After lifting their trophies at the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup, Alexis LEBRUN and Sabine WINTER marked their triumph with a brave winter jump into Lake Geneva. The two champions shared a quick celebratory dip in the cold water, turning their success in Montreux into a fun and memorable post-final moment.

Alexis LEBRUN of France successfully defended his title at the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in Montreux, overcoming Darko JORGIC of Slovenia in the final. The semifinalists were Germany’s Benedikt DUDA and France’s Félix LEBRUN. Darko JORGIC – Alexis LEBRUN 1–3 (6–11, 6–11, 11–9, 6–11) Playing his third Europe Top 16 Cup, LEBRUN delivered a composed and high-quality performance to retain the crown. “I think I delivered an extraordinary performance, so I’m really happy. I feel great in this tournament. My whole family is here, my girlfriend is here supporting me as well, so honestly it’s just amazing to be here with all my loved ones and to perform, to play at this level. I’m really happy. In the third game there was a bit more tension. Darko played better then. Yes, there was a bit of fear of winning for sure. I held back a little more on my shots and he caused me some problems by varying his serve, but I managed to recover well in the next set, so I’m really pleased.” Asked about his plans after the victory, LEBRUN added: “We’re going to go to the lake with Sabine, then I’ll sign a few autographs, and after that we’ll enjoy ourselves. I think there’s a nice meal waiting for us at the hotel, so we’re going to make the most of it.” Reflecting on his semifinal performance, he said: “I think I played at a really top level. He was a bit below his best, it was one of his average days, and I managed to take advantage of that. I’m happy to win after a small series of defeats, it feels good.” On the evolution of his rivalry and head-to-head balance, LEBRUN explained: “Every match is different. We’re both still quite young and our games are evolving a lot, so for now every match is really different. I lost the last three times, so I don’t think I really have the upper hand. But today I had the solutions. Like I said, it was a slightly off day for him and a very good day for me. When it’s like that, I can take the advantage, but when we’re both having a good day, it’s always much closer.” Benedikt DUDA – Darko JORGIC 1-3 (7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 4-11) Three-time champion Darko JORGIC is competing in his seventh CCB Europe Top 16 Cup and has reached the final in five of his previous six appearances. For Benedikt DUDA, this marked only his second participation in the event, and the first time he managed to secure victories. In the semifinals, JORGIC defeated DUDA, who had remarked before the match that Darko plays in Montreux as if it were his “living room.” “I feel almost at home here and everyone was saying the same. However, I knew it was going to be extremely difficult. Still, from the very first point I felt I was in good form and exactly where I wanted to be,” said JORGIC. He added: “In January I lost 3–0 to Benedict in Doha. I had beaten him before, but I knew this would be a very demanding match because he has improved a lot. I had to work for every single point. In the second game I lost focus a bit and started playing his game, which didn’t suit me, but I quickly returned to my own rhythm.” Alexis LEBRUN – Felix LEBRUN 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-9) The clash between brothers Alexis and Felix LEBRUN ignited a fully packed Omnisports venue in Montreux. Spectators were treated to a fast, fierce and razor-sharp contest, packed with explosive rallies, lightning-quick exchanges and constant tactical adjustments. Every point was contested at high intensity, with both players pushing the pace and precision to the limit in a battle that rarely offered any breathing space. Technically, the two were evenly matched, showing outstanding touch and shot quality. The difference lay in the mental aspect: Alexis, backed by a stronger record at this level, appeared to handle the pressure more comfortably. After a commanding and composed performance, the victory went to the older brother, Alexis. Both LEBRUN brothers are making their third appearance at the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup. “We both warmed up separately, each on our own table, but still in a good atmosphere as usual. Playing against each other didn’t change our routines,” said Alexis after the match.

Crowned champion of the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup is Sabine WINTER. Last year’s qualifier arrived this season as the top seed and fully justified her status. In the final hurdle, WINTER overcame Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS in commanding fashion, while Jia Nan YUAN of France and Germany’s Ying HAN were stopped in the semifinals. Sabine WINTER – Bernadette SZOCS 3–0 (11–4, 11–4, 11–4) Sabine WINTER delivered an almost error-free performance to defeat Bernadette SZOCS. She becomes the first player to win a European title using anti-topspin rubber since John HILTON captured the European Championships crown in 1980. While that remained HILTON’s only European title, WINTER has already collected two European women’s doubles titles and additional gold medals with the German women’s team. This was WINTER’s fifth appearance at the Europe Top 16 Cup, having previously reached the semifinals on three occasions. “This victory means very, very much to me. Winning the Europe Top 16 Cup is the most important international title of my career – and I will definitely celebrate it properly.” WINTER admitted she did not feel nervous before the final, despite the weight of the occasion. Her recent head-to-head record against the Romanian had been clearly in her favour: “Even though the last matches went clearly my way, I was prepared for a completely new contest in the final, because a final has its own rules. I didn’t put myself under pressure and just played point by point, fortunately, she still hasn’t found a way to beat me.” Ying HAN – Sabine WINTER 0-3 (8-11, 5-11, 9-11) In a re-run of last year’s semifinal, top seed Sabine WINTER justified her seeding and ended Han YING’s remarkable run of 14 consecutive wins, recorded across the 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026 editions (she missed 2024 due to injury), one of the longest winning streaks in the history of the Top 12/16 Cup. It was only the second time Han YING has lost a match at the Europe Top 16 Cup. Her previous defeat came in 2018, when she was edged out by Margaryta PESOTSKA in a thrilling seven-game quarterfinal. “The match was closer than the result suggests. Ying came up with a new tactic at the beginning, but fortunately I was able to adjust to it. I played well and with a lot of patience. I’m happy to be in the final now and, of course, I want to win the title,” said WINTER. Bernadette SZOCS – Jia Nan YUAN 3-1 (9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5) Among this year’s semifinalists, Bernadette SZOCS boasts the longest record at the Europe Top 16 Cup, having been ever-present since 2015 and making her 12th appearance in the competition. She lifted the title in 2018, finished runner-up in 2019 and reached the semifinals in 2021, 2022 and 2024. By defeating Jia Nan YUAN, SZOCS returned to the Europe Top 16 final for the first time since 2019. After beating Li JIE to win the 2018 title and then losing the 2019 final to Petrissa SOLJA, she needed seven attempts to reach another final, falling in the semifinals on three occasions and exiting in the quarterfinals twice. To book her place in this year’s final, SZOCS overcame the 2024 champion Jia Nan YUAN after recovering from the loss of the opening game. “I was very disappointed after the first game because I had started really well. I was leading 7–3 but still lost it, and at 9–9 I had my serve. I didn’t make the best decisions after my serve, and that frustrated me because normally that’s a strong part of my game. This time it simply didn’t work in the opening game,” said SZOCS. “When I went to my coach, I told him I had made poor decisions. He explained what I needed to change, and I tried to apply his advice and adjust my tactics. From that moment on, especially after it became 1–1, everything worked incredibly well. I stayed very positive, focused on every single point and tried to give my best. I know that if I make easy mistakes, I can lose, so I had to stay concentrated on every ball, even when she was in front. It’s always difficult to play against YUAN, our matches are often very close, but I’m very proud of myself for managing to win and reach the final again. As the match went on, I felt more and more confident. My tactics were working well, so I kept following the plan. I also had a couple of alternative options ready in case I needed to change something. In the end, my strategy worked perfectly, and I’m really proud of the way I handled the match.”

The men’s semifinalists for the final day of the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup have been decided in Montreux. Darko JORGIC will take on Benedikt DUDA, while Félix LEBRUN meets Alexis LEBRUN in an all-French showdown for a place in the final.The fight for the top four positions in the men’s draw at the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup takes center stage on day three of action at the Omnisports venue in Montreux. All matches of the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup will be available live worldwide on ETTU.tv and YouTube ETTU official, except in the following countries and territories, where specific broadcast agreements apply and access is restricted (geo-blocked). In these regions, fans should follow the tournament exclusively on the official local broadcasters listed here. See the pictures by Remi GROS here. Felix LEBRUN – Anders LIND 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-5) Félix LEBRUN of France defeated Denmark’s Anders LIND in an almost exhibition-style performance, delighting the packed crowd in Montreux. “It was a very tense match. I expected a really difficult encounter, but I managed to control it from start to finish. I played a very strong game tactically, technically and physically, so I’m extremely happy. It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the competition. It always feels great to win convincingly against a player of that level,” said LEBRUN. The lower half of the draw will also feature an all-French clash between Simon GAUZY and Alexis LEBRUN, ensuring France a place in the final. “Reaching a potential all-French final would clearly be something special. Unfortunately, we were all placed in the same half of the draw, but the goal is to have as many French players as possible fighting all the way to the final. Hopefully it turns out that way.” Darko JORGIC – Tomislav PUCAR 3–0 (11–4, 11–8, 11–7) Three-time champion Darko JORGIC of Slovenia powered into the semifinals with a straight-games victory over Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR. “It’s always very difficult to play against a close friend, someone you know so well. We train together almost every other day. It’s hard to find a real rhythm in a match like that because it’s mostly decided by serve, receive and the first ball,” explained JORGIC. Darko added: “I’m very happy with today’s win. I think I was dominant from start to finish and more aggressive in the key moments. I knew what to expect from PUCAR, and of course he knew what to expect from me as well, but maybe I made slightly fewer mistakes. I also had a bit of luck, especially in the second game, if it had gone to 1–1, you never know what could have happened.” The three-time winner, who has reached the final in each of the last four editions, did not hide his ambitions: “I’m looking ahead very positively and I feel I’m improving from match to match. For me, the Top 16 is one of the most beautiful tournaments. I have great memories here and I always enjoy coming back. My first goal was to return and at least reach the semifinals, knowing how strong the competition is. Of course, the ultimate goal is to win a fourth title. ” Marcos FREITAS – Benedikt DUDA 1-3 (14-12, 15-17, 7-11, 7-11) Benedikt DUDA of Germany overcame Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS after two fiercely contested opening games that went down to the wire. From the third game onward, however, the momentum shifted clearly in DUDA’s favor. “Marcos was a very tough opponent today. He has excellent serves and is playing much stronger than he has in recent months. Winning the second game was obviously important and also a bit of compensation for the unnecessarily lost first one. In games three and four I then had him under fairly good control,” explained DUDA. Tomorrow, DUDA will face Darko JORGIC in the semifinals. “The semifinal against Darko will be difficult. This venue is almost like his living room, he has won the tournament three times already and has looked very solid both yesterday and today. I won our most recent encounter, but he will certainly be eager for revenge.” Today’s victories meant more than just a place in the semifinals. The 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup also serves as a qualification event for the ITTF Singles World Cup. By reaching the semifinals, the top four players in both the men’s and women’s events have secured direct qualification for the prestigious global tournament. Simon GAUZY – Alexis LEBRUN 2-3 (11-7, 11-13, 12-10, 2-11, 12-14) In one of the most entertaining matches of the day, Alexis LEBRUN defeated Simon GAUZY in an all-French showdown. GAUZY answered the sharp speed of LEBRUN’s attacking game with power and precision, keeping control of the opening game and maintaining the pressure through the next two. From the fourth game onward, however, LEBRUN tightened his grip on the match to force a decider. GAUZY held one match point, but LEBRUN converted his third opportunity to seal the victory. “It was a real battle — I had to dig very deep into my reserves, so honestly it was a great match. Simon was very solid today as well, and I think we both produced a high level of play. He managed to trouble me in the short game, which slowed me down and made it harder for me to express myself, so to still come through is an immense source of pride,” said LEBRUN. Speaking about his preparation, he added: “I had reviewed the match we played recently in the club and discussed it with my coach afterwards, so I had a few tactical ideas going in. But he also arrived with some adjustments, and I wasn’t playing quite as well as I did in Toulouse, which made things more complicated. Still, I managed to rise to the challenge and I’m really happy. It’s never easy to play another French player, there’s always extra tension. Simon and I haven’t faced each other that often in competition,

The semifinal pairings for tomorrow’s decisive day at the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup are now set. Jia Nan YUAN will face Bernadette SZOCS, while an all-German clash will see reigning champion Ying HAN take on top seed Sabine WINTER, as Europe’s elite battle for places in the final in Montreux. All matches of the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup will be available live worldwide on ETTU.tv and YouTube ETTU official, except in the following countries and territories, where specific broadcast agreements apply and access is restricted (geo-blocked). In these regions, fans should follow the tournament exclusively on the official local broadcasters listed here. See the pictures by Remi GROS here. Sabine WINTER – Maria XIAO 3-1 (12-14, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9) Top seeded Sabine WINTER of Germany had a shaky start of the match against Maria XIAO of Spain before she took the control of the match. “I was somewhat relieved once the win was wrapped up. I lost the first game a bit unnecessarily, and even afterwards, despite holding clear leads, I never felt completely comfortable. In the fourth game she even closed the gap again at 7–8. I’m happy that I’ve reached the semifinals of a top European tournament once more opportunities like that don’t come around all that often,” explained WINTER. Jia Nan YUAN – Sofia POLCANOVA 3-0 (19-17, 11-4, 11-4) The 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup winner Jia Nan YUAN defeated European champion Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria in straight games in the first quarterfinal match of the program. After a tense opening game, the match became a one-sided affair. “It was a very tense match at the beginning. After I won the first game, I felt much more relaxed in the second and third. In the first game I was especially focused, concentrating on every ball and thinking carefully about my serve and receive,” said YUAN. In the next round, YUAN will face the winner of the match between Bernadette SZOCS and Charlotte LUTZ. “For me, reaching the final day and qualifying for the ITTF Singles World Cup is very important. I’m really happy about it.” Fu YU – Ying HAN 2-3 (8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 4-11) Reigning champion Ying HAN of Germany advanced to the semifinals after a thrilling five-game clash with Portugal’s Fu YU. Fu YU put the three-time winner under constant pressure and twice fought back to level the match, but HAN raised her level in the decisive game to seal the victory. Fu YU had previously defeated the German defensive specialist in the final of the 2019 European Games in Minsk, so HAN was well aware of the scale of the challenge. “I’ve won most of my matches against her. I didn’t expect her to be this strong today, she made virtually no easy mistakes. But I stayed patient. I’m happy to be back in the semifinals and to have qualified for the World Cup.” Tomorrow will see a repeat of last year’s semifinal in an all-German clash between HAN and Sabine WINTER. “Of course I would like to win again, but this time it will be even harder against Sabine. She has improved. I’m playing well, but not quite as well as I did in January.” Bernadette SZOCS – Charlotte LUTZ 3-1 (11-7, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5) After a two-year of missing it, Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS has returned to the semifinals. On her way to the final day of the event, SZOCS ended the impressive run of France’s Charlotte LUTZ, who had come through the qualification phase and reached the quarterfinals after defeating Linda BERGSTROM the day before. LUTZ put SZOCS under considerable pressure, but it was not enough to prevent the Romanian from securing victory. “It was a very difficult match, but I expected that because every time we play it’s a big fight. Charlotte is a very aggressive player and our matches are always intense. Today she used a lot of variation, especially in the second game. I needed some time to adjust my tactics. My coach explained what I shouldn’t play against her, and that helped me get back on track. I stayed positive,” said SZOCS. Tomorrow, SZOCS will face Jia Nan YUAN. “In general I have a positive record against her, but she beat me here at the Top 16 three years ago. I was leading 3–1, 9–6 and still lost. This time I won’t give her the same chance again.” Today’s victories meant more than just a place in the semifinals. The 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup also serves as a qualification event for the ITTF Singles World Cup. By reaching the semifinals, the top four players in both the men’s and women’s events have secured direct qualification for the prestigious global tournament.