The reigning champions ttc berlin eastside started their 2025/26 ETTU Champions League Women campaign with a 3–0 away victory over Saint-Denis TT 93 in the opening round of Stage 2. Berlin’s club, chasing their seventh European crown, delivered a powerful performance against the French side, combining control, and confidence from start to finish. In the opening singles, Germany’s Nina MITTELHAM (ER 7) set the rhythm with a commanding 3–0 win over Prithika PAVADE (ER 8). Japan’s Miyuu KIHARA (WR 22) extended the visitors’ lead by overcoming Hana ARAPOVIC (ER 32) in straight games. In the third encounter, Germany’s experienced Xiaona SHAN (ER 14) sealed the victory with a 3–1 triumph over Li JIE (ER 96). After dropping the opening game 8–11, Shan recovered quickly and secured the overall 3–0 team win for ttc berlin eastside. Club president Andreas HAIN praised his team’s start to the season: “That was a focused performance from our team in Paris against Saint-Denis. We didn’t just want to win the match, but also make a statement. A 3–0 victory and a 9–1 set score against this opponent sends a clear message to the competition that we are a force to be reckoned with. Nina was brilliant against PAVADE and dominated them. A truly outstanding performance! We hope to continue this form against Linz on Sunday.” The reigning champions thus begin their title defence in Group 3 with a confident away win. They will next host Linz AG Froschberg (AUT) on 16 November. Saint-Denis TT 93 (FRA) – ttc berlin eastside (GER) 0–3 Top Seeds Tarnobrzeg Open with Dominant 3–0 Victory in Spain Top-seeded KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg concluded the opening leg in dominant fashion, securing a 3–0 away victory over MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada. The reigning champions and four-time title holders started confidently, with Ying HAN displaying her trademark precision and defensive mastery to overcome Ruichen GUO 3–1. After a tight opening game that HAN narrowly took 13–11, GUO levelled in the second, but the experienced German international raised her level to close the next two games decisively and secure Tarnobrzeg’s first point. Xiaoxin YANG doubled the lead for the Polish powerhouse, defeating Olga VOROBEVA in straight games before Yu FU completed the team’s perfect start, producing a composed 3–0 victory over Andrea TODOROVIC to seal the tie. Coach Zbigniew NĘCEK reflected on his team’s performance after the opening victory: “We won, but to achieve it the players had to rise to the heights of their abilities. The match with Ying HAN was especially very close, but the experience of our player helped us secure a good result. We don’t have time to rest, our focus is already on the upcoming match, which we will play in Tarnobrzeg this Saturday.” Tarnobrzeg will next face Saint-Quentin TT on 15 November. MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada – KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg 0–3 Metz TT Overcome Rzeszów Challenge Last season’s runners-up Metz TT beat PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszów. The opening match brought early celebration for the hosts, as the experienced Fen LI produced an excellent performance to defeat Adina DIACONU and give Rzeszów a 1–0 lead. Metz responded through Hana GODA, who edged past Zuzanna WIELGOS in a dramatic five-game thriller. The young Polish player fought back bravely, taking the fourth game 11–4 to force a decider, but GODA held her nerve to claim the win and level the score at 1–1. The French side then moved ahead when Charlotte LUTZ overcame Ilona SZTWIERTNIA, giving Metz a crucial advantage. “It was a hard match and we won not only at the table but also mentally. We have a really good spirit, and I think this is very important. We will do our best to make it to the main draw,” said Charlotte LUTZ. In the decisive fourth match, Hana GODA returned to the table and completed Metz’s victory by defeating Fen LI in another five-game battle. Despite LI’S strong start, the Egyptian rising star found her rhythm to close out the contest and secure the win for the runner-ups. “I am very happy that we won. It was a very tough match, but we all gave our best and managed to take the victory in the end,” said Hana GODA. PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszów– Metz TT 1–3 Etival Edge Novi Sad Etival ASRTT overcame TTC Novi Sad in a gripping contest that went the full distance twice, securing a 3–1 victory in their opening match of Stage 2. The French club, seeded number four, were made to fight hard by the Serbian champions, who showed great determination and spirit throughout the evening. In the opening encounter, Australia’s Yangzi LIU (WR 35) gave Etival an early lead by defeating Serbia’s Aneta MAKSUTI. Despite Maksuti’s strong third game, Liu managed to close the fourth by the narrowest of margins to secure the opening point for the visitors. Valeria SHCHERBATYKH then levelled the score for Novi Sad with an outstanding 3–1 victory over Portugal’s Jieni SHAO, giving the home supporters plenty to cheer. The tie continued with another intense duel, as Valeria KOTCYR faced Sweden’s Christina KÄLLBERG. After dropping the first two games, KOTCYR fought back impressively to equalise, but KÄLLBERG’S consistency under pressure allowed her to prevail and put Etival back in front at 2–1. In the fourth singles, Aneta MAKSUTI returned to the table to face Jieni SHAO. The Serbian player once again delivered a spirited performance, pushing the Portuguese international to five games. MAKSUTI led 2–1 and even held opportunities to extend the match further, but SHAO’s experience and resilience proved decisive as she fought back to win 3–2, sealing Etival’s overall victory. TTC Novi Sad (SRB) – Etival ASRTT (FRA) 2–3

The 2025/26 season of the ETTU Champions League Women enters Stage 2 on 11 November, bringing together the strongest European clubs and some of the world’s top female players. The defending champions ttc berlin eastside lead the field, joined by multiple European Cup winners and rising challengers, all aiming for a place in the newly introduced Final Four. You can follow all the matches on ETTU OTT Platform and ETTU official YouTube Channel. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals. The season will conclude with the historic introduction of the Final Four format in the ETTU Champions League Women, promising even more excitement and drama as Europe’s best battle for the ultimate trophy. The German powerhouse ttc berlin eastside will begin their title defence in Group 3, facing Linz AG Froschberg from Austria and Saint-Denis TT 93 from France. The Berlin team, seeded number three, is once again packed with international stars. The line-up includes Germany’s Nina MITTELHAM, currently ranked number seven in Europe, Poland’s Natalia BAJOR (ER 9), Germany’s Xiaona SHAN (ER 14), Japan’s Miyuu KIHARA (WR 22), Serbia’s Sabina SURJAN (ER 39), Germany’s Mia GRIESEL (ER 54), China’s Weishan LIU (WR 58), and the 15-year-old German prodigy Josephina NEUMANN (ER 84). The roster also features Japan’s Yuka KANEYOSHI (WR 370) and Germany’s Kathrin MÜHLBACH. The opening matches of the stage will see Saint-Denis TT 93 hosting the champions, while ttc berlin eastside will welcome Linz AG Froschberg on 16 November. In Group 1, top-seeded KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg from Poland begins its campaign alongside French club Saint-Quentin TT and Spanish side MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Daurada. The Tarnobrzeg team, four-time European champions, will open away in Spain and later face Saint-Quentin. The French club, seeded number five, arrives with a roster that includes Sweden’s Linda BERGSTROM (No. 11 ER), Slovakia’s Barbora VARADY (No. 40), France’s Camille LUTZ (No. 51), Russia’s Polina MIKHAILOVA (No. 179), Belgium’s Eloise DUVIVIER ( No. 246), and England’s Emily BOLTON (No. 403). The squad is completed by France’s Agnes LELANNIC, Jeanne MATHIEU, and the experienced Russian coach-player Olga MIKHAYLOVA. Coach Olga MIKHAYLOVA and team leader Linda BERGSTROM both expressed confidence that Saint-Quentin could be one of the surprise packages of the competition. Last year’s runners-up Metz TT are ready to begin a new campaign from Stage 2. The French club, seeded number two, will compete in Group 2 alongside Italy’s ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari and Poland’s PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszów. Metz remain one of the main contenders for the title led by Charlotte LUTZ (No. 18 in Europe), Egypt’s 17-year-old prodigy Hana GODA (World No. 23), Adina DIACONU of Romania, Sarah DE NUTTE of Luxembourg, Russia’s Mariia TAILAKOVA, and France’s Charlène LESTIENNE. Polish side PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszów has already gained momentum in Stage 1, where it lost only to Czech champions SKST Plus Hodonín but progressed comfortably after defeating Serbia’s TTC Novi Sad and Croatia’s Dr. Časl. The club now faces a major challenge in Group 2 against Metz TT and Quattro Mori. This season’s line-up features a mix of youth and experience, led by former European champion Fen LI from Sweden. She is joined by Poland’s 19-year-old rising star Zuzanna WIELGOS, Taiwan’s Yi Tian YEH, Korea’s Yerin KIM, Sweden’s Nomin BAASAN, and Polish players Ilona SZTWIERTNIA, Oliwia WATOR, and Aleksandra GUZIK. Group 4 promises an especially exciting competition with last season’s finalists Etival ASRTT from France, four-time Europe Cup champions UCAM Cartagena T.M. from Spain, and Serbian champions TTC Novi Sad. Etival ASRTT will once again rely on their well-balanced international line-up led by Portugal’s Jieni SHAO (ER 9), Sweden’s Christina KÄLLBERG (ER 21), and Australia’s Yangzi LIU. UCAM Cartagena T.M., seeded number eight, come to this stage with an experienced and versatile team featuring Maria XIAO (ER 10), Tin-Tin HO (ER 46), and Daniela ORTEGA of Chile (WR 117), supported by Angela RODRIGUEZ, Carmen LOZANO, Miriam SEGURA, Silvija ERDELJI, and Yao LI. Serbia’s TTC Novi Sad, seeded number eleven, enter the group after successfully winning Stage 1. The team, represented by Aneta MAKSUTI, Valeria KOTCYR, Valeria SHCHERBATYKH, Reka BEZEG, and Irina SLAUTINA, has already shown consistency and team unity. Novi Sad will host Etival ASRTT in the opening round and then travel to Spain for the match against UCAM Cartagena. ETTU CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WOMEN – STAGE 2 SCHEDULE (11 – 16 November) 11 November 2025 14 November 2025 15 November 2025 16 November 2025 Photo by: Let’s go Metz/N. MARTINO

Last year’s runners-up in the ETTU Champions League Women, Metz TT, are ready to begin a new campaign from Stage 2. The French club, seeded No. 2, will compete in Group 2 alongside Italy’s ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari and Poland’s PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszów, with two quarterfinal places at stake. “After a strong start to the domestic season, we are eager to kick off our new Champions League journey. Having reached two finals in the past three years, expectations are high among our fans and partners,” said Sport Director Loïc BELGUISE. The French vice-champions once again have their sights set high. “Our immediate goal is to finish among the top two and reach the quarterfinals. Looking further ahead, we aim to qualify for the Final Four,” BELGUISE added. Metz will rely on a powerful lineup led by Charlotte LUTZ (No. 18 in Europe), Egypt’s 17-year-old prodigy Hana GODA (World No. 23), Adina DIACONU of Romania, Sarah DE NUTTE of Luxembourg, Russia’s Mariia TAILAKOVA, and France’s Charlène LESTIENNE. “Our team is even stronger this year with Hana joining us,” said Adina DIACONU. “She’s full of energy and positivity, and she brings a great atmosphere to the group. We’ve won all our league matches so far, but the French League is very competitive this season, so we need to stay focused.” The draw has set up a balanced and demanding group. “Playing against Rzeszów and Quattro Mori will be a real test. Every match will count. We open away in Poland before hosting Quattro Mori in December, and the whole team is excited for this new European adventure,” said BELGUISE. DIACONU added her view on the Champions League challenge: “It’s a tough group. We start as the top seed, but surprises can always happen, in this competition, anything is possible. Berlin remains the team to beat, but if we get the chance, we want our revenge for last season’s final. Step by step, every match will matter.” As for her personal ambitions, DIACONU concluded: “I want to dream big to defend our French League title and reach another ETTU Champions League final. It will be a long, demanding season, but we’re ready to fight.”

On November 11, Last year’s Europe Cup winners, French side Saint-Denis TT 93 will host reigning ETTU Champions League champions ttc berlin eastside in the opening leg of Stage Two, Group 3. Unlike the German powerhouse, which joins the competition directly at this stage, the French club had to earn its place through Stage One. In September in Novi Sad, without Prithika PAVADE, the trio of Jie LI, Hana ARAPOVIĆ, and Agathe AVEZOU topped their group to secure qualification for the next phase. According to coach Qiwen XIAO, the team is now in stronger form: “Our team is in good shape and everyone is healthy. In the French Pro A league we are currently in fourth place, and both Jie and Hana have been performing excellently recently, especially at the European Team Championships. Prithika also played very well in recent WTT events.” Facing the six-time ETTU Champions League winners will be a formidable challenge. “We lost in the group stage last year, so this season our goal is to reach the next round. We know the competition will be tough, especially with strong teams like club from Berlin in our group, but we’ll fight hard in every match. The Champions League is very important for us this season, and we’ll do our best to advance.” Saint-Denis TT 93, who lifted the Europe Cup title in 2021 and 2025, are confident yet realistic. Coach XIAO analyzed her squad’s dynamics: “The atmosphere is very positive, and we’re all looking forward to the upcoming group stage. Our biggest strengths are our team spirit and consistency, though we still want to improve our ability to handle key points under pressure. I’d also like to thank all our supporters; their energy and encouragement make us even more excited and motivated on court.”

The Serbian champions will face French side Etival ASRTT, the No. 4 seed, on November 11 in Novi Sad, at the start of Stage 2 of the Champions League. The Novi Sad team reached this round by winning first place in their group in August, thus qualifying among the top 12 European teams for the fourth year in a row. The group also includes Spanish UCAM Cartagena, the No. 8 seed. The two best-placed teams will advance to the quarterfinals. “Both opponents are extremely strong, composed of experienced players. Etival, with Jieni SHAO, Yangzi LIU, and Christina KÄLLBERG in their line-up, are certainly the favourites against us. Australian Liu is ranked No. 30 in the world, and against Shao, ranked No. 55, we played last season — our player Aneta Maksuti managed to win at home,” explained coach Slobodan Stojanov. Cartagena also have powerful assets. “Maria XIAO, ranked No. 78, is very experienced; we haven’t managed to beat her so far. Tin-Tin HO from England plays the penholder style, which we rarely encounter. Fei QI, Jiao LI, Daniela ORTEGA… they have a deep and strong roster. It will be extremely difficult; we played them a few seasons ago and didn’t do well,” added Stojanov. Still, the coach remains optimistic about this season. “The situation is completely different now; the teams have changed significantly. We have experienced Russian players who are eager to prove themselves on the international stage. They showed their quality in the qualifications, and we hope to be competitive in this phase as well. The goal is, of course, to reach the top eight teams,” said the Novi Sad coach. The Serbian team consists of Aneta MAKSUTI, Valeria KOTCYR, Valeria SHCHERBATYKH, Reka BEZEG, and Irina SLAUTINA.

Last year, four-time champions KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg were forced to surrender their title before reaching the final of the Champions League Women, as TTC Berlin Eastside produced a stunning comeback in the semi-finals. This season, the Polish powerhouse begins its new campaign in Stage Two of the ETTU Champions League. The top-seeded Tarnobrzeg side will open their 2025–26 journey on November 11 in Spain against MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada. Also in their group are the No. 5 seeds, the French club Saint-Quentin TT. “For our club, the Champions League competition is very prestigious, and that is why our players, our fans and I as the coach are very happy that the competition starts in just a few days,” said President and Coach Zbigniew NĘCEK. “Our players were playing in the WTT Champions tournament in Frankfurt this week, but I hope they will arrive in Spain healthy and ready to play. For the first time in our history, we drew MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada, and we are very curious to see how the competition with this team will go.” As always, Tarnobrzeg can rely on one of the strongest rosters in Europe. The team features Europe’s No. 5 Ying HAN, World No. 9 Satsuki ODO from Japan, Europe’s No. 13 Fu YU, Europe’s No. 19 Xiaoxin YANG, World No. 23 Wing Lam NG, and Polish players Magdalena SIKORSKA and Kinga STEFAŃSKA. HAN reached quarterfinals in Frankfurt earlier this week, whilst ODO reached Round of 16. “I am very happy about the return of Xiaoxin YANG. She is a very good player with a great personality, and her presence gives our team additional strength,” said coach NĘCEK. Looking ahead, the coach knows that the task will not be easy. “We would really like to win first place in the group stage, but I know it will be very difficult. Finishing first would allow us to use our seeding advantage in the quarter-final phase. From experience, we know that only right before the match, in the hall, we will see the final composition of our opponents, so it is difficult to talk about the odds now.” In the Polish national league, KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg have played five rounds so far and are leading the table with 15 points. Coach NĘCEK also had a message for the fans ahead of the forthcoming European matches. “Our fans and friends, keep your fingers crossed for us in the Champions League. We are fighting for another medal, but we respect our competitors very much and we know that it will be very difficult.”