Czechia’s SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA claimed a valuable away victory over ASC GRÜNWETTERSBACH in the opening leg of the Europe Cup semi-final, held in Germany. The return leg in Prague is scheduled for 8 May. RICARDO WALTHER gave the German club a strong start with a confident win over Tomas KONECNY. However, David REITSPIES leveled the score with a victory against Leo DE NODREST, then sealed the overall win by defeating WALTHER again in the fourth match. Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA of Ukraine also contributed significantly by beating Brazilian Guilherme TEODORO. Petr KAUCKÝ, coach of SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA, commented: “We went to Germany to get the best possible result for the secon leg. We didn’t expect to win 3:1. That’s great. The basis is David REITSPIES’ two points. He played relaxed and continued his performances from the semi-finals of the Czech Extraliga. I’m glad that Ievhen PRYSHCHEPA also showed an excellent performance and scored an important point. We’re leading in the series, but we’re staying grounded. The rematch will definitely be very difficult.” David REITSPIES reflected on the victory:“It’s a great result for us. I’m glad I managed it. I was a little nervous about the match with DE NODREST, because he’s left-handed. The key was the receive, which I managed well. I had great respect for WALTHER. I played a lot of safety and balls on rotation. I think that bothered him a lot, that’s why I won.” In the quarter-finals, ASC GRÜNWETTERSBACH overcame SKST Havířov of Czechia, while HB OSTROV z.s. defeated Poland’s UKS DOJLIDY BIAŁYSTOK. Semi final, opening leg ASC Grünwettersbach – SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA 1-3
ITAGAKI Shines Bright with Win Over 7th Seed in Bratislava
Koharu ITAGAKI of Germany was the only player in the opening round of Stage Two at the European Under 21 Championships in Bratislava to defeat a player seeded in the top 8. Only 15 years old, ITAGAKI displayed remarkable maturity and dominance over the past two days in Bratislava. She has not lost a single game in her four singles matches and has also performed strongly in doubles — losing only one game with Josephina NEUMANN and remaining unbeaten in Mixed Doubles with Tom SCHWEIGER. Today, she outclassed no. 7 seed Matilde PINTO with a commanding 4-0 win (11-4, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7). “I did not expect to win in straight games, but I seized the opportunity as it came. I was very focused and maintained control throughout the match,” said ITAGAKI. “I played against PINTO once before; it was my first WTT tournament, maybe three years ago. I lost it then, but I managed to find the right tactics today.” Despite her young age, ITAGAKI shows no signs of suffering from pressure. “This is my first Under 21 Championships. I feel good here. Yesterday I won all my matches, which boosted my confidence. It also helped me adjust to the conditions — the hall and the ball felt a bit different, but I had plenty of time to adapt,” she added. Koharu has already claimed two team titles at the European Youth Championships, one title in Doubles, and has twice finished second at the Europe Youth Top 10. In other matches from the opening round of Stage Two, top-seeded Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia beat Josephina NEUMANN of Germany 4-0 (12-10, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9), while defending champion Veronika MATIUNINA of Ukraine overcame Veronika POLAKOVA of Czechia in straight games (11-6, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3). Anna HURSEY (Wales), Elena ZAHARIA (Romania), Ioana SINGEORZAN (Romania), Nicole ARLIA (Italy), and Zuzanna WIELGOS (Poland) also won their opening Stage Two matches.
PANTOJA Stuns Top Seed in Opening Group Match at European U21 Championships
The second stage of the Men’s Singles Event at the European Under 21 Championships in Bratislava commenced with a major upset. On his first appearance at the table, since the top-seeded players were exempt from Stage 1, top seed Eduardo IONESCU of Romania lost to Spain’s Miguel PANTOJA 2-4 (7-11, 11-2, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 10-12). Seeded at position no. 23, PANTOJA immediately managed to put the match under his control. “In the opening four games I felt very confident. With my deep service game and short balls on his serve, I was the one setting the rhythm. I was playing to the middle of the table and was killing his balls. I felt good and confident. After 3-1, IONESCU changed his service. He put more pressure with longer balls and I had to adjust. Luckily, I managed to withstand his comeback and win,” explained PANTOJA. Yesterday, PANTOJA advanced from his group with two wins and one defeat. He beat Ignas SISANOVAS of Lithuania 3-1, Sweden’s Olle STAHL 3-0, and lost to Bulgaria’s Yoan VELICHKOV by a narrow margin of 2-3. “I did not face any troubles in the two matches I won, but against VELICHKOV I struggled a lot. He is a left-hander and his service is very good, so it was not easy to receive,” said PANTOJA. IONESCU is currently ranked no. 14 in Europe. His best result so far was a win over Filip ZELJKO of Croatia (ranked no. 44). “I was Spanish Under 19 champion and I also reached the Round of 16 at the European Youth Championships, so I consider this win as my best result so far.” Also, no. 8 seed Kas VAN OOST had a rough start in Stage 2. In the opening round of the group stage, the Dutch player suffered a 1-4 defeat at the hands of Germany’s Tom SCHWEIGER, seeded no. 22 (12-10, 8-11, 4-11, 8-11, 9-11). “We often train together so we know each other well. I am comfortable with his game. He is very active and I managed to take control of the match quickly. I lost the opening game, but I felt well and was in good rhythm,” said SCHWEIGER. Yesterday, SCHWEIGER dropped only one game in his opening match against Nazar TRETIAK of Ukraine. Dane Johan Engberg HAVSTEEN and Khai Noah LAM lost to him in straight games. “It was a good start, a little bit of a long day since I played a match at 9 PM yesterday, but eventually it was good. I am still fresh and well adjusted to this venue.” SCHWEIGER won bronze in doubles at the European Youth Championships and was a member of the German teams that reached the podium at both the European and World Youth Championships. In Group F, Hugo DESCHAMPS of France, seeded no. 17, overcame no. 6 seed Lei BALASZ of Hungary in a full seven-game battle (16-14, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, 2-11, 8-11, 9-11). The other five top seeds, Andre BERTELSMEIER of Germany, Flavien COTON of France, Iulian CHIRITA of Romania, Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal, and Andrei ISTRATE of Romania, all prevailed in their opening group matches in Bratislava. You can see pictures by T. Sereda here.
Empowering Women in Umpiring: Webinar for Female Match Officials
For the first time in European table tennis, a women-only webinar will be held to celebrate and empower female match officials. The online session, titled “Empowering Women in Umpiring: Breaking Barriers and Finding Balance”, is designed to support and inspire women who are curious about umpiring or already part of the officiating community. This event is open to all women interested in or currently engaged with umpiring, especially those who may be wondering what it’s like to step into the role, how to advance in the field, and how to manage the balance between travel, career, and personal life. The webinar will feature real stories from female umpires at different stages of life and career. From those just beginning their international journey, to veterans who have officiated at the Olympic Games, and now mentor the next generation — each speaker brings invaluable insight and experience. What makes this event truly special is its exclusive, women-only format. This creates a safe and open space for participants to ask questions, even the uncomfortable ones, knowing that they are speaking to others who understand the challenges and experiences unique to women in the field. Whether you’re considering becoming a match official or already on that path, this webinar is an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow — together with other women who share your passion. Register via this link.
Major Upset in Croatia: MLADOST won the Cup title
MLADOST Tia Mobiteli pulled off a major upset to win the Croatian Cup in the women’s category, held at the sports hall in Dedići, while in the men’s category, STARR claimed the title in Varaždin. The MLADOST team—featuring Sara TOKIĆ, Marta VUKELIĆ, Victoria PUSTAJ, and coach Darko ARAPOVIĆ—ended the long-standing dominance of DR. ČASL, who had won the previous seven editions of the Cup. In the semi-final, MLADOST defeated DR. ČASL 3–2, capitalizing on the absence of their opponents’ full roster of international reinforcements. TOKIĆ gave MLADOST the early lead with a 3–1 win over ĐURAK BLAŽIČEVIĆ. LIU Jiaqi leveled the match with a straight-set victory over VUKELIĆ. In a pivotal encounter, PUSTAJ came from behind to defeat BOROVEC 3–2 (-9, 9, -6, 8, 5). LIU Jiaqi once again equalized for DR. ČASL by beating TOKIĆ 3–0. In the deciding match, VUKELIĆ raced to a 2–0 lead over Đurak BLAŽIČEVIĆ, who then fought back to level the match. However, in a tense fifth set, VUKELIĆ edged out an 11–9 win in deuce, sending MLADOST to the final. Interestingly, MLADOST also ended DR. ČASL’s winning streak in the national league during the 2014/15 season, and now they have repeated the feat in the Cup. In the final, MLADOST dropped only two games as they convincingly defeated VARAŽDIN to claim the prestigious trophy. VARAŽDIN had earlier defeated VRSAR 3–0 in the second semi-final. The trophy was presented to the champions by Renato ČENGIĆ, Director of the Croatian Table Tennis Association (HSTS). STARR Win Croatian Cup Titles In the men’s event, STARR emerged victorious after defeating national champions LIBERTAS Marinkolor 3–0 in the semi-final, followed by a 3–1 win over GSTK ZAGREB in the final. This is STARR’s second Croatian Cup title, having previously won in the 2022/23 season. STARR’s title-winning team included Ronald REĐEP, Divyansh SRIVASTAVA, Rino VIDAN, Mudit DANI, and Bono HRNČIĆ. Alongside LIBERTAS, third place was also awarded to STK ZAGREB, who lost their semi-final 3–0 to GSTK ZAGREB. The hosts opened the final with a win, as REĐEP narrowly defeated BENKO 3–2 (11–4, 8–11, 10–12, 11–7, 11–3). SRIVASTAVA then extended the lead to 2–0 with a 3–1 victory over HENCL. GSTK ZAGREB pulled one back through ZOVKO, who overcame VIDAN 3–2 (8–11, 11–6, 11–8, 8–11, 11–7), but SRIVASTAVA sealed the victory by edging BENKO again, 3–2. Though he led 2–0, the match went to a fifth set before the Indian player closed it out (11–9, 11–5, 11–13, 6–11, 11–4). Since 2016, LIBERTAS Marinkolor has won the Cup four times, STARR twice, and GSTK ZAGREB once.
Fierce Battles, but Sportsmanship Prevails
The opening day of the European Under 21 Championships in Bratislava brought tough encounters and fierce competition, but once again, table tennis demonstrated its enduring spirit of fair play. There were numerous examples throughout the day that highlighted this, but two moments stood out. In Round 2 of Group Stage 1, Rafael KONG of Portugal and Samuel PALUSEK of Slovakia played a match that could have gone either way as it entered the fourth game. With PALUSEK leading 2–1 in games and the score tied in the fourth, an edge ball was awarded to KONG. However, the Portuguese player stepped forward and admitted it was a side ball, conceding the point to his Slovakian opponent. Eventually, KONG lost both the game and the match—but his gesture of honesty stood out as a model of integrity. An even closer moment of sportsmanship came during the match between Gabrielius CAMARA of the Netherlands and Nathan LAM of France. CAMARA started strong, winning the opening game, but LAM responded by taking the next two. The Dutch player regained momentum, leveling the match and building a lead in the deciding fifth game. At 7–4, CAMARA lost a point he arguably should have won. In the very next rally, he stepped forward and informed the umpire that the ball had touched his chin during his service—a detail no one else had seen. He lost that point and the next six in a row, ultimately falling 2–3. Still, CAMARA’s self-declaration was a powerful display of sportsmanship over self-interest. See the pictures by T. SEREDA here. Follow the results here.
Home Favourite FLORO Impresses on Opening Day in Bratislava
Only 16 years old, Damian FLORO made a strong start on home soil at the 2025 European Under 21 Championships in Bratislava. Playing at Tipos Arena, the Slovakian, seeded 53rd, defied expectations by defeating croatia’s Ivan HENCL, the 29th seed. “I felt a little pressure before the start because it’s not easy playing at home. It also takes time to adjust to the venue and its conditions. However, once the game started, I felt the ball well, found my rhythm, and that boosted my confidence,” said FLORO. FLORO previously made his mark by finishing second at the Europe Youth Top 10 two years ago in the Under 15 category in Bucharest. Last year, he was part of the Slovakian Under 19 team that secured bronze at the European Youth Championships in Sweden after a semi-final loss to Germany. In the quarterfinals, Slovakia beat Croatia, with FLORO winning his match against HENCL. “That win was very important to me today. Despite the ranking difference, I felt confident,” added FLORO. When asked about his ambitions for the tournament, FLORO was optimistic: “Now I think I have a good chance to get through the group stage, and hopefully the next round too. I know reaching the knockout phase is very ambitious—but why not?” he said with a smile. The opening stage of the tournament features 48 players divided into 12 groups (Groups 1–12). The top two players from each group will advance to Stage 2, producing 24 qualifiers. Tomorrow, the eight top-seeded players will join them in the main draw. Top seeds in the men’s event: Eduard ONESCU (Romania), Andre BERTELSMEIER (Germany), Flavien COTON (France), Iulian CHIRITA (Romania), Tiago ABIODUN (Portugal), Balazs LEI (Hungary), Andrei ISTRATE (Romania), Kas VAN OOST (Netherlands). See the pictures by T. SEREDA here. Follow the results here.
Surprises Mark Opening Day of 2025 European Under 21 Championships
The 2025 European Under 21 Championships opened in Bratislava, Slovakia, with early surprises setting the tone for what promises to be a competitive tournament. Even in the morning hours of Day 1, several unexpected results gave a glimpse of the excitement likely to follow in the coming days. The first notable upset came in Group 3, where Poland’s Anna BRZYSKA, seeded 11th, was defeated by Denmark’s Emma Vendelbo CLEMENT, ranked 34th. CLEMENT secured the victory in four games (5–11, 11–6, 12–10, 11–5). Emma Vendelbo CLEMENT expressed her delight after the match, calling it the best win of her career. “I played against BRZYSKA once before and lost by the same margin. It was a close match, so when I saw the draw, I thought I had a chance. I looked at it as an opportunity to avenge my previous defeat,” said CLEMENT. Tactically, CLEMENT outplayed BRZYSKA, who has won gold and silver in doubles at previous European Youth Championships, by successfully neutralizing her opponent’s speed-based attacks. “She is so dangerous with her forehand, so I focused on attacking immediately after my serve. On the return, I stayed patient and made her wait, forcing her to think about what I might do,” added CLEMENT. Another surprise came from Sweden’s Leah TVEIT MUSKANTOR, seeded 39th, who overcame Portugal’s Ines MATOS, ranked 13th. In Group 1, Germany’s Mia GRIESEL defeated England’s Mari BALDWIN in straight games. In Group 2, Spain’s Maria BERZOSA needed four games to overcome Poland’s Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA. Meanwhile, Romania’s Bianca MEI ROSU justified her status with a win over Spain’s Ainhoa CRISTOBAL. The opening stage features 48 players divided into 12 groups (Groups 1–12). The top two players from each group will advance to Stage 2, making a total of 24 qualifiers. From tomorrow, the eight top-seeded players will join the 24 Stage 1 qualifiers in the main draw. Top seeds in the women’s event: Hana ARAPOVIC (Croatia), Veronika MATIUNINA (Ukraine), Anna HURSEY (Wales), Elena ZAHARIA (Romania), Ioana SINGEORZAN (Romania), Nicole ARLIA (Italy), Matilde PINTO (Portugal), and Zuzanna WIELGOS (Poland). See the pictures by T. SEREDA here. Follow the results here. See the matches at table 1 Matches at table 2
PT 75 Clinches Championship League Title in Finland
PT 75 successfully defended their top spot on Saturday in the four-team final tournament of the Finnish Table Tennis Championship League, held at Ruskeasuo in Helsinki. The team from Tampere defeated OPT-86 of Oulu convincingly, 4–0, in the semi-finals and went on to overcome Turun Kaiku 4–2 in the final. The bronze medals were secured by PT Espoo, who edged out OPT-86 in a narrow 4–3 contest. “The deciding match was a real battle. At one point, it felt like it might slip away from us, but I managed to get into the game and focus on my own performance. Retaining the title feels fantastic,” said PT 75’s Riku AUTIO after the long day of matches. The standout player of the season was PT 75’s Otto TENNILÄ, who posted an impressive record of 26 wins and 5 losses. This marks the ninth Championship League title for PT 75. “Our overall performance was excellent. Everyone gave their all and managed to secure key victories,” said TENNILÄ, also known as “Sensei-Otto from Pongfinity.” In terms of league placement, Helsinki-based MBF retained its position in the top division directly. Kosken Kaiku and TIP-70 also held their league spots via the qualification rounds. OPT Ratamo will be relegated to Division 1 next season, with Smash Helsinki earning promotion in their place. Match Results Semi-finals: PT Espoo – Turun Kaiku 1–4 PT 75 – OPT-86 4–0 Bronze Medal Match: PT Espoo – OPT-86 4–3 Final: PT 75 – Turun Kaiku 4–2 2025 Finnish Table Tennis Championship League Medalists PT 75 (Tampere): Otto TENNILÄ, Riku AUTIO, Aki KONTALA, Sami HATTUNEN Turun Kaiku: Mart LUUK, Markkos PUKK, Ari HOLM, Lester LEE, Janne KONTALA PT Espoo: Aleksi RÄSÄNEN, Toni SOINE, Arttu PIHKALA, Lauri HAKASTE, Mika RÄSÄNEN
Europe’s Rising Stars Set to Shine at 2025 Under 21 Championships in Slovakia
The 2025 European Under 21 Championships will take place in Bratislava, with the Slovak Table Tennis Association hosting one of the most prestigious youth events on the ETTU calendar. This year’s edition carries added historical significance as it forms part of the celebrations marking 100 years of organized table tennis in Slovakia and Czechia. Among the returning stars is Ukraine’s Veronika MATIUNINA, the reigning Women’s Singles Champion, who will look to defend her crown. Entering the competition as the second seed, MATIUNINA aims to replicate her impressive run from the 2024 edition in Skopje, where she triumphed over Romania’s Elena ZAHARIA in a gripping final. Bronze medals in that event went to Hana ARAPOVIC (Croatia) and Anna BRZYSKA (Poland). Top seeded ARAPOVIC previously claimed the title in 2023 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, while ZAHARIA captured gold a year earlier in Cluj Napoca, Romania. A multiple-time European youth champion, ZAHARIA remains one of the key contenders in the women’s draw. In the men’s singles competition, Eduard IONESCU (Romania) enters as the top seed. A back-to-back European Youth Champion in 2022 and 2023, and now a regular face on the senior tour, IONESCU is considered a strong favorite for the title. Romania’s player will face tough challenge from last year’s bronze medalists Andre BERTELSMEIER (Germany), Flavien COTON (France) who clinched singles gold at EYC 2022 and silver last year in Malmo, Iulian CHIRITA (Romania) and Under 15 singles champion at 2023 EYC Tiago ABIODUN (Portugal). The event will be held at TIPOS Arena in Slovakia. The official draw for all events will take place on Tuesday, 6 May 2025. Doubles Events Format All doubles events – Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Doubles – will be played in a direct knockout format, starting from the first round. Singles Events Format The men’s and women’s singles competitions are structured in three stages, leading up to the final phase of direct elimination. Stage 1 – Qualification Groups A total of 48 players will compete in 12 groups (Groups 1–12). The top 2 players (winner and runner-up) from each group will advance to Stage 2 – totaling 24 qualifiers. Stage 2 – Second Group Stage 24 qualifiers from Stage 1 will be joined by the 8 top-seeded players, who are directly placed into Stage 2. These 32 players will be divided into 8 groups (Groups 13–20), with 4 players in each group. The top 2 players (winner and runner-up) from each Stage 2 group will advance to the final stage. Stage 3 – Final Knockout Stage, the 16 qualifiers (8 group winners + 8 runners-up from Stage 2) will enter a direct knockout draw.
