11th seeds Ukraine. Ondrej MORAVEK edged Mark VORONOI in three competitive games before Oliver OLEJNIK defeated David DROBOV in straight games after surviving a tight opening game 13-11. MORAVEK and OLEJNIK then completed the sweep with a straight-games doubles victory over Ivan BUR and VORONOI. Third seeds Germany also progressed in straight matches, defeating 18th seeds Slovakia 3-0. Lukas WANG overcame Filip NAGY in four games before Tien Nghia PHONG produced a dominant straight-games victory over Rastislav SVEC, conceding only 18 points. Slovakia offered much stronger resistance in the doubles, but WANG and PHONG prevailed 11-6 in the deciding game to complete the sweep. Ninth seeds Romania produced one of the biggest upsets of the Round of 16, eliminating seventh seeds Austria 3-1. Louis FEGERL gave Austria the lead with a straight-games victory over Tudor SAFTOIU, but David TORO responded by defeating Sung Bing CHEN in four games. The turning point came in the doubles. FEGERL and CHEN raced into a two-game lead before TORO and SAFTOIU staged a superb comeback, conceding just seven points across the next two games before taking the decider 11-8. TORO then completed Romania’s comeback with an emphatic straight-games victory over FEGERL. Fourth seeds Poland also had to recover from behind before defeating 21st seeds Bulgaria 3-2. Miroslav SCHMIDT gave Bulgaria the opening point by edging Jakub TURECKI in five games. Hubert KWIECINSKI restored parity with a four-game win over Stefan BONCHEV, but Bulgaria moved back in front after SCHMIDT and BONCHEV claimed the doubles. KWIECINSKI forced a deciding match with a straight-games victory over SCHMIDT before TURECKI completed Poland’s comeback, recovering twice against BONCHEV to prevail 11-6 in the deciding game. Sweden booked their quarterfinal place after edging Azerbaijan 3-2. Onur GULUZADE defeated Joel ISAKSSON in five games to put Azerbaijan ahead, but Emil ELLERMANN levelled the tie with a dominant straight-games victory over Ruslan KARIMOV. ELLERMANN and Erik KOGERFELT then gave Sweden the lead with a four-game doubles victory. GULUZADE forced a deciding match by overcoming ELLERMANN, but ISAKSSON secured Sweden’s place in the quarterfinals with a commanding straight-games victory over KARIMOV. Sweden’s coach Sebastian LUNDHAL praised his team’s collective effort. “I think it was a very good performance. We worked together as a team and that made the difference. The doubles were definitely crucial. We also know we can challenge the number one players from other teams. We came close in both of those matches, but our doubles are very strong. We don’t rely on one outstanding player. Instead, we have three players at a similar level and teamwork is our biggest strength.” ELLERMANN was pleased with both his own display and the team’s approach. “I think it was a good performance. I won my first match quite comfortably, but in the second I started well before my opponent found his rhythm after a very close second game. From then on he played at a really high level and it became much more difficult. As a team, everyone gave their best. We fought for every point, especially in the key moments, and stayed together throughout the match. We feel comfortable here, we’re playing well, and it doesn’t matter who we face next. We’ll just play our game.” Türkiye completed the quarterfinal line-up after fighting back to defeat England 3-2. Görkem OCAL opened with a dominant straight-games victory over Dimitar DIMITROV, but Pablo RAMIREZ RIOJA edged Emre BUCAK in five games to level the tie. England moved ahead by winning a dramatic doubles contest, with Oscar NIKOLLI and RAMIREZ RIOJA overcoming OCAL and Ali Enes SEREN 14-12 in the deciding game after the Turkish pair had forced a fifth. OCAL once again proved decisive, producing another commanding straight-games victory over RAMIREZ RIOJA before BUCAK defeated DIMITROV in straight games to complete Türkiye’s comeback and secure a place in the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinal line-up is complete in the Under 19 Boys Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar. Top seeds France will face sixth seeds Italy, second seeds Poland meet fifth seeds Sweden, third seeds Slovakia take on Spain, while Austria and Romania will battle for the remaining semifinal place. Top seeds France justified their status with a commanding 3-0 victory over 12th seeds Switzerland. Nathan LAM set the tone by defeating Noe KEUSCH in straight games, allowing his opponent just 14 points. Nathan PILARD then doubled the advantage with another dominant display, overcoming Lowis VOGLER 11-7, 11-5, 11-3. The closest contest came in the third singles, where Antoine NOIRAULT had to save game points before edging Severin SCHERER 13-11 in the opener. After surviving that early scare, NOIRAULT took full control, winning the next two games 11-7, 11-7 to complete France’s convincing victory. Fifth seeds Sweden also advanced with a 3-0 win over 18th seeds Bulgaria. Noa DAHLSTROM opened with a four-game victory over Stefan DIMITROV before Adam WALLIN defeated Yoan VELICHKOV in three closely contested games. William BERGENBLOCK wrapped up the tie with a dominant straight-games success over Daniel DIMITROV, conceding just 12 points. BERGENBLOCK praised the collective effort: “Everyone gave their best and played very well. We fought for every point, especially in the crucial moments, and we did it together as a team. We focused on playing our own game and stayed united throughout the match.” Looking ahead to the quarterfinal against Poland, he remained composed. “We’ll just play our game and see how it goes.” Second seeds Poland were pushed to the limit before defeating 19th seeds Denmark 3-0, with every singles match going the full five games. Samuel MICHNA recovered twice from behind to overcome Dominykas SAMUOLIS before Marcel BLASZCZYK produced an even more remarkable comeback, rallying from 0-2 down against Johan HAVSTEEN and edging the deciding game 14-12. Mateusz SAKOWICZ completed the sweep in similar fashion, recovering twice against Adam NOTTELMANN before dominating the deciding game . BLASZCZYK credited Poland’s mentality for the victory. “It was a very close match and we knew Denmark had very strong players. The biggest difference was our mentality. Everyone came under pressure during their matches, but we stayed focused, trusted our tactics and kept believing. In the end we managed to win, so we’re very happy.” He also explained how Poland approached the physical challenge posed by their opponents. “Their height definitely made a difference. When you’re a bit smaller it’s easier to move around the table, while taller players have to move their whole body and have less space close to the table. Our plan was to push the ball deep and, when they stayed close to the table, block deep to the forehand. We felt that was the best way to put them under pressure.” Third seeds Slovakia defeated 14th seeds Belgium 3-1 to secure their place in the last eight. Samuel ARPAS gave Slovakia the perfect start with a straight-games victory over Charles JANSSENS, but Belgium responded as Per GEVERS edged Damian FLORO in five games. Pavol KOKAVEC restored Slovakia’s advantage with a convincing win over Maxime DEGIVE, before ARPAS returned to defeat GEVERS in another five-game battle, recovering after letting a two-game lead slip to take the decider 11-6. Sixth seeds Italy overcame eighth seeds Czechia 3-1. Francesco TREVISAN opened with a four-game victory over Jindrich MORAVEK, while Danilo FASO recovered from losing the first game to defeat Jan SKALDA in four. Jakub KABELKA kept Czechia alive by beating Jacopo CIPRIANO, but FASO completed the job in dramatic fashion. After trailing MORAVEK by two games, he fought back to win the next three, dominating the decider 11-5. Spain progressed with a 3-1 victory over Hungary. Francesc CARRERA recovered after losing the opening game to Balazs LEI, while Botond VARGA levelled the tie by defeating Luca KHIDASHELI. Dario SALCEDO restored Spain’s lead with a dominant straight-games victory over Mark GERGELY, before KHIDASHELI returned to overcome LEI in four games and seal Spain’s place in the quarterfinals. Austria recovered from an early setback to eliminate hosts Portugal 3-1. Tiago ABIODUN gave Portugal the lead by defeating Julian RZIHAUSCHEK, but Petr HODINA levelled the tie with a four-game victory over Guilherme CARDOSO. Tobias HOLD then put Austria ahead by overcoming Lourenço SARDINHA, before RZIHAUSCHEK secured qualification with a straight-games victory over CARDOSO, surviving a thrilling opening game 16-14. Romania completed the quarterfinal line-up with a 3-1 victory over England. Robert ISTRATE opened by defeating Abraham SELLADO in four games before Robert PODAR edged Max RADIVEN in a five-game battle to double Romania’s lead. Isaac KINGHAM kept England alive by beating Andrei TIBIRNA, but ISTRATE returned to finish the tie. After narrowly losing the second game 13-11 to RADIVEN, he responded by taking the next two games 11-9 and 11-8, sending Romania into the last eight.

The first eight places in the knockout stage of the Under 15 Girls Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar have been decided. Czechia, Spain, France and hosts Portugal topped their respective groups, while Croatia, Türkiye, Germany and Sweden joined them by finishing runners-up after a dramatic conclusion to the opening phase of the competition. op seeds Czechia completed a perfect Group A campaign, while Croatia claimed the second qualification place after edging Hungary in a dramatic final-round encounter. Czechia finished unbeaten with three victories from three matches. Croatia, Hungary and Belgium all ended on four points, with Croatia taking second place, Hungary third and Belgium fourth. Czechia wrapped up first place with a convincing 3-0 victory over Belgium. Laura MARSICKOVA survived a hard-fought five-game battle against Temperance TANG, prevailing 12-10 in the deciding game after twice trailing in the match. Adela BRHELOVA then comfortably defeated Amandine RIFFLART in straight games before BRHELOVA and MARSICKOVA completed the clean sweep with a four-game doubles victory. The battle for second place went all the way, with Croatia overcoming Hungary 3-2. Karla IVCIC gave Croatia the lead by defeating Borbala VASS in five games, but Zsófia FEGYVER levelled the tie after edging Lucija NOVAK in another deciding game. IVCIC and Sara RIVETTI restored Croatia’s advantage with a four-game doubles victory over FEGYVER and Izabell IVANICS. FEGYVER once again brought Hungary level by beating IVCIC in straight games, forcing a decisive fifth match, where NOVAK defeated VASS in straight games to send Croatia into the knockout stage. Czech coach Jakub MERTA was delighted with his team’s consistency throughout the group stage. “We were the highest-seeded team in the group, but we knew the group stage would be difficult. The opening match against Hungary was a very important step because it gave the team confidence. Our biggest strength was the balance across the whole squad. We didn’t lose a single singles match, which shows the players were in excellent form. I’m very satisfied with their performance.” Group B produced one of the closest finishes of the day. Spain edged Türkiye 3-2 in the decisive final-round encounter to finish first, while both teams progressed to the knockout stage. Poland and Italy both ended with one victory, but Poland claimed third place on countback. The decisive clash lived up to expectations. Ela Su YONTER gave Türkiye the perfect start with a commanding straight-games victory over Mireia PARAU, before Eloisa BARREDA levelled the tie by defeating Ceren KAHRAMAN in straight games. Türkiye regained the advantage in a dramatic doubles contest as YONTER and KAHRAMAN edged BARREDA and Esther HASEK in five games, recovering after letting a match point slip in the fourth game. Spain responded through BARREDA, who defeated YONTER in another five-game battle to force the decider. In the final match, PARAU held her nerve to overcome KAHRAMAN in five games and secure first place for Spain. Poland finished the group stage with a 3-2 victory over Italy. Matilde BUZZONI and Claudia BERTOLINI each won five-game battles to give Italy a 2-0 lead, defeating Aleksandra NAWROCKA and Lucja KOBOSZ respectively. Poland then mounted an impressive comeback. NAWROCKA and KOBOSZ reduced the deficit with a straight-games doubles victory before NAWROCKA defeated BERTOLINI in four games to level the tie. KOBOSZ completed the turnaround with a convincing straight-games victory over BUZZONI, but despite the win Poland narrowly missed out on qualification. France completed a perfect Group C campaign, while Germany secured the second qualification place after defeating Ukraine in the final round. The French team finished unbeaten with three victories from three matches. Germany claimed second place, while Israel finished third ahead of Ukraine. Germany confirmed qualification with a convincing 3-0 victory over Ukraine. Anna WALTER opened the tie with a straight-games win over Sofiia BOIKO, before Amelie Guzi JIA defeated Veronika PRYSHCHEPA in four games to double Germany’s advantage. Lotta ROTHFUSS and Chenhao CHEN then completed the clean sweep with a straight-games doubles victory over Mariia DROBOVA and Yuliia SLIESARENKO. France rounded off the group stage with a 3-1 victory over Israel. Chloé HUANG gave France the lead before Ofek NAHUSHI levelled the tie with a five-game victory over Lisa ZHAO. Zhao and Albane ROCHUT restored France’s advantage by defeating Gali BEZALEL and NAHUSHI in the doubles, before ZHAO returned to seal the victory with a commanding singles success over BEZALEL. Germany coach Jie SCHÖPP admitted France had justified their status as favourites. “The defeat against France didn’t come as a big surprise because we knew they were the favourites. What was really disappointing was that we lost the doubles match.” Hosts Portugal completed a defeat-free Group D campaign, while Sweden secured the second qualification place after defeating Greece in the final round. Sweden confirmed their place in the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory over Greece. Siri BENJEGARD gave the Swedish team the perfect start with a commanding straight-games victory over Anastasia MICHALAROU, before Nike LUNDQVIST doubled the advantage by defeating Elpida TASIOU in four games. Greece kept the tie alive through the doubles, as MICHALAROU and TASIOU overcame Alicia ENBOM and LUNDQVIST, but BENJEGARD returned to the table to seal Sweden’s qualification with another convincing straight-games victory. Portugal secured first place with a 3-1 victory over Romania in the decisive clash for the top of the group. Maria RUIVO put the hosts ahead by defeating Maya MADAR in four games, but Kariss SERBAN responded for Romania with a four-game victory over Irina SILVA. Portugal regained control in the doubles as RUIVO and SILVA defeated SERBAN and Nadalia IONASCU in four games before RUIVO produced another outstanding performance, overcoming SERBAN in straight games to complete Portugal’s perfect group campaign. Pedro OLIVEIRA: “It was a very emotional match because we knew it would decide whether we finished first in the group or had to go through the play-off. We were very strong in the service and receive phase and tried to attack every point aggressively. We knew our opponents were technically very strong, so that

The knockout stage picture in the Under 19 Girls Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar is now complete. France, Romania, Germany and Portugal all finished their group campaigns with perfect records to claim top spot, while Austria, Ukraine, Poland and Spain secured the remaining places in the main draw after a dramatic conclusion to the group stage. The race for the knockout stage intensified in the Under 19 Girls Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar, with France, Romania and Germany all completing flawless group campaigns. Austria, Ukraine and Poland joined them in the main draw after securing second place in their respective groups. France topped Group A with three victories from three matches, while Austria claimed the second qualification place after defeating Croatia in the decisive final-round encounter. Croatia finished third, with Serbia fourth. Austria booked their place in the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory over Croatia. Lana BENKO gave Croatia the ideal start by edging Nina SKERBINZ in a dramatic five-game contest. Mariia LYTVYN quickly restored parity with a four-game victory over Franka MISKIC, before Elina FUCHS put Austria ahead by defeating Neva GOJKOVIC, also in four games. SKERBINZ then returned to the table and produced a commanding straight-games victory over MISKIC to seal Austria’s qualification. France rounded off the group stage with another convincing performance, sweeping Serbia 3-0. Nina GUO ZHENG recovered after dropping the opening game to defeat Teodora GOJKOV in four games, before Jade HUYNH comfortably overcame Jelena BAJIC in straight games. Alexia NODIN then completed the clean sweep with a dominant straight-games victory over Maja VANJO. Romania also completed a perfect Group B campaign, while last year’s runners-up Ukraine claimed the second qualification place after defeating Belgium in the decisive final-round encounter. The second seeds wrapped up first place with a convincing 3-0 victory over Türkiye. Bianca MEI ROSU gave Romania the perfect start with a four-game victory over Aybuke SIMSEK, before Alesia Sofia SFERLEA doubled the advantage by defeating Busra DEMIR, also in four games. Andreea BAIASU then completed the clean sweep with a straight-games victory over Nil BASARAN. MEI ROSU was delighted with the way Romania concluded the group stage. “We knew this opponent, so we understood that we had to fight for every point, every game and every match. In the end, we are very happy that we managed to win quite comfortably.” Looking back over the tournament so far, the reigning European Under 21 champion admitted the opening tie against Ukraine had been the toughest challenge. “The first match against Ukraine was difficult because they changed their line-up, but we still managed to win. I think we have found a good team formula. This is the first junior year for some of the players, and this fresh start gives us a lot of confidence.” MEI ROSU also spoke about embracing the responsibility of leading the Romanian team. “I have enjoyed being the leader of the team for the past two years. I try to give confidence to my teammates so that they can play freely and express themselves. Away from the table, we also have a very good relationship.” The battle for second place went Ukraine’s way as Daria KOVALOVA and Veronika VASYLENKO guided last year’s finalists to a 3-1 victory over Belgium. Lilou MASSART claimed Belgium’s only point, but KOVALOVA returned to defeat MASSART in a hard-fought five-game contest and secure Ukraine’s place in the knockout stage. Germany completed campaign in Group C undefeated, while Poland secured the second qualification place after overcoming Slovakia in the final round. The sixth seeds finished with three victories from three matches, while Poland claimed second place with five points. Italy ended the group in third position ahead of Slovakia. Coach Lara BROICH pointed:”The match against Poland was balanced on a knife edge several times. Koharu got her revenge against BOGDANOWICZ after losing to her at the Under 21 European Championships. Lisa also had her chances, but she focused too much on one point and couldn’t close out the match. Lorena then produced a very disciplined performance to win her match and shift the momentum in our favour. After that, Koharu sealed the victory for us. It showed the strength of this team. Against Italy, we were then able to play with much more confidence and delivered a convincing performance.” Lorena MORSCH: “We’re really happy that we managed to beat Poland. We went into the match as underdogs, but our team spirit was fantastic and helped us pull it off. That victory gave us a lot of confidence, and we carried that momentum into our match against Italy.” Poland confirmed their place in the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory over Slovakia. Natalia BOGDANOWICZ put Poland ahead by defeating Nina DAROVCOVA in four games, before Zofia SLIWKA doubled the advantage with another four-game success against Emma MOLNAROVA. Sara HABAROVA kept Slovakia’s hopes alive by recovering from two games down to edge Karolina HOLDA in five games, but SLIWKA returned to defeat DAROVCOVA in four games and complete Poland’s qualification. Germany rounded off the group stage with another commanding 3-0 victory, this time against Italy. Lisa-Sophie WANG opened with a straight-games success over Sofia MINURRI, before Lorena MORSCH recovered after dropping the opening game to overcome Candela SANCHI in four games. Elisa NGUYEN then completed the clean sweep by defeating Irene MORETTI in four games, sealing Germany’s perfect record heading into the knockout stage. Group D provided the most dramatic finish of all. Spain completed its schedule early with a convincing 3-0 victory over Hungary and was then forced to wait for the outcome of the Portugal–Bulgaria clash to discover whether it would finish first or second. In the end, hosts Portugal held their nerve to edge Bulgaria 3-2 and complete a perfect group campaign, leaving Spain to qualify in second place. Spain swept Hungary without dropping a game. Maria BERZOSA defeated Nora DOHOCZKI, Camila MOSCOSO overcame Johanna PETERY, and Renata SHYPSHA completed the clean sweep with

The opening ceremony of the 2026 European Youth Championships was held in Gondomar, marking the official start of one of the most important events on the European table tennis calendar. European Table Tennis Union President Pedro MOURA welcomed all participants to Gondomar and expressed his gratitude to the institutions and individuals involved in staging the Championships. The ceremony brought together athletes, coaches, officials and distinguished guests, including President of the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation Fernando MALHEIRO, Councillor for Sport, Municipality of Gondomar José Fernando MOREIRA, Secretary of State for Sport Pedro DIAS and Regional Delegate of the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth Vítor DIAS . “It is a great honour and pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 European Youth Championships here in the wonderful city of Gondomar,” said President MOURA. “On behalf of the European Table Tennis Union, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Portuguese Government, the Municipality of Gondomar, the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation, our partners, volunteers, officials and everyone whose dedication has made this Championship possible.” President MOURA emphasised that the European Youth Championships represent much more than the pursuit of sporting success. “This event is about much more than medals. It is about bringing together the next generation of European table tennis, inspiring excellence, building friendships across borders and promoting the values of respect, fair play and unity through sport.” He also praised Portugal’s continued commitment to organising major international table tennis events. “Portugal once again demonstrates its outstanding commitment and ability to host major international events, and I am confident that Gondomar will provide an unforgettable experience for everyone taking part.” Addressing the young players directly, President MOURA encouraged them to embrace the occasion and enjoy every moment of the competition. “To all our young athletes: compete with passion, respect your opponents, enjoy every moment and make memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. I wish you all an excellent Championship.” The ceremony officially opened the Championships and set the stage for several days of competition featuring Europe’s leading young table tennis players. Secretary of State for Sport Pedro DIAS welcomed all participating nations to Gondomar, describing the Championships as one of Europe’s most important youth sporting events and a source of great pride for Portugal. “It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Gondomar for the 2026 European Youth Table Tennis Championships. Portugal is proud to host one of Europe’s most important youth sporting events. Over the coming days, Gondomar will welcome Europe’s most promising young table tennis players, competing with passion, respect and team spirit. Your presence honours Portugal and enriches this Championship. I would also like to send a special message of encouragement to the Portuguese team, proudly representing our country. May every delegation enjoy an unforgettable experience in Portugal. I hope these Championships become much more than a competition, inspiring personal growth, friendship, cultural exchange and fair play. I wish every athlete, coach and delegation a memorable stay in Portugal, and I hope Gondomar becomes a place of friendship, unforgettable experiences and sporting excellence.” President of the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation Fernando MALHEIRO thanked everyone involved in bringing the event to Portugal and underlined the values at the heart of the Championships. “This event is an opportunity to demonstrate our organisational excellence and to celebrate the values that unite our sport, respect, friendship, fair play and sporting excellence. I warmly invite all table tennis fans to join us throughout the Championships. Your support will help create a memorable atmosphere and inspire our young athletes. On behalf of the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation, I wish every participant an excellent Championship.” Councillor for Sport of the Municipality of Gondomar José Fernando MOREIRA highlighted the significance of hosting athletes from across Europe and the lasting legacy the event will leave for the city. “Hosting these European Championships is a moment of great pride for Gondomar and for Portugal. It reflects the quality of our sports facilities, the dedication of our partners and our long-standing commitment to sport and major international events. With athletes, coaches and delegations from 44 European countries, Gondomar once again becomes a place of sport, friendship and international cooperation. These Championships are about much more than medals. They celebrate the values that unite us, respect, friendship, determination, equal opportunities, team spirit and fair play. To all the athletes, enjoy every moment, challenge yourselves, honour the values of sport and grow both as players and as people. I hope everyone visiting Gondomar feels at home and leaves with the image of a welcoming city that is passionate about sport. I am confident these Championships will leave a lasting legacy, inspire future generations and further strengthen Gondomar’s position as a leading destination for major sporting events.”

The half of the knockout stage lineup in the Under 19 Boys Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar was completed after the final round of group matches. Top seeds France and Sweden maintained perfect records to finish first in their respective groups, ninth seeds Romania continued their remarkable run by topping Group B ahead of higher-ranked Poland and Czechia, while Italy secured qualification in a decisive battle with Portugal. France completed Group A with three victories from three matches to finish on six points. Austria joined the top seeds in the knockout stage after edging Hungary for second place, while Norway finished fourth. France rounded off the group phase with a commanding 3-0 victory over Norway. Nathan LAM opened with a straight-games win over Mathias HALVORSEN, before Nathan PILARD overcame Khai Noah LAM in three closely contested games. Nathan DOUSSINET then completed the sweep by defeating Filip DAGSLETT in straight games. France completed Group A with three victories from three matches. Austria joined the top seeds in the knockout stage after edging Hungary for second place, while Norway finished fourth. France rounded off the group phase with a commanding 3-0 victory over Norway. Nathan LAM opened with a straight-games win over Mathias HALVORSEN, before Nathan PILARD overcame Khai Noah LAM in three closely contested games. Nathan DOUSSINET then completed the sweep by defeating Filip DAGSLETT in straight games. French coach Alice JONEAU explained that the changes to her line-up throughout the group stage were never tactical. “It wasn’t about strategy. We wanted every player to have the opportunity to play, and that was the main reason for changing the line-up from match to match. I’m very happy with the way the team has played. The players are confident, they’re performing well, and we feel ready for what’s coming next.” Nathan LAM admitted France had expected a demanding encounter against Norway. “We knew it would be a tough match because their first player is very good, but we managed to perform well and win 3-0, which was exactly the result we wanted.” LAM also reflected on his dramatic five-game defeat to Austria’s Julian RZIHAUSCHEK, revealing what made the encounter so difficult. “His serve and third-ball attack caused me a lot of problems. The last two games were extremely close, but I couldn’t find the right solutions at the key moments.” Despite that individual setback, France still secured the team victory, something LAM believes highlights the squad’s strength. “It shows the strength of our team. NOIRAULT and PILARD played really well and won their matches, so we were able to secure the overall victory. We have a great team spirit, we’re playing well, we feel confident and we’re ready for the knockout stage.” Group B produced one of the biggest stories of the tournament so far. Ninth seeds Romania topped the group with a perfect record, defeating both second seeds Poland and eighth seeds Czechia to qualify for the knockout stage. Poland also progressed after finishing second. Romania completed their outstanding group campaign with a 3-1 victory over Czechia. Jindrich MORAVEK gave the eighth seeds the ideal start by defeating Robert PODAR in straight games, but Robert ISTRATE levelled the tie with a commanding victory over Jan SKALDA. Andrei TIBIRNA then edged Martin VAIGL in a five-game battle before ISTRATE secured first place in the group, recovering after surrendering a two-game lead to defeat MORAVEK in the deciding game. Poland booked their place in the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory over Belgium. Marcel BLASZCZYK opened with a straight-games win over Per GEVERS, surviving two deuce games. Charles JANSSENS levelled the tie by defeating Samuel MICHNA in five games, but Mateusz SAKOWICZ restored Poland’s advantage with a dominant victory over Jamie EILING. MICHNA then overcame GEVERS in another five-game contest to complete the win. Group C went down to the final round before Slovakia and Italy emerged as the two qualifiers. Both teams finished with two wins and one defeat, with Slovakia claiming first place courtesy of their head-to-head victory over Italy. Italy secured qualification with a 3-1 victory over Portugal. Tiago ABIODUN edged Danilo FASO in five games to give Portugal an early lead, but Francesco TREVISAN restored parity with a straight-games victory over Lourenço SARDINHA. Jacopo CIPRIANO then battled past Carlos GONCALVES in five games before FASO recovered from his opening defeat to beat SARDINHA in another deciding game and send Italy through. Italian coach Romualdo MANNA stressed the importance of the victory. “It was a very difficult match and it was extremely important for us to win because otherwise we would have finished third. Danilo FASO lost a very close match against Tiago ABIODUN. It was a great contest and both players performed at a very high level. In the end, I think Danilo became just a little cautious, and against a player as strong as Tiago, if you give him an opportunity, he will take it.” MANNA revealed that tactical adjustments before CIPRIANO’s match proved decisive. “We changed a few tactical things before his match. At first it looked as though it would be straightforward, but it became very difficult. I was really happy because Francesco stayed focused throughout the match and played an excellent deciding game.” Looking back at the group stage, MANNA was satisfied with his team’s response. “It was a very difficult group. Against Slovakia we also had a good chance, but we missed a few important points at the end. Even against Israel, although the score was 3-0, it wasn’t an easy match because they played well. Overall, I’m happy with the way my players performed, and now we’ve reached the knockout stage.” FASO was equally pleased to see Italy progress despite his opening defeat. “It was a really good match. I think I played well and produced a high-level performance. In the deciding game I was leading 6-5, so I had a real chance to win. But that’s table tennis—sometimes these things happen.” He admitted ABIODUN’s serve proved decisive.

The second round of the Under 15 Girls Teams event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar produced a series of closely contested encounters, with Spain and hosts Portugal both emerging victorious after dramatic 3-2 battles. Top seeds Czechia maintained their winning start, while Germany, France, Romania and Türkiye all recorded convincing victories. In Group A, top seeds Czechia defeated Hungary 3-1 after prevailing in two dramatic five-game encounters. Adela BARTOVA recovered from 2-1 down to overcome Zsófia FEGYVER in the opening match, before Adela BRHELOVA doubled Czechia’s lead with a four-game victory over Borbala VASS. Hungary reduced the deficit through FEGYVER and Izabell IVANICS, who edged Laura MARSICKOVA and BRHELOVA in a five-game doubles contest. BRHELOVA, however, returned to secure the tie, defeating FEGYVER in another hard-fought five-game battle. Belgium also made it two wins from two, defeating Croatia 3-1. Karla IVCIC gave Croatia the perfect start with a convincing straight-games victory over Amandine RIFFLART, but Temperance TANG levelled the tie by overcoming Lucija NOVAK in four games. TANG and RIFFLART then defeated IVCIC and Sara RIVETTI in a hard-fought five-game doubles match before TANG completed Belgium’s comeback with a straight-games victory over IVCIC. In Group B, Spain edged Poland 3-2 in one of the most dramatic ties of the round. Aleksandra NAWROCKA gave Poland the lead with a convincing straight-games victory over Esther HASEK, but Eloisa BARREDA battled past Lena PUZIO in five games to level the tie. Poland regained the advantage as NAWROCKA and Lucja KOBOSZ defeated HASEK and BARREDA in four games in the doubles. BARREDA then kept Spain alive with a four-game victory over NAWROCKA before HASEK sealed the comeback by defeating PUZIO in four games. Türkiye also made a winning start, defeating Italy 3-0 despite two closely contested singles. Elvin KALE recovered from two games down to overcome Claudia BERTOLINI in five games, before Ela Su YONTER defeated Matilde BUZZONI in four games to double Türkiye’s advantage. Ceren KAHRAMAN and YONTER then completed the clean sweep by beating BERTOLINI and Alice BORSANI in four games. In Group C, Germany recorded a 3-0 victory over Israel, although the opening two singles were far more competitive than the final score suggested. Amelie Guzi JIA overcame Ofek NAHUSHI in straight games, surviving two tense games that both finished 15-13. Anna WALTER then battled past Gali BEZALEL in five games before WALTER and JIA combined to defeat BEZALEL and NAHUSHI in straight games to complete the clean sweep. France also impressed, sweeping Ukraine 3-0. Lisa ZHAO set the tone with a commanding victory over Veronika PRYSHCHEPA, while Albane ROCHUT overcame Mariia DROBOVA in straight games, edging a close second game 13-11. Eva LAM and ROCHUT then wrapped up the tie with a comfortable doubles victory over Yuliia SLIESARENKO and Sofiia BOIKO. In Group D, hosts Portugal edged Sweden 3-2 in another thrilling contest. Nike LUNDQVIST gave Sweden the lead by defeating Irina SILVA in five games, but Maria RUIVO responded with a straight-games victory over Siri BENJEGARD. SILVA and RUIVO then put Portugal ahead by defeating LUNDQVIST and BENJEGARD in four games. BENJEGARD levelled the tie with a straight-games victory over SILVA, winning a thrilling opening game 18-16, before RUIVO sealed Portugal’s victory with a convincing straight-games success against LUNDQVIST. Romania also enjoyed a convincing start, defeating Greece 3-0. Maya MADAR recovered after dropping the second game to overcome Anastasia MICHALAROU in four games, before Kariss SERBAN comfortably defeated Anthi TOULIA in straight games. SERBAN and Nadalia IONASCU then completed the sweep by recovering from two games down to beat Elpida TASIOU and MICHALAROU in a dramatic five-game doubles encounter.

The Under 19 Girls Teams event got underway at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar with all four groups in action. Second seeds Romania produced the day’s most dramatic comeback by recovering from 2-1 down to defeat last year’s runners-up Ukraine, while top seeds France, Poland, Germany and Spain all opened their campaigns with convincing victories. Top seeds France began their title bid with a commanding 3-0 victory over 12th seeds Croatia. Alexia NODIN was tested by Leeloo HAN VUKELJA, but recovered after dropping the third game to claim the opening point in four games. Leana HOCHART then dominated Franka MISKIC, conceding just 14 points, before Jade HUYNH completed the clean sweep with a straight-games victory over Lana BENKO. Austria also enjoyed a comfortable start, defeating Serbia 3-0. Nina SKERBINZ overcame Maja VANJO in straight games, while Elina FUCHS defeated Teodora GOJKOV in four games after briefly being pegged back in the second. Mariia LYTVYN then sealed Austria’s victory with a convincing straight-games success over Sladana KNEZEVIC. In Group B, second seeds Romania had to come from behind to overcome last year’s runners-up and 10th seeds Ukraine 3-2. Fresh from the Under 21 European title, Bianca MEI ROSU gave Romania the perfect start with a straight-games victory over Tetiana PUKALO, but Daria KOVALOVA and Olha PONKO responded with consecutive straight-games wins over Alesia Sofia SFERLEA and Patricia STOICA to put Ukraine within one point of victory. MEI ROSU kept Romania alive with another commanding straight-games success, this time against KOVALOVA, before SFERLEA defeated PUKALO in three games to complete Romania’s comeback. Eighth seeds Belgium also opened their campaign with a 3-1 victory over 16th seeds Türkiye. Kathe DE MEYER recovered from the loss of the opening game to defeat Busra DEMIR in four games and put Belgium ahead. Aybuke SIMSEK levelled the tie for Türkiye with a four-game victory over Lilou MASSART, but Lotte NUYTTENS restored Belgium’s advantage by overcoming Nil BASARAN in four games. MASSART then wrapped up the victory with a straight-games win over DEMIR. In Group C, third seeds Poland recorded a convincing 3-0 victory over 11th seeds Italy, although the second singles proved far closer than the scoreline suggested. Natalia BOGDANOWICZ recovered after dropping the opening game to defeat Manon LOTH in four games and give Poland the lead. Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA then survived a five-game battle against Sofia MINURRI, regaining control in the decider after Italy had recovered from two games down. Karolina HOLDA completed the sweep by overcoming Francesca SEU in four games. Fourth seeds Germany were equally impressive, allowing Slovakia just 40 points across three matches in a commanding 3-0 victory. Lorena MORSCH set the tone with a straight-games win over Vanda VANISOVA, before Koharu ITAGAKI overwhelmed Emma MOLNAROVA, conceding only 14 points. Lisa-Sophie WANG completed the clean sweep with another dominant straight-games victory over Sara HABAROVA. In Group D, Portugal opened with a 3-1 victory over Hungary. Mariana SANTA COMBA gave Portugal the lead with a straight-games win over Judit NAGY, before Julia LEAL doubled the advantage by defeating Rebeka NAGY, also in three games. Hungary stayed in contention through Nora DOHOCZKI, who edged Beatriz PINTO in a five-game battle. LEAL returned to the table to overcome Judit NAGY in straight games and secure Portugal’s victory. Spain also made a strong start, defeating Bulgaria 3-0. Maria BERZOSA opened with a straight-games victory over Nina NIKOLOVA, while Camila MOSCOSO survived a tense opening game against Sidelya MUTLU before taking control of the match. Irina GIMENO FONT then completed the sweep by edging Anita PETKOVA 13-11 in the deciding game of a dramatic five-game encounter.

The Under 19 Boys Team Event at the European Youth Championships in Gondomar opened with thrilling contests across all groups, highlighted by ninth seeds Romania upsetting second seeds Poland 3-2. Top seeds France survived a major scare against Austria, while Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Italy, Spain and Sweden all opened their campaigns with victories. Top seeds France were given a stern examination by 11th seeds Austria before emerging with a 3-2 victory in their opening Group A match. Nathan LAM edged Petr HODINA in four games to put France ahead, but Julian RZIHAUSCHEK responded with a four-game victory over Antoine NOIRAULT to level the tie. Nathan PILARD restored France’s advantage with a convincing straight-games win against Patrick SKERBINZ. Austria fought back once more as RZIHAUSCHEK held his nerve in a dramatic fourth game before defeating LAM 19-17 in the decider to force the fifth match. NOIRAULT then secured victory for the top seeds, overcoming HODINA in four games. Seventh seeds Hungary opened with a 3-0 victory over 13th seeds Norway, although the scoreline did not fully reflect the battle. Botond VARGA survived a thrilling five-game encounter against Noah Khai LAM, recovering from deficits twice before pulling away in the deciding game. Balazs LEI doubled Hungary’s advantage with a straight-games victory over Jonas FROSETH, before Mark GERGELY wrapped up the tie by defeating Mathias HALVORSEN in four games. Group B produced the opening day’s biggest surprise as ninth seeds Romania stunned second seeds Poland 3-2. Robert ISTRATE recovered from two games down to defeat Samuel MICHNA and give Romania the perfect start, but Marcel BLASZCZYK responded with a straight-games victory over Robert PODAR to level the tie. Andrei TIBIRNA restored Romania’s advantage by overcoming Patryk ZYWORONEK in four games, before BLASZCZYK edged ISTRATE in a dramatic five-game encounter to force the decider. PODAR then completed the upset, recovering from a two-game deficit to beat MICHNA in five games and seal a memorable victory for Romania. Eighth seeds Czechia also opened their campaign in impressive fashion, defeating Belgium 3-0. Jindrich MORAVEK overcame Per GEVERS in four games before Jan SKALDA beat Charles JANSSENS by the same margin to put Czechia firmly in control. Jakub KABELKA then completed the clean sweep with a straight-games victory over Maxime DEGIVE. In Group C, third seeds Slovakia overcame 10th seeds Portugal 3-2 in one of the most entertaining ties of the opening round. Tiago ABIODUN gave the hosts the perfect start with a commanding straight-games victory over Pavol KOKAVEC, but Samuel ARPAS quickly levelled the match by defeating Dinis YE in straight games. Damian FLORO then put Slovakia ahead with another convincing victory, beating Carlos GONCALVES in three games. ABIODUN kept Portugal’s hopes alive by overcoming ARPAS in four games, but KOKAVEC responded superbly in the deciding match, defeating YE in straight games to seal the victory for Slovakia. “I am happy that I managed to recover after the opening match defeat against ABIODUN and to play at a really high level. I overcame the stress by telling myself that it was not the end of the world. It was only the group stage and there was still room to recover from the defeat,” said KOKAVEC. Italy also made a winning start in Group C, defeating Israel 3-0. Francesco TREVISAN recovered after losing the opening game to overcome Natanel ABRAMOV in four games, before Danilo FASO produced a remarkable comeback against Or MAGEN. Trailing by two games, FASO fought back to win the next three, including a tense fourth game 12-10, to double Italy’s advantage. Giacomo IZZO then completed the clean sweep with a straight-games victory over Yali MOR, edging the third game 14-12. In Group D, fourth seeds Spain recovered from an opening-match defeat to overcome Switzerland 3-1. Noe KEUSCH gave the Swiss the perfect start with a four-game victory over Francesc CARRERA, but Luca KHIDASHELI responded emphatically, defeating Lowis VOGLER in straight games. Dario SALCEDO then edged Levi ULRICH in a dramatic five-game contest to put Spain ahead before KHIDASHELI completed the comeback with a straight-games victory over KEUSCH. Sweden also made an impressive start, defeating England 3-0 despite two fiercely contested encounters. Noa DAHLSTROM put Sweden ahead with a four-game victory over Abraham SELLADO, while Adam WALLIN battled past Max RADIVEN in five games after twice surrendering the lead. William BERGENBLOCK then sealed the tie, overcoming Isaac KINGHAM in another five-game thriller to complete Sweden’s clean sweep.