The draw for Stage 2 of the 2025/26 ETTU Europe Cup in both the women’s and men’s competitions was conducted today in Luxembourg. The teams advancing from Stage 1, together with those joining from the Champions League, have now learned their opponents on the road to the knockout phase. In the women’s event, two groups of five teams were formed, while the men’s competition features four groups, promising high-level matches across Europe.
PERSSON and PRIMORAC at Stone Racket of Istria 2026 in Vrsar
From March 4 to 8, 2026, the town of Vrsar will once again welcome the Stone Racket of Istria, an international veterans’ table tennis tournament for players aged 40 and above. Just like last year, the organizers are making sure this will be much more than just a tournament. One thing is already certain – visitors to the Saline Sports Hall will once again enjoy a legendary table tennis showdown between Swedish great Jörgen PERSSON and Zoran PRIMORAC, now the President of the Croatian Table Tennis Association and Vice President of the European Table Tennis Union. In their playing days, even the Chinese were not guaranteed victories when facing PERSSON, PRIMORAC, and the top European stars of their era. The magnitude of their achievements is best shown by the fact that together they have collected over 60 medals from major international events – including Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships. These two icons in 2025 will treated the Vrsar crowd with an unforgettable spectacle. Before the match, PRIMORAC humorously announced he was seeking “revenge” for the 2008 Olympic Games quarterfinal, and the audience was in for a true show: rallies with two balls at once, mock medical time-outs, a stethoscope check to “see if the heart was still working,” and PRIMORAC’S improvised doctor routine that had the crowd in stitches. The result? PRIMORAC got his revenge. “We’ve played plenty of exhibition matches during our careers and I’m good at them,” said PRIMORAC with a smile. “What’s best is that we still have more tricks up our sleeves, we’ve only shown 50 percent so far. We saved something for 2026! Table tennis is perfect for this kind of fun. The crowd in Vrsar was fantastic last year – we broke the ice, people laughed, cheered, and truly enjoyed it. This year, we’re preparing something a bit different. The conditions for veterans here are unmatched – Maistra and STK Vrsar did an amazing job. This could easily become the most beautiful veterans’ tournament in Europe. Will the great Swede strike back? PERSSON has already promised his own revenge, but that won’t be the only surprise – organizers are teasing another major project that remains under wraps for now. The Stone Racket of Istria is open to players aged 40 to 80+, featuring singles and doubles events (men and women). Last year’s edition gathered participants from 12 countries, and that number is expected to grow in 2026. “Just like last year, the event offers a rich off-court program, including organized trips and experiences across the stunning Istrian region. The unique trophies are made of authentic Vrsar stone. The concept is simple: play + fun + experience. Participants will compete, but also enjoy everything Istria has to offer. It’s all about the experience,” said Bernard MUSULIN, Head of Destination Product Development at Maistra. A major new feature in 2026 will be the “Zoran PRIMORAC Table Tennis Masterclass”, a special training camp held March 1-4, 2026, just before the tournament. Participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from the legend himself, alongside four professional coaches, with limited spots available. Once again, Vrsar is set for a true table tennis spectacle – a celebration of sport, friendship, and unforgettable experiences. Fans will have the chance to witness two living legends in action, and all additional information can be found on the official website www.stoneracketistria.com and the tournament’s social media pages.
DRAGOMAN and CAMARA Triumph at Belgium Open
Romania’s Andreea DRAGOMAN and the Netherlands’ Gabrielus CAMARA captured the Women’s and Men’s Singles titles at the Belgium Open. DRAGOMAN lived up to expectations, but had to dig deep in the final to defeat Dutch player Tanja HELLE in a thrilling five-game battle. In the men’s event, No. 1 seed Gabrielus CAMARA overcame local favourite Tom CLOSSET in four games to claim the crown. The Under-21 titles went to Eireen KALAITZIDOU from Germany and Belgium’s Alessi MASSART. The first edition of the Belgium Open proved a great success, featuring players from 20 European member associations. The host nation impressed as well, earning four podium finishes across all categories. All results can be found here.
Sassari, Son Cladera Mallorca and Częstochowa Lead the Field in Linares
After three days of matches in ETTU Europe Cup Women Stage 1 in Spanish Linares, six clubs secured their place in the next phase. The Group winners are Son Cladera TTC – Mallorca (ESP), ASD Tennistavolo Sassari (ITA), and Bebetto AZS UJD Częstochowa (POL), while the runners-up are Fenerbahçe Sports Club (TUR), TalTech Sport Club (EST), and CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (FRA). These six clubs will join the 3rd- and 4th-placed teams from Champions League Women Stage 1. From there, the four winners and four runners-up of Stage 2 will qualify for the quarterfinals, where they will meet the third-placed teams from Champions League Women Stage 2. Group A Italy’s ASD Tennistavolo Sassari, represented by Tatiana GARNOVA, Irina CIOBANU, and Teodora SIMON, remained unbeaten across the three days of play. Israel’s TalTech Sport Club (Airi AVAMERI, Agata ZAKRZEWSKA, Reelica HANSON) finished second with two wins and one defeat. Group B Bebetto AZS UJD Częstochowa, with Emiko TAGUCHI, Tetyana BILENKO, and Paulina KRZYSIEK, dominated Stage 1 undefeated. On second place, CP Lyssois Lille Métropole (Shuohan MEN, Lucie MOBAREK, Margo DEGRAEF) joined them in advancing to the next stage. Group C Son Cladera TTC – Mallorca, featuring Pauline CHASSELIN, Ayano UGI, and Eugenia SASTRE, remained unbeaten and finished at the top of the group. They recorded solid 3–1 wins over both KS Wamet Dąbcze and TTC Meerdaal Leuven. Their toughest challenge came from Fenerbahçe Sports Club, with Elizabeta SAMARA, Gül Pembe ÖZKAYA, and Ece HARAC, who pushed the Spanish side to the full distance and secured the runners-up position.
ETTU Europe Cup Men: Marcozzi, Stockerau, Toruń and Borges Vall Stage 1 Winners
The Stage 1 of the ETTU Europe Cup Men, played over the past three days in Romania, produced eight qualifiers, the winners and runners-up of the four groups, who advance to Stage 2. The top two teams from each group move forward, while the third- and fourth-placed clubs drop into the Europe Trophy. The group winners are: Italy’s ASD Marcozzi Cagliari, Austria’s UTTC Paneceo Stockerau, Polish Energa Manekin Toruń and Spain’s Enoli Borges Vall. The runners-up are: Spanish Alicante TM, Polish KS Olesno, Austria’ SPG Linz and the hosts Romania’s CSS-SZAK Odorheiu Secuiesc. Group A ASD Marcozzi Cagliari, represented by Federico VALLINO, Rares SIPOS, and Massimo FERRERO, topped the group after defeating both opponents, KTS Gliwice and Alicante TM. The Polish side pushed Marcozzi to a full-distance battle but fell short. Later, Gliwice concluded the tournament without a win, losing to Alicante’s trio Alberto LILLO, Diego LILLO, and Jose GUILLOT. Group B Spanish team Enoli Borges Vall, led by Francesc CARRERA, Marc DURAN, and José Luis ANDRADE, finished first after holding off the hosts CSS-SZAK Odorheiu Secuiesc in a close five-match encounter. The Romanian side,Sebastian LOSO, Szilard GYÖRGY, Szabolcs TAMAS, delivered a strong challenge and deservedly secured second place. Group C Energa Manekin Toruń, composed of Dimitrije LEVAJAC, Asuka SAKAI, and Konrad KULPA, dominated the group, winning all matches without dropping a single individual encounter. SPG Linz, with Tomas SANCHI, Zhenlong LIU, and Tobias TISCHBERGER, secured second place, their only defeat coming at the hands of the group winners. STK Libertas Marinkolor Dubrovnik and Irun Leka Enea finished third and fourth respectively. Group D UTTC Paneceo Stockerau, with Mykhailo LOVHA, Khalid ASSAR, and Tarek AL-SAMHOURY, lived up to expectations and took first place. Their decisive victory over KS Olesno (featuring Alan KULCZYCKI, Daniel LIS, Radek MRKVIČKA) in a five-match battle proved crucial. Portuguese side Clube Desportivo 1º de Maio finished without a win.
LEBRUN Brothers Lead Montpellier to 3–1 Victory in Austria (VIDEO)
Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier made a powerful start to their Round of 16 campaign, leaving Austria with a well-earned 3–1 victory over SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt. The French champions showed their star quality, with Félix and Alexis LEBRUN once again proving decisive in crucial moments. Montpellier entered the match with firepower and justified their status as one of the prime contenders for a place in the Final Four. Wiener Neustadt, seeded No. 5, battled valiantly and managed to take one point through Navid SHAMS, but ultimately could not match the French visitors. The opening match saw Alexis LEBRUN overcome Piotr CYRNEK 3–1, with both players producing long, high-quality rallies. After the French star claimed the tight first game, CYRNEK responded well, but Alexis regained control and closed the match with authority. In the second singles, Félix LEBRUN delivered a trademark performance, sweeping Andrei ISTRATE 3–0. Wiener Neustadt struck back through Navid SHAMS, who produced a superb 3–1 win over Antoine HACHARD, giving the home crowd a well-deserved moment of celebration. SHAMS handled the key points with maturity, taking the fourth game 12–10 to keep his team in the tie. However, Félix LEBRUN returned to the table for the fourth match and sealed Montpellier’s victory, again defeating CYRNEK 3–0. “It was a very good match, and we finished it in the best possible way, a 3–1 win, which gives us a strong advantage before the return leg. I’m proud of Alexis and Felix’s performances. The whole team handled a very difficult encounter well. We knew we were the favorites, but it’s never easy to play under pressure when you’re expected to win every time. It was a particularly tough match for Alexis in the opening match, not only because the opposing team played well, but also because the atmosphere was intense. Their supporters were fantastic and very loud, which made it hard to stay focused. Alexis was outstanding, and Felix, with two identical wins (7, 6, 6), performed at the highest level and kept everything under control. Antoine HACHARD had his chances against Navid SHAMS, but playing away is never easy you arrive on the day of the match, everything feels unfamiliar, and there’s no time to adapt, unlike the home team. Now we have a month to prepare for the return leg at home, and we’re one step closer to the quarterfinals,” said coach Vincent AVRIL. SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt – Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier 1–3
Dekorglass Działdowo Start Strong With Straight-Match Victory in Havířov (VIDEO)
Last season’s ETTU Champions League quarterfinalists KS Dekorglass Działdowo began their 2025/26 Round of 16 campaign in style, securing a convincing 3–0 away victory over SKST Havířov in the opening leg. Although the final scoreline suggests a comfortable win, several moments were closely contested, with the Polish side showing superior composure in the decisive points. Działdowo set the tone immediately. Jakub DYJAS defeated Gustavo GÓMEZ in straight games without major alarm. Tomislav PUCAR then extended the lead with a 3–1 victory over Štěpán BRHEL. “We are happy that we won. We expected a very tough encounter, and it proved to be true — all the matches were close. But all three of us were at the top of our task in the crucial moments. My match did not start well, since I lost the opening game. BRHEL forced me to change my tactics. I tried different services, which lifted my game. I gained a 2–1 advantage, but in the fourth game BRHEL led 6–2. I pushed myself to stay calm. This was my first match for the club, and I am happy that I performed well,” said Tomislav PUCAR. In the final match, Samuel KULCZYCKI resisted a determined challenge from Michal BLINKA, sealing the tie after winning several crucial late points. “We are of course very happy with the victory, because Havířov is not a weak adversary at all. The match was much closer than the result suggests. All the singles were difficult, with just a few balls and key moments deciding them. We did not underestimate anything — we came with the strongest line-up, because we want to fight for participation in the Final Four. This was an important first step,” said Dekorglass Działdowo coach Michal DZUBANSKI. SKST Havířov – KS Dekorglass Działdowo 0–3
ttc berlin eastside Stay Perfect in Group C With Win Over Linz AG Froschberg (VIDEO)
Reigning champions ttc berlin eastside continued their 2025/26 ETTU Champions League Women campaign with a solid 3–1 victory over Linz AG Froschberg in Germany. In Stage 2 Group C, the six-time champions had previously opened with a convincing 3–0 away win against Saint-Denis TT 93, and they now remain unbeaten after two rounds. Despite playing without Nina MITTELHAM and Miyuu KIHARA, Berlin Eastside delivered another confident performance. Natalia BAJOR took the lead role in the lineup but was unable to stop Thailand’s Suthasini SAWETTABUT, who earned the only point for the Austrian club. The backbone of Berlin’s victory was Japan’s Yuka KANEYOSHI, who produced two commanding performances, first overcoming Britt EERLAND and later defeating SAWETTABUT in straight games to secure the team win. At position three, Xiaona SHAN showed her trademark precision, sweeping Andrea PAVLOVIC 3–0 to restore Berlin’s lead at a crucial moment. ttc berlin eastside – Linz AG Froschberg 3–1
Celebrating 100 Years of Czech and Slovak Table Tennis
The culmination of the celebrations marking 100 years since the beginning of organized table tennis in the former Czechoslovakia was a festive gala evening held at the Belvedere Hotel in Prague on Saturday. Two hundred guests accepted the invitation to this special occasion, which featured not only an engaging social programme but also a symbolic meeting of generations, bringing together the most successful living players in the history of Czech and Slovak table tennis. Among the distinguished guests were ETTU President Pedro MOURA, Secretary General Pierre KASS, and Vice Presidents Jaroslaw KOLODZIEJCZYK and Zoran PRIMORAC. „The Czech and Slovak Table Tennis Federations have shaped the very foundations of our sport in Europe. From the early days of the Czechoslovak pioneers who helped establish the ITTF, to generations of champions and dedicated leaders, their contribution has been extraordinary,“ said President MOURA. „As we celebrate this shared history, we also honour the values that unite us, excellence, teamwork, and innovation. The Czech and Slovak federations continue to inspire Europe with their vision, their development of young players, and their enduring commitment to our sport’s future. It is a privilege for the European Table Tennis Union to celebrate this milestone alongside them.” The President of the Czech Table Tennis Association Nikolas ENDAL said: “The almost seventy years of the common history of Czechoslovak table tennis are decorated with dozens of World championship titles, European championship titles and many other successes. After all, Czechoslovakia at that time was one of the founding members of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). For many years, our players were among the most successful in the world. After the division of the Federation in 1993, we each went our own way, but we have remained in a very close and friendly relationship with our Slovak partners. We cooperate, share experiences, give each other advice and symbolically we even received a beautiful gift. Last year, the Czech Republic’s Hana MATELOVÁ and the Slovak Barbora BALÁŽOVÁ won the gold medal in doubles at the European Championship. The legacy of mutual cooperation is one of the main motives of our celebration of 100 years of our common journey.” Significant figures from the Czech and Slovak history of the sport filled the hall: European champions, World Championship medallists and other distinguished personalities. Among them were Jaroslav STAŇEK, Eliška KREJČOVÁ, Milan ORLOWSKI, Josef DVOŘÁČEK, Petr KORBEL, Iveta VACENOVSKÁ and Hana MATELOVÁ. The event was also attended by Jiří KEJVAL, President of the Czech Olympic Committee, Ondřej ŠEBEK, Chairman of the National Sports Agency, and many other special guests. The official programme symbolically lasted 100 minutes, featuring historical photographs and applause for several legends who received commemorative medals. Most importantly, the evening offered a chance to share memories and celebrate the enduring friendship and legacy of table tennis in the former Czechoslovakia now proudly continued by the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg Secure Second Win in Group A (VIDEO)
Top-seeded KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg recorded their second victory in Group A of the Stage 2 ETTU Champions League Women. This time, they prevailed against the French side Saint-Quentin TT at MOSiR Tarnobrzeg Hall, after the club beat MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada in Spain. With this commanding win, Tarnobrzeg strengthen their position at the top of Group A. The Polish hosts controlled all three matches from start to finish, never allowing the visitors to gain momentum and completing the tie without dropping a single match. Xiaoxin YANG opened the tie with a confident 3–0 win against Agnès LELANIC, displaying full control in all phases of play. The duel between two defensive specialists went in favour of Ying HAN, who overcame Linda BERGSTRÖM with characteristic precision and stability. Fu YU, despite Polina MIKHAILOVA’s late push in the third game, closed the match in straight games to secure the team victory. KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg leave the hall with maximum points and a perfect start to their Stage 2 campaign. Coach Zbigniew NĘCEK: “Today’s match cost my players a lot of energy. I’m happy with the victory because it will give us more breathing space in the upcoming games. I’m very pleased with the form of all my players.” KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg (POL) – Saint-Quentin TT (FRA) 3–0
