Luxembourg came through one of the most gripping matches of the Women’s Team Round of 32, edging Brazil 3-2 in a tie that swung back and forth until the very last point. Brazil made the stronger start, with Bruna TAKAHASHI putting her team in front after a solid win over Sarah DE NUTTE. But Luxembourg quickly found their rhythm. NI Xia Lian responded in style, fighting past Giulia TAKAHASHI in a five-game battle to level the score. The turning point seemed to come in the third match, when Enisa SADIKOVIC held her nerve in another decider against Laura WATANABE to push Luxembourg ahead. Still, there was no sense the match was settling. Bruna TAKAHASHI returned and once again delivered for Brazil, edging NI Xia Lian in five tight games to bring everything back to 2-2. With everything on the line, Sarah DE NUTTE stepped up in the deciding match. This time there was no hesitation. She produced a composed and confident performance, beating Giulia TAKAHASHI in straight games to seal the win and send Luxembourg into the Round of 16. For NI Xia Lian, the victory was all about the team: “It’s a very happy and exciting moment. I’m really proud of our team – everyone won a point, and that shows our strength. We have great team spirit and we fought together. It’s a wonderful result.” At the same time, she was honest about her own feelings: “I feel I should have won my second match, so I’m not completely satisfied. But after one year of injury, I’m still finding my rhythm mentally. Matches like this help. In the end, what matters most is the team – and today we were strong together.” Sarah DE NUTTE admitted it wasn’t easy to stay calm as the drama unfolded: “I was really nervous watching Xia Lian’s match. I didn’t know if I would need to play, so I just tried to stay focused and ready. At one point I thought it was over, but then Brazil came back and I had to switch quickly into match mode.” She also carried the memory of a painful defeat: “Two years ago we lost to Brazil in a very similar situation, so this time it feels like revenge. I really wanted to finish it, and I’m happy I could do it for the team.” Beyond the result, the sense of unity stood out: “It’s special to be part of this team. Xia Lian and I have been here for many years, and now the younger players are stepping up too. When everyone contributes, it means even more.” Luxembourg now face a huge challenge in the next round: “Japan is one of the strongest teams, so it will be very tough. But matches like this are great experiences. We’ll go there, enjoy it and give our best.” Luxembourg – Brazil 3-2

Portugal advanced with authority in the Men’s Round of 32 at the Team World Championships Finals in London, securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Egypt. Marcos FREITAS gave Portugal the perfect start, controlling the opening match against Youssef ABDELAZIZ from the outset and sealing a straight-games win. “Reaching the Round of 16 was our first goal. We came here prepared for a long competition, and we managed to get through the group stage successfully. Now we’ve also secured a win over Egypt, which is a very strong team. Naturally, we’re pleased with the result,” said FREITAS. Next in line is France. “The match against France will be a very tough one. They are among the best teams in the event and showed strong form in the opening stage, delivering solid results. They go into the match as favorites, but we will try to use our experience to find ways to win game and put pressure on them. I believe it will be a very interesting match for the spectators to follow.” Tiago APOLONIA then extended the lead with a solid performance against Omar ASSAR. After a tight opening game, APOLONIA raised his level to take control and move Portugal closer to the finish line. “It was a great performance from our team. In my match, the key moment was managing to win the first game after a difficult start. From there, I played with more confidence and I’m really happy to have secured an important win against Egypt’s number one player,” explained APOLONIA. Joao GERALDO completed the job, responding well after dropping the first game against Badr MOSTAFA and turning the match around to secure the third and decisive point. Portugal – Egypt 3-0

Italy booked their place in the Round of 16 at the Team World Championships Finals in London after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Portugal in the Women’s Event. The tie opened with a setback for Italy, as Yu FU mounted a strong comeback against Gaia MONFARDINI, recovering from two games down to give Portugal the early lead. Italy responded immediately through Giorgia PICCOLIN, who produced one of the matches of the day. Trailing 0-2 against Jieni SHAO, she turned the contest around with a determined display to level the overall score and shift the momentum. Debora VIVARELLI then put Italy in front, showing composure in key moments to overcome Matilde PINTO and move her team within one point of victory. All eyes turned back to MONFARDINI, who returned to the table under pressure. This time, she delivered, holding her nerve in crucial phases to defeat SHAO and seal Italy’s progression. After the match, MONFARDINI admitted she was overwhelmed by the moment: “I’m speechless. I still can’t believe it. I think I’ll need a couple of days to really take it in, but we don’t have that time. This was my dream over the past few days. It meant everything to come back after the first match, to stay motivated and brave. It’s not easy. I’m really proud of myself and proud of my team.” Italy – Portugal 3-1

The afternoon session at the Team World Championships Finals in London saw England’s men take center stage, battling past Moldova 3-1 to secure their place in the next round after a demanding encounter. The tie didn’t begin as planned for the hosts. Samuel WALKER was first to the table but found himself under pressure against Moldova’s leading player Vladislav URSU, who controlled the match to give his team the early advantage. England responded immediately. Tom JARVIS produced an authoritative performance against Andrei PUTUNTICA, winning in straight games to level the tie and shift the momentum. That momentum carried into the third match, where Connor GREEN showed resilience after dropping the opening game to Denis TERNA. Raising his level, GREEN took control of the rallies and turned the match around to put England ahead. With a place in the Round of 16 within reach, JARVIS returned for the decisive clash against URSU. After a difficult start, the English number one grew into the contest, edging a crucial third game before completing a strong comeback to seal the overall victory and confirm England’s progress. “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. I love the World Championships, especially with it being in England. We’ve had tough times as a team recently, so I hope this win can do a lot for us, bring us a lot of confidence. It was amazing to wear the England shirt and play here in London. All the training leading up to it has worked and hopefully we can push on in the last 16,” said Tom JARVIS. “I preferred the first battle I had with Andrei PUTUNTICA it was a little less stressful, there was some really tough moments in my last match. I don’t really know how I pulled through and raised my level like I did, maybe it’s just being in England and having that feeling of being home, so hopefully it just continues and we all continue to pull together.” “It’s a really nice feeling to be able to play in front of people you know, to play in front of people who are pushing you to do well. I think all of us really relished that and tried to enjoy every moment we had on the court and tried to give as much as we can back within the game to the people watching as well. Wearing that England shirt is what you grow up wanting to do, you want to play in the biggest events for your country. I’m just really happy and proud that I can do that, and hopefully I can give some good performances along the way,” said Connor GREEN. Romania came through one of the most intense encounters of the afternoon session, edging Poland 3-2 in a tie that swung back and forth until the very last match. The opening clash immediately set the tone. Iulian CHIRIȚĂ recovered from a strong response by Milosz REDZIMSKI to seal a hard-fought 3-2 victory, giving Romania the early advantage. After building a two-game lead, CHIRIȚĂ saw his opponent fight back, but held firm in the decider to put his team in front. Poland responded in the second match. Marek BADOWSKI delivered a straight-games win over Eduard IONESCU, levelling the overall score with a dominant display. Romania regained control through Ovidiu IONESCU, who overcame Maciej KUBIK 3-1. With confident shot-making and composure in key moments, he restored Romania’s lead and brought them within one point of victory. But the drama was far from over. REDZIMSKI returned to the table and produced a spirited comeback against Eduard IONESCU. After falling behind, the Polish player raised his level to turn the match around in five games, keeping his team alive and forcing a decisive fifth encounter. All eyes then turned to the final match, where CHIRIȚĂ once again stepped up. Facing BADOWSKI, he produced a composed and confident performance, controlling the key rallies and closing out the match in straight games to secure Romania’s place in the next round. France delivered convincing performance, sweeping aside USA 3-0 to move comfortably into the next stage. Flavien COTON beat 3-1 Kanak JHA, handling the key moments with confidence. From there, France never looked back. Felix LEBRUN produced a ruthless performance against Jishan LIANG, conceding just nine points across three games, before Simon GAUZY closed out the tie in emphatic fashion with a straight-games victory over Nandan NARESH. Poland – Romania 2-3 Moldova – England 1-3 USA – France 0-3

Ukraine ended England’s campaign at the Team World Championships Finals in London, securing a 3-1 victory in the Women’s Round of 32 and silencing the home crowd. England made a strong start, with Tin-Tin HO putting the hosts ahead after a confident comeback win against Tetyana BILENKO. However, that proved to be the only highlight for the home side. Margaryta PESOTSKA quickly restored balance, dominating Tianer YU in straight games, before Veronika MATIUNINA delivered another clinical performance to put Ukraine in front with a 3-0 win over Ella PASHLEY. With momentum firmly on their side, PESOTSKA returned to the table and sealed the tie in style, overcoming HO in straight games to confirm Ukraine’s place in the Round of 16. England – Ukraine 1-3

The knockout stage of the Team World Championships in London got underway today, and Sweden’s women made a confident start. In the round of 32, they overcame Kazakhstan 3-1 to secure their place in the last 16, where the toughest possible challenge now awaits – China. Sweden couldn’t have asked for a better opening. Linda BERGSTRÖM gave the team a dream star with a composed straight-games win over Sarvinoz MIRKADIROVA, delivering one of her strongest performances of the tournament so far. Kazakhstan hit back in the second match through Zauresh AKASHEVA, who edged Cristina KÄLLBERG in a tight five-game battle. KÄLLBERG grew into the match after a slow start and pushed it all the way, even saving match points, but AKASHEVA held her nerve to level the tie. That response didn’t shake Sweden. Filippa BERGAND, back after earlier illness, handled Anel BAKHYT with authority, keeping full control throughout to restore the lead. With a 2-1 advantage, BERGSTRÖM returned to the table to face AKASHEVA again and this time she made sure there would be no complications. After dropping a narrow opening game, she took control with sharp movement and clear tactical execution, sealing a 3-1 win and the overall victory for Sweden. BERGSTRÖM highlighted her physical condition as a key factor. “I felt really good on my feet today. The movement was there, and that always gives confidence. I also had a clear game plan, and I’m happy I could contribute with two wins for the team.” Next up is China a side that has yet to drop a single game in the tournament. Still, Sweden will look to approach the match with belief rather than caution. “We know how strong they are, but we have to go in without too much respect and play our game. If we get a good start, things can open up,” BERGSTRÖM added. Sweden – Kazakhstan 3-1 (Women’s Round of 32)

Croatia matched their Busan achievement by once again reaching the Round of 16 at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. In a tense and close tie, they overcame Italy 3-2 after a match that swung back and forth. The opening phase belonged to Croatia. Andrej GACINA set the tone with a confident straight-games win over John OYEBODE, and Tomislav PUCAR followed with another 3-0 victory against Matteo MUTTI to give his team a strong 2-0 lead. But Italy refused to back down. Danilo FASO pulled one point back with a 3-1 win over Ivor BAN, and OYEBODE kept his team alive by edging PUCAR in a dramatic five-set battle to level the tie at 2-2. The deciding match once again came down to GACINA – and the experienced Croatian delivered. He held his nerve against MUTTI, winning 3-1 to seal the victory and send Croatia through. “The match started very well for us with a quick 2-0 lead, but it’s rarely that simple,” said GACINA. “The third match was very open. Ivor was close to coming back, he even had a game point to make it 2-2, but he lost his rhythm a bit, especially with the service and some decisions. The pressure was high.” He continued: “Tomislav had match points in the fourth match but couldn’t close it. So it all came down to the last match. I knew what I had to do. Mutti played very aggressively, but I stuck to my tactics.” PUCAR added: “With his experience, GACINA really carried us through. I managed to beat MUTTI earlier, especially as he was struggling a bit with his serve. We know each other well from the Italian league. Against OYEBODE I had a match point, but couldn’t finish it. In the end, Andrej stepped up again, and that made the difference.” Italy – Croatia 2-3

France produced one of the most thrilling comebacks of the ITTF World Team Championships Finals, overturning a two-match deficit to defeat Japan 3-2 in a gripping Group stage clash in London. The tie could not have started worse for the Europeans. Japan took full control early on, with Tomokazu HARIMOTO easing past Alexis LEBRUN in straight games, before Sora MATSUSHIMA doubled the lead with a confident 3-1 win over Félix LEBRUN. At 0-2 down, France were on the brink. Then came the turning point. Flavien COTON ignited the comeback with a remarkable five-set victory over Shunsuke TOGAMI, saving the match and shifting momentum back to the French side. Flavien COTON : “It’s an amazing win for the team. Everyone contributed with a point, and for me it was my first match with the national team, so it wasn’t easy at the beginning. But I managed to stay calm and come back from 2-2, even saving four match points at 5-8 and 8-10. It was a really crazy match for me and for the whole team. When I was facing those match points, I just tried not to put too much pressure on myself and to stick to my game. I played really well in the last few points, and I also got a bit of help when he missed a serve at 12-12. It’s an incredible feeling to get my first win like that. After I won my match, I felt we had a real chance to take the tie. Félix had a more straightforward win against Harimoto, but Alexis had a very tough and high-quality match against Matsushima. There was a lot of pressure on the bench, but in the end we pulled through and we’re very happy. We won the silver medal in 2024, so naturally we want to go for a medal again and why not even more? We’ve started well, but it was only the group stage. We’ll enjoy tonight, and then refocus on what’s coming next.” With belief restored, Félix LEBRUN delivered one of the standout performances of the evening, overpowering HARIMOTO in straight games to level the tie at 2-2. Everything came down to the decisive match. And it was Alexis LEBRUN who held his nerve. After taking the first two games, he saw Matsushima fight back to force a decider, but the Frenchman stayed composed to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory and complete an unforgettable turnaround. France – Japan 3-2

Sweden showed they still have a few surprises up their sleeve. In one of the standout moments of the Championships in London, the men’s team pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory over China in Group 1, shaking the long-standing dominance of the reigning giants in the team event. At the ITTF World Team Championships Finals, where China have ruled for decades, this defeat sends a strong message: the gap is closing. The tie opened with China taking control. WANG Chuqin proved too strong for Anton KALLBERG, sealing a confident 3-0 win and giving the favourites an early lead. But Sweden responded immediately. Elias RANEFUR delivered one of the standout performances of the match, overturning LIN Shidong in a five-set battle to level the score at 1-1. Elias RANEFUR: “Obviously, I’m really happy with the win and to contribute in a victory against China, which is huge. I’m also very satisfied with my performance. I felt like I played the way I wanted to, very aggressively, putting a lot of pressure on him. I do have a few shots that are a bit unusual, like my long serves and some of my receives, and I think they can catch opponents off guard. I wanted to come out strong against Lin Shidong, and I think I did that. He adjusted his game a bit, and in the third and fourth sets I couldn’t keep the same level of pressure. He was also leading in the fifth, but I’m really happy I managed to come back. I do think it’s possible for Sweden to fight for gold. We beat China, and they’re usually the best team, so we have every reason to stay optimistic. After this group stage, with wins against China and Korea Republic, it would be strange not to feel that way.” Then came the turning point. Truls MOREGARD edged LIANG Jingkun in another dramatic five-set encounter, saving the decider 12-10 to put Sweden ahead 2-1. China were not done yet. WANG Chuqin returned to the table and beat RANEFUR in straight games, tying the match at 2-2 and setting up a decisive fifth clash. And that is where Sweden finished the job. Anton KALLBERG stepped up under pressure, defeating LIN Shidong 3-1 to seal a historic 3-2 victory. This win is not just another group-stage result – it could reshape the entire competition. China entered London as overwhelming favourites, having not beaten at the World Championships for 26 years, including a long streak of titles in the team event. China – Sweden 2-3

Germany’s women stayed on course at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, securing a solid 3-0 win over hosts England to make it two victories from two in the group stage but the bigger test is still to come. Germany didn’t have it all their own way early on. Annett KAUFMANN was pushed to five games by Tin-Tin HO in her first match since returning from injury. “I was a bit surprised how well I started,” KAUFMANN admitted. “It was my first match after a long break, and mentally that wasn’t easy. I’m really happy I managed to win it in the end, it gives me confidence.” From there, Germany took control. Nina MITTELHAM added the second point with a 3-1 win, before Yuan WAN sealed the tie with a composed 3-0 performance. While Germany handled their task with clear record, Romania experienced both sides of the challenge in Group 1. They had earlier fallen to a dominant China, who left little room for resistance in a 3-0 win, but showed great character to bounce back with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Korea. Bernadette SZOCS led the way with two wins, setting the tone for the team, while Elizabeta SAMARA delivered under pressure in the deciding match to seal the victory. Despite a narrow loss from Andreea DRAGOMAN in a five-game battle, Romania held their nerve to claim an important win and stay in contention.