France beat Switzerland in the final of the Mixed Teams event at the European Under 13 Championships in Kosta, while Poland and Bulgaria secured bronze medals. This was the first team final for France at the U13 Championships, having previously celebrated only individual victories and finals. What stood out most was the absolute superiority of the French team. Not only did they win all seven matches, but their record in individual encounters was an outstanding 30–1. The only player to take a point off them was Türkiye’s Ela Su YÖNTER, who defeated Albane ROCHUT. In every other match, France proved untouchable. In the group stage, they overcame Greece, Türkiye and Latvia, before defeating Romania and Germany in Stage 2. A 3–0 win over Bulgaria in the semifinals set up their decisive performance in the final against Switzerland. The title match showed France’s dominance once again. Arthur LOUSTALOT and Enya HU pushed hard in the opening doubles, but Simon CLIN and Lisa ZHAO were too strong, giving France the early lead. Albane ROCHUT followed with a commanding straight-games win over Michelle WU, before Tim ESCUDIER sealed the triumph by overpowering Silas STALDER 3–0 (11–4, 11–1, 11–8). “I honestly think the team played the perfect tournament. They only lost one match and kept such incredible focus and spirit throughout the entire event. The players have been more professional than we could ever expect from them, and I am very impressed and proud. This is a big result for France,” said coach Stephane HUCLIEZ. Tim ESCUDIER added: “It has been a team effort all the way through, where everyone has pushed each other in every match. We have a great team spirit and everyone has played well to deserve this victory. I’m so happy.” For Switzerland, this European Under 13 Championships marks a truly historic achievement. Enya HU, Michelle WU, Arthur LOUSTALOT, Silas STALDER and coaches Samir MULABDIC and Pedro PELZ accomplished what no Swiss table tennis team had ever done before: winning a medal at a European or World title event. In fact, apart from veterans’ competitions, this is only the third medal in Swiss table tennis history. Thierry MILLER captured bronze in cadet boys’ singles at the 1981 European Youth Championships, while Tu DAI YONG reached the women’s singles final at the 1990 European Championships in Gothenburg, where she lost to Bulgaria’s Daniela GUERGUELCHEVA. Bulgaria also rewrote the history books by reaching the semifinals of the team event. While Bulgarian players have collected a number of individual medals at youth championships, this is only their third team medal in European history. The previous ones came from the cadet boys’ team at the 1991 European Youth Championships, led by Kostadin LENGEROV, and the cadet girls’ team in 1979 — a team that also featured Daniela GUERGUELCHEVA, who years later went on to face Tu DAI YONG in that 1990 European Championships final. See the pictures here Final: Switzerland – France 0-3
France and Switzerland to Contest Mixed Teams Final in Kosta
In the final of the Mixed Teams Event at the European Under 13 Championships in Kosta, France will face Switzerland.France were the first to book their place in the final, overcoming Bulgaria with a commanding 3–0 win. Simon CLIN and Lisa ZHAO gave the French side the perfect start, defeating Lachezar HRISTOV and Kalina STEFANOVA in straight games. Albane ROCHUT followed up with a solid performance against Polina ENCHEVA, before Tim ESCUDIER was pushed to the limit by Stefan BONCHEV but eventually prevailed in five games to seal the overall triumph.“A very solid performance from the team. They look stronger with every match and are acting very serious and focused, especially considering their age. At this level we are hard to beat,” said French coach Stephane HUCLIEZ.Looking ahead to the final, HUCLIEZ added:“We just need to continue on this path. As I said, we are improving with every match, so if we stay focused and aggressive, we can hopefully reach an even higher level tomorrow and clinch the victory. It will certainly be tough, so we must keep our strong team spirit and push each other.” Switzerland joined them in the title clash after defeating Poland 3–1. The opening doubles set the tone, as Arthur LOUSTALOT and Enya HU edged out Ignacy SLAWINSKI and Julia SZARMACH in five games. Michelle WU kept the momentum going with a confident straight-games win over Nicol BARTOSZKO.Poland responded through Olaf GLANERT, who impressed with a commanding 3–0 victory against Silas STALDER. However, Enya HU proved decisive in the fourth match, overcoming Julia SZARMACH to clinch the overall victory for Switzerland. Pedro PELZ ahead of final versus France: “Fance is a really strong team, so we will need to carefully consider the best options regarding who plays which match. Since the singles event is still ongoing, we want the players to stay focused on their individual campaigns for now. As the final gets closer, we will shift the focus back to the team and get everyone ready. This final is very special for us, and we want to enjoy the moment.” Semi-Finals Poland – Switzerland 1-3 Bulgaria – France 0-3
Bulgaria Upsets Spain in Stage Two Opener at European Under 13 Championships
The opening-round clash of Stage Two at the European Under 13 Championships in Kosta saw No. 4 seeds Bulgaria prevail over No. 3 seeds Spain. Top-seeded singles player Ladimir MAYOROV, partnering Aina CASANOVAS, gave Spain a strong start by defeating Lachezar HRISTOV and Kalina STEFANOVA. However, Polina ENCHEVA overcame Celia VALPUESTA to level the score. The key duel between No. 3 seed Alexander MALOV and No. 2 seed Stefan BONCHEV went according to the rankings, pushing Bulgaria into the lead. STEFANOVA then defeated CASANOVAS to extend the advantage to 3–1, before MAYOROV succeeded against HRISTOV to secure Spain’s second point in the group standings. “I’m very happy that both me and the rest of the team performed well. It is especially nice to win when you feel that it is a team effort,” said Stefan BONCHEV. Asked if he enjoys mixed team competitions, BONCHEV added: “I like the team event with the mixed doubles, and I enjoy how there is a lot of tactic involved regarding who plays in what position. It makes the matches more interesting.” Türkiye swept Croatia 5–0 in Group 1, while France denied Germany a single point in Group 2. In Group 3, alongside the Spain–Bulgaria battle, Italy narrowly edged Hungary in a full-distance duel. In Group 4, Sweden defeated Czechia 3–2, and Switzerland overcame Slovakia by the same margin. A reminder: a special scoring system is in place to reward every effort. A 5–0 victory brings five points, while even a narrow 2–3 defeat still counts for two points. The system encourages teams to fight for every game: a 5–0 win equals 5 points, 4–1 gives 4, 3–2 brings 3, while losses of 2–3, 1–4 and 0–5 are worth two, one and zero respectively. Swiss coach Samir MULABDIC spoke after Switzerland’s 3–2 victory over Sweden, which left his team with five wins in five matches. In addition to the hosts, Enya HU, Michelle WU, Arthur LOUSTALOT and Silas STALDER also recorded wins against Hungary, Portugal, Moldova and Czechia. “Everything has felt really good from the start of the event — not just the results but everything around it, such as the venue and organization. Since we arrived, everything has been excellent, and that is also reflected in the players’ performances. We did not expect to win five out of five matches, but since the players are performing at this level, we now look forward to fighting for a place in the final.”
ETTU URC Organized Two Webinars for Match Officials in the Past Month
The second half of the year will bring a busy calendar of ETTU events and league matches. To prepare match officials for the new season and ensure consistency, the ETTU URC held two webinars in recent weeks. The strong participation numbers demonstrated the officials’ eagerness to further develop their knowledge. The first webinar was dedicated mainly to referees and their responsibilities. Marcin Fidala, ETTU URC Deputy Chair responsible for Referees, discussed key topics such as the draw, medical time-outs, and misbehavior regulations. Various real-life scenarios from previous events were also analyzed. More than 30 European International Referees attended this session. One week later, Asko RÄSINEN, ETTU URC Deputy Chair for Development, together with URC member Tom Purcell, hosted a webinar for European umpires. This event drew an impressive turnout of over 140 participants. Sessions were led by ETTU URC members as well as Gold Badge Umpires including Mircea STEFF, Kerstin DUCHATZ, Mark BECKMANN, Elena SEMENOVA, and Matej HAMRAN. Topics covered included match management, handling misbehavior, and recent rule changes. Special attention was given to mental health, focusing on how umpires can manage conflict situations and cope with pressure during matches. European match officials are now well-prepared for the new season.
Sweden’s Dramatic Comeback Marks Joyful Start to the European U13 Championships
The start of the European Under 13 Championships in Kosta brought joy to the hosts after a thrilling match against Luxembourg. Sweden recovered from a 0–2 deficit to win 3–2. See the pictures here In the opening duel, Luxembourg’s pair Noah VALENTE and Kinda MOSTAFA overcame Zac HALLÉN and Esther WARENFELDT 3–1, before Nora CATTAZZO widened the gap with a straight-games win over Leah TULEFALT. Joel ISAKSSON turned the tide of the match with a convincing 3–0 win against Mattis GOEDERT, but the biggest battle came in the clash between Esther WARENFELDT and Kinda MOSTAFA. After a 3–2 victory, Sweden leveled the score. Noah VALENTE then sealed the match for Luxembourg with a 3–1 win over Zac HALLÉN. “We had a tough start and were down 0–2 in matches, but the players kept fighting for every point and eventually we managed to turn the match around. I’m very happy with the players’ performance,” said coach Gilles FORZY. What’s important in close matches like these? “For us, it is definitely about keeping positive energy and team spirit, where we push each other forward. Of course, it’s nerve-racking to play the first match in a European Championship, especially in front of a home crowd, but the players helped each other to become more relaxed as the match went on,” added coach Joel SVENSSON. You showed great spirit on the bench during the match, is that something you discussed before the tournament? “We are not surprised that the players show such strong team spirit as they always do, but we are of course proud that they step up for each other and support their teammates when they face difficult situations. In team events, that can make a big difference,” concluded Gilles FORZY. In the opening round, Ukraine stretched Bulgaria to all five matches before Bulgaria finally prevailed. Romania beat England, Spain overcame Montenegro, Czechia defeated the Netherlands, and Croatia outplayed Estonia, all by 5–0. PHOTO: Manfred Schillings Poland made a strong start. Ignacy SLAWINSKI, Julia Szarmach, Olaf GLANERT and Nicol BARTOSZKO overcame Belgium’s Sam VANDENBULCKE, Temperance TANG, Lilou DANTINNE and Julian DEDEKEN, before defeating top seeds Slovakia. Slovakia was represented by Gilip NAGY, Bianka BACSOVA, Vivien MURKOVA and Juraj de MIGUEL. “We are feeling strong and very focused on every match. We work a lot on specific parts of the game to be more effective, and we learn from each mistake. In this tournament we don’t set goals based on results, but rather focus on preparing as well as possible for every match and enjoying the game,” said coach Zbigniew GRZESLAK.
European Under 13 Championships Kick Off in Kosta
The European Under 13 Championships commenced today in Kosta, Sweden (24–28 September), bringing together teams from more than 30 countries. The event features both mixed team and individual competitions. The top seed in the Boys’ Singles is Ladimir MAYOROV, Europe’s current number one. MAYOROV secured bronze at last year’s edition and impressed with quarterfinal runs in both singles and mixed doubles at this summer’s European Youth Championships in Ostrava. Second seed is Bulgaria’s Stefan BONCHEV, followed by Spain’s Alexander MALOV, ranked third in Europe. Other notable seeds include Filip NAGY (Slovakia), Simon ZSIGMOND (Hungary), and Joel ISAKSSON (Sweden), the latter ranked seventh in Europe and already experienced from last year’s edition and the 2025 Youth Series. Completing the top ten are Louis FEGERL (Austria), Pietro CAMPAGNA (Italy), Dimitar DIMITROV (England), and Mihai IORDAN (Romania). At the top of the Girls’ Singles seedings is Hungary’s Zsófia FEGYVER, ranked second in Europe. She is followed by Slovakia’s Barbora Melisa GUASSARDO (No. 3 in Europe), Switzerland’s Enya HU, and Czechia’s Adela BRHELOVA, who reached the Round of 16 at the Under 15 European Youth Championships. Romania has two strong contenders in Kariss Yasmin SERBAN and Nadalia IONASCU, seeded fifth and sixth. Rounding out the top ten are Michelle WU (Switzerland), Ela Su YÖNTER (Turkey), and French representatives Albane ROCHUT and Lisa ZHAO. In the Mixed Teams competition, Slovakia, Romania, and Spain headline the top seeds. Slovakia’s squad features Barbora Melisa GUASSARDO, Bianka BACSOVÁ, Vivien MURKOVÁ, Filip NAGY, Juraj DE MIGUEL, and Denis VECEREK. Romania is represented by Kariss Yasmin SERBAN, Nadalia IONASCU, Bianca Stefania TOMA, Mihai IORDAN, Albert Armand CZIGLER, and Matei NITA. Spain fields Aina CASANOVAS, Carmen GOMEZ, Celia VALPUESTA, Ladimir MAYOROV, Alexander MALOV, and Marcos GOMEZ. Hosts Sweden are seeded 14th, represented by Leah TULEFALT, Esther WARENFELDT, Saga BLANCK, Joel ISAKSSON, Zac HALLÉN, and Filip AROSELL. Each national team is composed of two boys and two girls. Ties are contested over five rubbers, beginning with mixed doubles and followed by alternating singles matches. All matches are played in full, ensuring every player gains maximum exposure and competitive experience. The group stage divides delegations into pools of three or four teams. The top two advance to the A final stage to battle for medals, while the others continue in the B final stage to determine classification. At the 2024 edition in Bucharest, Turkey’s Gorkem OCAL captured the boys’ crown ahead of Germany’s Lukas WANG, while Sweden’s Siri BENJEGÅRD defeated France’s Eva LAM for the girls’ title. Germany triumphed in the mixed team event against Spain, and OCAL paired with Ela Su YÖNTER to secure mixed doubles gold for Turkey.
Stars of the Future: U13 European Championships Begin in Sweden
The European Under 13 Championships start tomorrow in Kosta, Sweden (24–28 September), bringing together teams from more than 30 countries. After successfully hosting the 2023 STUPA European Team Championships and the 2024 European Youth Championships, the Swedish Table Tennis Association continues its strong tradition of staging major ETTU competitions. “We are delighted to be back in Sweden for another ETTU event, this time the U13 European Championships. The Swedish TTA has proved to be a very reliable organiser, and I am sure this event will also build on the excellent momentum table tennis is enjoying in the country,” stated ETTU President Pedro MOURA. Swedish Table Tennis Association Secretary General Thomas BUZA also expressed his enthusiasm on behalf of the Organising Committee: “We are absolutely delighted to host this fantastic event on home soil, where we get to experience the stars of the future up close. It aligns perfectly with our long-term ambition to continuously bring table tennis events of all categories to Sweden. For us, it is important that our young players have the chance to shine in front of their families, friends, and passionate fans. Right now, table tennis is enjoying great momentum in Sweden, which makes the timing of this event even more special. We are also excited to welcome guests to Kosta and the wonderful CRAFT Arena. Together with the dedicated local organisers, we will do everything we can to make sure everyone leaves with lasting memories.” This will be the third edition of the Under 13 European Championships. The last crowns were awarded in Bucharest, May 2024, where Turkey’s Görkem Ocal claimed the boys’ singles title ahead of Germany’s Lukas Wang, while Sweden’s Siri BENJEGÅRD triumphed in the girls’ event against France’s Eva Lam. Germany won the mixed team competition over Spain, while Ocal partnered Ela Su YÖNTER to capture mixed doubles gold for Turkey.
Sabine WINTER and Benedikt DUDA Lead German Teams in Zadar
Germany’s line-ups for the Team European Championships in Zadar (12–19 October) have been confirmed. For the first time, Sabine WINTER and Benedikt DUDA will lead the five-player women’s and men’s squads at the 44th edition of the continental event in Croatia. The German women will compete as defending champions, while the men’s side returns as silver medalists from the last Team Europeans two years ago in Malmö, where they finished behind hosts Sweden. In Zadar, the women’s team will feature world no. 27 Sabine WINTER, who has recently moved up the ITTF rankings and will act as Germany’s number one for the first time. She is joined by Olympic team fourth-place finisher Yuan WAN, U19 World Champion Annett KAUFMANN, European bronze medalist Nina MITTELHAM returning after a long back injury, and Mia GRIESEL, U19 World bronze medalist who debuted at the 2024 European Championships in Linz. On the men’s side, Benedikt DUDA now world no. 8 and runner-up at the last Europeans, leads the German squad as top player for the first time. He is joined by former European champion Dang QIU, world no. 17 Patrick FRANZISKA, Ricardo WALTHER and Andre BERTELSMEIER, who made his debut last year. The nominations, made jointly by national coaches Jörg ROSSKOPF (men) and Tamara BOROS (women) together with DTTB sports director Richard PRAUSE, provide rest periods for two key veterans: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, double Olympic bronze medalist, and Ying HAN, winner of the Europe Top 16. PRAUSE underlined that the field is tougher than ever: “Sweden, led by Truls MÖREGÅRDH, have recently won both the European Championships and Olympic team gold. France, driven by the LEBRUN brothers, earned bronze at both the World Championships and Olympics. Denmark, with Anders LIND and Jonathan GROTH, is also strong. Croatia as host and Romania will also aim for medals. Among the women, I expect a duel with Romania, our long-standing rivals, but also France and Sweden cannot be underestimated. The competition is very strong.” The road to the trophy requires six victories for the eventual winner. After two group-stage matches, the top two of each of the eight groups will advance to the round of 16, where the knockout stage begins. Germany’s women, drawn in Group B against Serbia and Slovenia, are clear favorites. Coach Tamara BOROS: “We will do everything to defend our title in Zadar. For Nina, especially after her long break, it’s vital to gain match practice. Of course, we also already have London 2026 in sight.” The men’s team face Serbia and Ukraine in Group C. Coach Jörg ROSSKOPF anticipates a thrilling event: “We have a team capable of beating anyone. But France and Sweden have become extremely strong, recently more successful than us. We are one of several favorites. It might be the most exciting European Championships in many years.”
The draw for the Mixed Teams Event at the European Under 13 Championships
The European Under 13 Championships will be held in Kosta, Sweden (24–28 September), bringing together teams from more than 30 countries. In the Mixed Teams Event 28 teams are divided in 7 Groups. The draw for the Stage 1 was held today in Sweden. This will be the third edition of the Under 13 European Championships. The last crowns were awarded in Bucharest, May 2024, where Germany won the competition over Spain.
ETTU President MOURA meets ITTF President SÖRLING and Georgia’s Minister of Sport GOGOLADZE
Batumi is hosting the WTT Youth Contender 2025, and on this occasion ETTU President Pedro MOURA held a working meeting with Petra SÖRLING, President of the International Table Tennis Federation, and Shalva GOGOLADZE, Georgia’s Minister of Sport. The discussions focused on the ongoing tournament, the organization of future ETTU events in Georgia, opportunities for cooperation, and the overall development of table tennis. Also present at the meeting were Guram GOGOLADZE, President of the Georgian Table Tennis Federation, and Tariel KHECHIKASHVILI, President of the International Foundation of Sport, Tourism and Youth. This year’s WTT Youth Contender marks the fourth time Georgia has hosted the event, and it is the biggest edition so far, bringing together 163 athletes from 20 countries.
