The Men’s Singles group stage at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana produced plenty of surprises, with several lower-seeded players overturning expectations and established names forced to fight for their places in the main draw. The Netherlands’ Ivan KAHN, Norway’s Martin FRØSETH and Finland’s Alex NAUMI were among those who upset the form book, while Germany’s Wim VERDONSCHOT survived one of the most dramatic encounters of the opening three days. One of the biggest surprises came in Group 1, where KAHN, seeded 97th, defeated Luxembourg’s Luka MLADENOVIC, the 33rd seed, in a thrilling five-game contest. The Dutch player raced into a two-game lead before MLADENOVIC fought back to level, but KAHN held his nerve in the decider to win 3-2 (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8). KAHN followed that victory with a 3-1 success against Belgium’s Laurens DEVOS, completing an unbeaten campaign and securing an unexpected place in the main draw. Norway’s Martin FRØSETH, seeded 95th, delivered another major upset in Group 3. Facing Spain’s Juan PEREZ, the 35th seed, the Norwegian produced an impressive straight-games victory (11-9, 11-9, 11-5). FRØSETH then defeated Hungary’s David SZANTOSI 3-0 to finish top of the group without dropping a game. Finland’s Alex NAUMI also made his mark, overcoming Romania’s Darius MOVILEANU in a dramatic five-game encounter. Twice behind in games, NAUMI refused to surrender, eventually prevailing 3-2. The Finnish player followed that victory with a straight-games success over Heorhi KUNATS to secure first place in Group 9. Another compelling contest unfolded in Group 6, where Germany’s Wim VERDONSCHOT found himself on the brink of defeat against Denmark’s Martin ANDERSEN. VERDONSCHOT trailed 0-1 and 1-2 in games before falling 4-7 behind in the decider. However, he recovered to snatch a remarkable 3-2 victory (10-12, 11-3, 11-13, 11-9, 12-10). “To be honest, I did not expect such a hard battle. But I knew it was going to be tough because I knew him from the Bundesliga 2, where we had some pretty close matches as well. And the conditions here are completely different from those at China Smash. “It’s really, really tough for me to play here, but he played very well too. So, yeah, I’m happy to have a bit more time now to adapt and get a better feel for the conditions and the competition,” said VERDONSCHOT. The German followed his hard-fought victory with a commanding straight-games win against Lithuania’s Ervinas UZIALO, finishing unbeaten in Group 6. Austria’s Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK also produced a notable result, defeating Portugal’s experienced Joao MONTEIRO 3-1 (11-3, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9). The Austrian backed up that performance with a convincing 3-0 victory over Cyprus’ Christos THEOFANOUS to secure first place in Group 17. Türkiye’s Görkem ÖÇAL added another surprise by defeating Portugal’s Tiago ABIODUN in straight games (11-5, 11-7, 11-7). However, his toughest challenge came against Iceland’s Ingi RODRIGUEZ, who took the opening two games before ÖÇAL mounted a remarkable recovery to win 3-2 (5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6). The two victories sent the Turkish player through as winner of Group 21. Croatia’s Filip ZELJKO also had to fight back from two games down, overcoming Serbia’s Zsolt PETO 3-2 (7-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7). ZELJKO had already defeated Cyprus’ Sharpel ELIA in straight games and finished unbeaten at the top of Group 16. Another Serbian player, Dimitrije LEVAJAC, enjoyed a successful campaign, winning all three matches in Group 28. His most demanding encounter came against Czechia’s Stepan BRHEL, who recovered from 0-2 to force a deciding game. LEVAJAC eventually prevailed 3-2 (15-13, 11-5, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6), before completing his unbeaten run with victories over Austria’s Zhenlong LIU and San Marino’s Lorenzo RAGNI. In Group 15, Spain’s Diego LILLO secured first place following a 3-1 victory over Serbia’s Uros NINKOVIC. The Serbian had previously recovered from 1-2 down to defeat Austria’s Andreas LEVENKO 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9), but LILLO proved too strong in their direct encounter. Italy’s John OYEBODE also survived a five-game battle, defeating Greece’s Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS 3-2 (11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-13, 11-7). OYEBODE had established a two-game advantage before being forced into a decider, but regained control to secure the victory. He then overcame Latvia’s Arturs RUDNIKOVS 3-1 to win Group 22. Germany’s Kay STUMPER emerged unbeaten from Group 26 after another dramatic contest. Poland’s Mateusz ZALEWSKI twice took the lead, but STUMPER fought back to win 3-2 (9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7). The German also defeated Italy’s Francesco TREVISAN and Kosovo’s Kreshnik MAHMUTI in straight games. Evgeny TIKHONOV produced one of the strongest comebacks in Group 27, recovering from two games down against Spain’s Daniel BERZOSA. After losing the opening games 9-11, 9-11, TIKHONOV responded with three convincing games, winning 3-2 (9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6). Further victories over San Marino’s Federico GIARDI and North Macedonia’s Kristijan STANOJKOVSKI completed his unbeaten campaign. Hungary’s Adam SZUDI also survived a five-game test, defeating Czechia’s Ondrej KVETON 3-2 (11-8, 5-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-7) to finish top of Group 20. Among the more established names, England’s Liam PITCHFORD advanced without dropping a game, defeating Italy’s Danilo FASO and Finland’s Aleksi RASANEN in straight games to win Group 19. Greece’s Panagiotis GIONIS was equally convincing, recording 3-0 victories over Luxembourg’s Mael VAN DESSEL and Israel’s Itay AVIVI to finish unbeaten in Group 14. Austria’s Robert GARDOS also completed a flawless group campaign, defeating Finland’s Lassi LEHTOLA and Estonia’s Madis MOOS in straight games. Portugal’s Tiago APOLONIA faced a more difficult path, needing five games to overcome Slovenia’s Peter HRIBAR. The experienced Portuguese player prevailed 3-2 (11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4) to secure first place in Group 5. Romania’s Ovidiu IONESCU, Slovakia’s Yang WANG and Sweden’s Elias RANEFUR all progressed unbeaten, while Norway’s Borgar HAUG completed Group 8 without conceding a game. Hungary’s Csaba ANDRAS and England’s Connor GREEN also finished their respective groups with two victories, as did Finland’s Benedek OLAH. Poland’s Maciej KUBIK secured three victories in Group 23, including a five-game success over Spain’s Miguel PANTOJA, while Romania’s Andrei ISTRATE completed an unbeaten campaign in Group 25. France’s

Serbia’s Reka BEZEG completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the Women’s Singles group stage at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana, securing her place in the main draw despite losing her opening match. Tuesday’s decisive round also saw several lower-seeded players overturn expectations, with Norway’s Martine TOFTAKER, Lithuania’s Kornelija RILISKYTE, Czechia’s Karin GROFOVA and Russia’s Mariia TAILAKOVA all overcoming higher-seeded opponents. Meanwhile, home favourites Sara TOKIC and Ana TOFANT gave the Slovenian supporters plenty to celebrate. BEZEG, seeded 114th, faced an uphill battle after losing her opening match 3-1 to Bulgaria’s Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA, the 73rd seed. However, she responded with a stunning straight-games victory over Wales’ Charlotte CAREY, seeded 55th, to keep her qualification hopes alive. Her fate rested on Tuesday’s final group encounter, when CAREY recovered from two games down to defeat GEORGIEVA 3-2 (9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5). With all three players finishing on one victory and one defeat, BEZEG emerged on top of Group 23 on the game-ratio tie-break, ahead of GEORGIEVA and CAREY. Another significant upset came in Group 5, where Norway’s Martine TOFTAKER, seeded 89th, defeated Poland’s 37th seed Zuzanna WIELGOS 3-1 (11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6). TOFTAKER had already beaten Sweden’s Nomin BAASAN in straight games, and her victory over the higher-ranked Polish player completed an unbeaten group campaign. Another surprise came in Group 15, where Ukraine’s Anastasiya DYMYTRENKO, seeded 80th, overturned expectations to finish ahead of Romania’s Bianca MEI-ROSU, the 47th seed. DYMYTRENKO had already defeated Sweden’s Siri BENJEGÅRD 3-1 before taking the opening game 11-9 against the Romanian favourite. The encounter ended prematurely, but the result was enough to send the Ukrainian into the main draw as group winner, adding another unexpected name to the list of qualifiers in Ljubljana. Lithuania’s Kornelija RILISKYTE, seeded 82nd, also produced an impressive result against Belgium’s Lilou MASSART, the 45th seed. RILISKYTE recovered from 1-2 down to win a dramatic five-game contest 3-2 (11-8, 12-14, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9). The Lithuanian had previously defeated Israel’s Elinor DAVIDOV 3-1 and finished top of Group 13 with two victories. Czechia’s Karin GROFOVA, seeded 74th, joined the list of unexpected group winners after defeating Luxembourg’s 54th seed Enisa SADIKOVIC. GROFOVA trailed 1-2 before taking control of the final two games to win 3-2 (11-6, 12-14, 7-11, 11-6, 11-1). Her dominant performance in the decider, in which she conceded just one point, secured first place in Group 22. Russia’s Mariia TAILAKOVA, the 69th seed, also overcame a higher-seeded opponent, defeating Greece’s Aikaterini TOLIOU, seeded 56th, in straight games (11-2, 11-6, 11-9). Having previously beaten Georgia’s Ana NIKOIANI, TAILAKOVA finished Group 24 unbeaten. One of the most dramatic comebacks of Tuesday’s final round belonged to Sweden’s Filippa BERGAND. The 42nd seed found herself two games down against Hungary’s Nora DOHOCZKI, but refused to surrender. After losing the opening games 9-11, 9-11, BERGAND fought back to take the next two 11-4 and 11-7 before edging a tense decider 12-10. The victory secured first place in Group 10 and completed her unbeaten campaign. For the Slovenian supporters at Arena Stožice, there was plenty to celebrate as Sara TOKIC and Ana TOFANT both progressed to the main draw. TOKIC, seeded 48th, continued her impressive form with a straight-games victory over Czechia’s Hanka KODET (11-4, 11-5, 11-9), following her opening 3-0 win against England’s Ella PASHLEY. The Slovenian completed Group 16 without dropping a game, an achievement made even more satisfying by her recovery from disappointment in Mixed Doubles. Her compatriot TOFANT, seeded 58th, also completed an unbeaten campaign. Following her 3-1 victory over the Netherlands’ Emine ERNST, she defeated Spain’s Elvira RAD 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-4) to secure first place in Group 26. Italy’s Nicole ARLIA, seeded 34th, followed Monday’s dramatic five-game comeback against Russia’s Valeriia KOTSIUR with a more commanding performance against Norway’s Christine KALVATN. ARLIA won 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-3) to finish unbeaten in Group 2 and secure her place in the main draw. Russia’s Elizabet ABRAAMIAN, seeded 35th, also had to work hard to secure her place in the main draw. After taking a two-game lead against Ulyana MIASHCHANSKAYA, ABRAAMIAN was pushed to a decider before prevailing 3-2 (11-8, 11-3, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6) to finish top of Group 3. Romania’s Adina DIACONU and Ioana SINGEORZAN both completed unbeaten campaigns. DIACONU, seeded 38th, defeated Austria’s Elina FUCHS 3-0 to win Group 6 without dropping a game, while SINGEORZAN, the 44th seed, overcame Finland’s Marina DONNER 3-1 (11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4) to claim Group 12. Germany’s Franziska SCHREINER, seeded 39th, was another player to progress without conceding a game. She defeated Finland’s Maria GIRLEA 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-3), following her dominant opening victory against Latvia’s Aleksandra JERSOVA. Luxembourg’s experienced NI Xia Lian, the 40th seed, continued her successful campaign with a 3-0 victory over Jersey’s Hannah SILCOCK (12-10, 11-5, 12-10), securing first place in Group 8. Poland’s Katarzyna WEGRZYN, seeded 36th, defeated England’s Tianer YU 3-1 to win Group 4, while Austria’s Nina SKERBINZ, the 43rd seed, overcame Hungary’s Rebeka NAGY 3-1 to finish unbeaten in Group 11. Spain celebrated victories from Sofia-Xuan ZHANG and Maria BERZOSA. ZHANG, seeded 41st, finished top of Group 9 after defeating Portugal’s Mariana SANTA and Slovakia’s Dominika WILTSCHKOVA, while BERZOSA, the 51st seed, secured Group 19 with a 3-1 victory over Wales’ Danielle KELLY. Portugal’s Matilde PINTO, seeded 46th, was particularly convincing, winning both Group 14 matches in straight games, including a 3-0 victory over Lizaveta TSIMASHKOVA. France’s Nina GUO ZHENG, seeded 71st, also progressed without dropping a game, defeating Czechia’s Veronika POLAKOVA and Greece’s Ioanna GERASIMATOU to win Group 27. Her compatriot Alexia NODIN, the 57th seed, finished first in Group 25, having conceded just two points in her 3-0 victory over Kosovo’s Shega HASHANI. NODIN also received a walkover against Denmark’s Emma VENDELBO. Türkiye’s Ece HARAC, seeded 49th, secured Group 17 with a 3-1 victory over Estonia’s Airi AVAMERI, while Ukraine’s Solomiya YAREMCHUK, the 50th seed, defeated Lithuania’s Lukrecija JUCHNAITE 3-0 to claim Group 18. The Netherlands’ Shuohan MEN, seeded 52nd, completed an unbeaten

Serbia’s Reka BEZEG produced one of the biggest surprises of the Women’s Singles group stage at the European Championships in Ljubljana on Monday, defeating Wales’ Charlotte CAREY in straight games. The second day of competition also brought a dramatic comeback from Italy’s Nicole ARLIA and victories for Slovenian players Sara TOKIC and Ana TOFANT in front of the home crowd. BEZEG, seeded 114th and ranked 273rd in Europe, faced a difficult task against CAREY, the 55th seed and world No. 69 in the European ranking. However, the Serbian player delivered an impressive performance to claim a 3-0 victory and keep her hopes of reaching the main draw alive. The result was even more remarkable considering BEZEG’s disappointment on the opening day, when she lost 3-1 to Bulgaria’s Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA despite making a promising start. “Yesterday, against GEORGIEVA, I was leading 1-0 in games and 7-3 in the second, but unfortunately I ended up losing the match. Having lost my opening group match 3-1, I was in a more difficult position today and felt even more pressure. Nevertheless, I managed to stay calm and focused, stick to my game and give everything I had. “I think that approach was exactly what helped me achieve a 3-0 victory against Charlotte. My qualification for the next stage will depend on tomorrow’s match between the other two players in the group, so all I can do now is wait for the result and hope for the best,” said BEZEG. While BEZEG celebrated an unexpected victory, Italy’s Nicole ARLIA experienced a very different kind of battle against Valeriia KOTSIUR (of Russia. The Italian, seeded 34th, recovered from 1-2 down in games and 1-5 in the decider to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory (11-9, 13-15, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9). Afterwards, ARLIA gave a remarkably candid account of the tactical difficulties she had faced and the crucial advice she received from her coach in the closing moments. “I knew it was going to be a very difficult match, so I started extremely focused. I was leading in the first game, and the second was incredibly close, with lots of nets and edges. At 1-1, I told myself that we were starting again from zero. “I continued trying to play my game, but then she changed her tactics and I didn’t know how to respond. For a game and a half, I was completely lost. I kept asking myself what I should do. Then I decided I had to try something different, and I think that was the key to turning the match around. “In the deciding game, I was 5-1 down, but I kept fighting. Point by point, I managed to come back. At 9-9, I had the serve and turned to my coach, telling him I didn’t know what to do. He told me how to serve, and I won the point. Then I asked him again, and he gave me the same advice. “I am really happy because I managed to change my game and find a way to win. Coming back like that was an amazing feeling, and it gives me a lot of confidence for the matches ahead,” said ARLIA. For the Slovenian supporters at Arena Stožice, there was plenty to celebrate as Sara TOKIC and Ana TOFANT both recorded victories. TOKIC, seeded 48th, defeated England’s Ella PASHLEY 3-0, but the Slovenian admitted that the score did not tell the full story. After her disappointment in Mixed Doubles, she had needed time to reset mentally before returning to the table. “After losing in mixed doubles, I quickly accepted that there was nothing I could do to change the result and that I had to move on. I told myself to focus on the doubles with Ana and my singles matches. I took the night to process the defeat and reflect on everything. When I came to the arena this morning, I felt like a completely different person. “I’m happy with how I played today. It may have looked like a straightforward win, but it was much tougher than it seemed. I still feel some pressure, and sometimes I lose my focus, but I manage to regain it when it matters most. I think that made me a little stronger today,” said TOKIC. Her compatriot TOFANT also made a successful start, overcoming the Netherlands’ Emine ERNST 3-1 (11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6). Romania enjoyed a particularly strong session, with four players opening their campaigns with victories. Elena ZAHARIA defeated Sweden’s Angelina BEBAWY 3-1, while Adina DIACONU was convincing against Slovenia’s Katarina STRAZAR, winning 3-0. Ioana SINGEORZAN overcame Hungary’s Judit NAGY in straight games, and Bianca MEI-ROSU also recorded a 3-0 victory against Sweden’s Siri BENJEGÅRD. Poland’s Katarzyna WEGRZYN and Zuzanna WIELGOS both made winning starts. WEGRZYN defeated Latvia’s Sabina MUSAJEVA 3-0, while WIELGOS recovered from losing the opening game to beat Sweden’s Nomin BAASAN 3-1. Spain’s Maria BERZOSA also made a confident start to her Women’s Singles campaign, recording a straight-games victory in her opening group-stage match. “I was a little nervous at the beginning because I was expected to win both the match and my group. The first game was close, but once I took a 1-0 lead, I started playing better and managed to win 3-0,” said BERZOSA. Looking ahead to her next group match, the Spaniard remained optimistic but cautious. “I will face the second-ranked player in my group tomorrow. The opponent I beat today had already defeated her, so on paper it should be manageable, but we will see.” BERZOSA also spoke about competing alongside her brother in Mixed Doubles. “It is very exciting, although I get more nervous playing with him than with other partners. We have already played a couple of tournaments together, so we understand each other much better now. Yesterday’s match gave us a lot of confidence, and hopefully we can carry that into the main draw.” Germany’s Franziska SCHREINER was equally impressive, conceding just eight points in the final two games of her 3-0 victory over

The second day of the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana brought a series of surprises in the Men’s Singles group stage, with the arrival of the highest-ranked players in each group producing dramatic five-game battles, unexpected defeats and several outstanding performances from lower-ranked opponents. The biggest headlines came from the Netherlands’ Ivan KAHN, Hungary’s David SZANTOSI and Serbia’s Uroš NINKOVIĆ, who all defeated opponents ranked considerably higher on the ETTU ranking list. KAHN, ranked No. 151, produced one of the most impressive results of the morning by overcoming Luxembourg’s Luka MLADENOVIC, ranked No. 36, in five games (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8). The Dutch player made a flying start and established a two-game lead before MLADENOVIC fought back to force a decider. KAHN, however, recovered his composure at the crucial moment to complete the biggest victory of his career. “It’s unbelievable for me. I think, for sure, it’s my best win in my life. I’m really happy. I played very well,” said KAHN. His success was no accident. The Dutchman had carefully studied his opponent’s unusual playing style and prepared a tactical plan with his coach. “I discussed with my coach last night how to make a plan. I wanted to be very aggressive on his anti-spin because I knew that if I played a lot of spin into his anti, I would play the balls to the tribunes when I tried to control.” Despite leading 2-0 in games and 5-2 in the third, KAHN saw his advantage disappear as MLADENOVIC found his rhythm. “It almost went away after 2-0, 5-2. He found more of his rhythm. I started making some mistakes, but I’m very happy that in the fifth set I could get it back and get the win.” With victories over Belgium’s Laurens DEVOS and MLADENOVIC, KAHN confirmed his place in the main draw, although celebrations will have to wait. “I’m through to the main draw, so I cannot celebrate too much. Now I will watch my teammates, and I will call my parents.” Another major surprise came from Hungary’s David SZANTOSI, ranked No. 152, who defeated Spain’s Juan PEREZ, No. 38, in four games (11-6, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9). SZANTOSI responded strongly after losing the second game and held his nerve in two closely contested games to secure an outstanding victory. Serbia’s Uroš NINKOVIĆ also had reason to celebrate after defeating Austria’s Andreas LEVENKO, ranked No. 51, in a thrilling five-game contest. NINKOVIĆ, No. 208 on the ETTU list, recovered from a 1-2 deficit to prevail 11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9. For the Serbian player, the result carried special significance, even though his opening defeat to Spain’s Diego LILLO meant that the victory would not be enough to take him into the next stage. “This is my first victory at the European Championships, so it means a lot to me and I am very happy about it. Of course, there is some disappointment because it is not enough for me to progress to the next stage, as I lost my opening match 3-1,” said NINKOVIĆ. “But looking at everything, the player I defeated today is probably the biggest name I have ever beaten in my career.” The Serbian added that his performances over the opening two days had strengthened his confidence. “I am satisfied with my performance, both yesterday and today. I think I am in good form and playing well. It is a wonderful feeling to represent Serbia at such a major championship, to achieve a victory and experience everything that comes with it.” While several leading players suffered unexpected defeats, Portugal’s experienced Tiago APOLONIA survived a difficult examination against Slovenia’s Peter HRIBAR. APOLONIA, ranked No. 40, was pushed all the way by the home player, ranked No. 162, before winning 3-2 (11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4). HRIBAR’s consistency and awkward service created problems for the Portuguese player, who eventually found the solution by adopting a more aggressive approach in the deciding game. “Honestly, I didn’t know Peter so well, but I saw his game yesterday, and he played very well. He didn’t make any easy mistakes. He has an uncomfortable service, in my opinion,” explained APOLONIA. “After losing the fourth set, I said to myself, I need to be a bit more aggressive; otherwise, he will not make easy mistakes, and the game will be very difficult. I think this was the key: I was a bit more aggressive in the fifth set.” For a player accustomed to competing at the highest level, the challenge of negotiating the group stage represents an unfamiliar experience. “My main goal right now is to pass the group stage. It’s, of course, not a common situation for me. I don’t remember the last time I needed to play qualifications. This is a difficult game, and now I need to focus again on tomorrow’s game.” Several other established names made successful starts to their campaigns. Slovakia’s Yang WANG defeated Greece’s Georgios STAMATOUROS 3-0, while Germany’s Wim VERDONSCHOT overcame Lithuania’s Ervinas UZIALO without dropping a game. Sweden’s Elias RANEFUR beat the Netherlands’ Milo DE BOER 3-1, Norway’s Borgar HAUG defeated Slovakia’s Adam KLAJBER 3-0, and Romania’s Darius MOVILEANU recorded a straight-games victory over Heorhi KUNATS of Belarus. Austria’s Robert GARDOS also opened with a 3-0 success against Estonia’s Madis MOOS, while Croatia’s Ivor BAN defeated Switzerland’s Elias HARDMEIER 3-1. Hungary’s Csaba ANDRAS, England’s Connor GREEN and Greece’s Panagiotis GIONIS were among those recording convincing straight-games victories. GIONIS proved particularly dominant against Israel’s Itay AVIVI, conceding only 13 points across three games. England’s Liam PITCHFORD defeated Finland’s Aleksi RASANEN 3-0, while Portugal’s Joao MONTEIRO and Tiago ABIODUN also began with straight-games victories. Finland’s Benedek OLAH and Italy’s John OYEBODE added further successes, while Croatia’s Filip ZELJKO was pushed to five games by Serbia’s Zsolt PETO. Hungary’s Adam SZUDI also faced a demanding opening match, recovering from a 1-2 deficit to beat Czechia’s Ondrej KVETON 3-2 (11-8, 5-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-7). Among the players who had already impressed on the opening day, Switzerland’s

For Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC, the 2026 European Championships will carry a significance unlike any previous edition. Competing at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana, the 28-year-old will have the opportunity to chase another major European medal in front of his home supporters. JORGIC already has an impressive record on the continental stage. He came within one victory of the European Men’s Singles crown in Munich in 2022, where he took silver, and has two European Team bronze medals, from Luxembourg in 2017 and Zadar in 2025. His record at the Europe Top 16 is even more remarkable. JORGIC won the title three years in succession, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, while finishing runner-up in 2020, 2025 and 2026. This time, however, the setting will make the challenge different. “Honestly, my goal and my wish is to win a medal in front of the home crowd – a medal I missed out on in Linz. Before that, I finished second in Munich, and I was just one step away from gold.” Despite being among the leading European players, JORGIC knows that rankings offer few guarantees in a field where the margins have become increasingly small. His experience at the 2024 European Championships in Linz, when he found himself in serious difficulty early in the tournament, remains a useful reminder. “If we remember Linz, when I was losing 3-1 and 7-2 to a Hungarian LEI who, if I remember correctly, was not even in the world’s top 50, then you realise that the world ranking doesn’t tell the whole story. I think this European Championship will be one of the strongest ever. I believe anyone can beat anyone.” For JORGIC, arriving in the right condition will therefore matter more than his position on the entry list. “The ranking is no longer the most important thing. What matters most is being in the right form and how you perform on the day. The first rounds are always the most difficult.” There are encouraging signs in that respect. After a period in which he struggled to find the consistency he wanted, JORGIC believes his game is settling again. “I have always said that I want to get back into the world’s top 10 as quickly as possible. I am currently 12th. For some time now, I have been going around in circles, moving one step up and one step down.” The demanding international calendar has made that task more complicated. JORGIC believes the sport has moved increasingly towards a tennis-style schedule, with players travelling continuously between tournaments and continents and having less time for sustained periods of training. “It is difficult mentally and physically. There is not enough time to train, and that is causing problems for all the players. You can also see it in the results, with Asian players losing matches against Europeans, especially the Chinese. I think Europe has closed the gap.” Adapting his own programme has been part of the process. JORGIC moved away from the German Bundesliga in search of greater flexibility and more control over his competition schedule. “I used to have a similar system. I trained a lot, prepared for competitions and then went to tournaments and played my best. At that time, I was ranked sixth in the world, and that approach helped me. Now I have to adapt to a different system. It is difficult, but as the years go by, you get used to it. And yes, I can say that I am back in good form now. I feel like I have really stabilised my game.” There has also been an important development for Slovenian table tennis ahead of the Championships, with the opening of a new national training centre at Dolgi Most on the outskirts of Ljubljana. For JORGIC, who left home for Novo Mesto at the age of 15 in order to pursue his career, having high-level training conditions available at home represents a significant step forward. “I’m really, really happy that we finally opened it and that it has been built, because I think it is a fantastic opportunity for all the young table tennis players. The conditions are phenomenal. Training at home is the best – I’ve always said that.” He hopes the centre will help the next generation of Slovenian players avoid some of the sacrifices he had to make at an early age, while also providing better conditions for the country’s established internationals. “I left home for Novo Mesto when I was 15. It was difficult for my parents, but in the end, if you decide to pursue a professional career, it was the right decision. Now we all hope that the new centre in Ljubljana will help all the young players take the next step and reach a higher level. And not just them – hopefully it will also help me and all the other Slovenian players.” JORGIC also won Men’s Singles and Team gold at the 2018 Mediterranean Games in Tarragona and added another Team title four years later in Oran. But a European Championships on home soil represents a different opportunity altogether. “I am really happy and proud of the entire federation for organising this championship at home. It is something really special for me and for all Slovenian table tennis players.” And there is one ingredient he hopes Arena Stožice will provide in abundance. “I would also like to call on all the fans to come and support us. I think we will really need that support. I sincerely hope I can show my best form and put in some good performances. The result will only come with good play.”

The Men’s Singles group stage at the 2026 European Championships got underway at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana on Sunday, with Switzerland’s Loic STOLL and Austria’s Zhenlong LIU producing two of the biggest surprises of the opening round. STOLL, ranked No. 318 in the October ETTU ranking, overturned a substantial ranking gap to defeat Türkiye’s Ibrahim GUNDUZ, ranked No. 76. The Swiss player recovered from a 1-2 deficit, winning the fourth game 11-8 before racing through the decider 11-2 to complete a remarkable comeback. “It was a very difficult match because I struggled with his serve at the beginning. However, I managed to stay mentally strong, and as the match progressed, both my level of play and physical performance improved. In the end, I played really well, and I’m extremely happy with this victory,” said STOLL. “My goal is to approach every match with a winning mindset. At the same time, there are certain aspects of my game and playing style that I want to develop and implement. For me, the result is not the most important thing. What matters most is the quality of my performance on the table and my mental approach. In that respect, I was very pleased with how I played this morning.” STOLL is hoping to improve on his performance at the previous European Championships in Linz. “Last time, I progressed through the group stage but lost in the qualifying round. Of course, I hope to go further this time, but nothing is guaranteed. I’m in a very strong group, and every match is a tough challenge.” Austria’s Zhenlong LIU, ranked No. 302, also upset the form book against Czechia’s Stepan BRHEL, ranked No. 77. After losing the opening game 2-11, LIU turned the contest around to claim a 3-1 victory, taking the following games 11-8, 11-3 and 12-10. There was another unexpected result for the Czech team as Ondrej KVETON, ranked No. 209, narrowly lost to Nikon SHUTOV (ETTU1), ranked No. 94. SHUTOV made the stronger start but found himself trailing 1-2 before fighting back. The deciding game turned into one of the most dramatic finishes of the round, with SHUTOV eventually prevailing 15-13. The home supporters had something to celebrate thanks to Slovenia’s Brin VOVK PETROVSKI. Ranked No. 124, he made a confident start against Slovakia’s Adam KLAJBER, ranked No. 165, securing a straight-games victory. VOVK PETROVSKI took the opening two games 11-8 and 11-9 before completing the win 13-11. It was a more difficult start for his compatriot Miha PODOBNIK, who faced Germany’s Ricardo WALTHER. The German, ranked No. 67, proved too strong, winning 3-0 after taking a closely contested opening game 11-9. Among the other closely fought encounters, Latvia’s Daniels KOGANS overcame Greece’s Alexandros MADESIS in five games. KOGANS twice took the lead, only for MADESIS to respond on both occasions, before the Latvian dominated the decider 11-3. Finland’s Lassi LEHTOLA also had to come from behind against Estonia’s Madis MOOS. Trailing 1-2, LEHTOLA found his rhythm in the closing stages, taking the final two games 11-8 and 11-5. Türkiye’s Görkem ÖÇAL faced an even tougher challenge against Iceland’s Ingi RODRIGUEZ. After losing the first two games, ÖÇAL fought his way back into contention and completed the turnaround with an 11-6 victory in the fifth. Denmark enjoyed a successful start, with Martin ANDERSEN and Tobias RASMUSSEN both winning in straight games. ANDERSEN overcame Lithuania’s Ervinas UZIALO, while RASMUSSEN defeated the Netherlands’ Milo DE BOER. Serbia also had reason to be satisfied. Zsolt PETO defeated Cyprus’ Sharpel ELIA 3-0, while Dimitrije LEVAJAC was equally convincing against San Marino’s Lorenzo RAGNI. Their compatriot Uros NINKOVIC was unable to follow suit, losing 3-1 to Spain’s Diego LILLO despite taking the opening game. Germany’s Kay STUMPER opened with a straight-games victory over Italy’s Francesco TREVISAN, while Romania’s Andrei ISTRATE dominated his encounter against Georgia’s Lasha LOMIA, winning 3-0 and conceding only 13 points. England’s Samuel WALKER was pushed to five games by Türkiye’s Tugay YILMAZ but came through to secure his first victory. Italy’s Danilo FASO also made a winning start, defeating Finland’s Aleksi RÄSÄNEN 3-1.

The 2026 European Championships got underway at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana on Sunday, with the Women’s Singles group stage producing plenty of excitement from the very first matches. The opening round featured the second- and third-ranked players in each group, and several encounters showed just how little separates the competitors. Eight of the 23 matches went to five games, with some decided by the narrowest of margins. The home crowd had something to celebrate early on as Slovenia’s Katarina STRAZAR made a confident start against Austria’s Elina FUCHS. STRAZAR dominated the opening game 11-2 and maintained control to complete a straight-games victory. “I’m not surprised by my performance. Already before the match, I knew I would give it my all and fight till the end no matter what. I am, however, a little surprised by how quickly I got the feeling for the arena. I hit three shots well right at the start, though things could easily have gone the other way. That immediately boosted my confidence. After that, things started flowing, and I managed to outplay my opponent using spin,” said STRAZAR. Her compatriot Lara OPEKA came close to adding another Slovenian win. Facing Jersey’s Hannah SILCOCK, OPEKA recovered from losing the opening game to move 2-1 ahead. However, SILCOCK fought back, taking the fourth game 12-10 before closing out the decider 11-8. There was no shortage of drama elsewhere. Portugal’s Mariana SANTA had to dig deep against Slovakia’s Dominika WILTSCHKOVA. After five closely contested games, SANTA finally sealed victory 12-10 in the decider. Belgium’s Lessia LEWYCKYJ also needed all five games to overcome Sweden’s Angelina BEBAWY. Twice in front and twice pegged back, LEWYCKYJ eventually found the winning touch in the deciding game, which she took 11-9. Bulgaria’s Maria YOVKOVA followed a similar path against Ulyana MIASHCHANSKAYA (ETTU1), winning 3-2 after a hard-fought encounter. Her compatriots also enjoyed a successful start. Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA recovered from losing the opening game to defeat Serbia’s Reka BEZEG 3-1, while Viktoria PERSOVA overcame Wales’ Danielle KELLY by the same margin. Hungary’s Rebeka NAGY was another player pushed to the limit. Against Czechia’s Jana VASENDOVA, she won the third game 12-10 but lost the fourth by the same score before pulling away in the fifth to secure victory. Finland’s Marina DONNER also emerged victorious from a five-game contest against Hungary’s Judit NAGY, while Ukraine’s Anastasiya DYMYTRENKO started with a 3-1 win over Sweden’s Siri BENJEGÅRD. For Czechia, Hanka KODET and Karin GROFOVA had a much smoother passage through their opening matches. KODET conceded just 11 points in her straight-games victory over England’s Ella PASHLEY, while GROFOVA was equally convincing against North Macedonia’s Amelia UCE-NIKOLOV. England’s Tianer YU and Norway’s Martine TOFTAKER also opened with 3-0 wins, overcoming Latvia’s Sabina MUSAJEVA and Sweden’s Nomin BAASAN respectively. The Slovenian supporters had less to cheer in the remaining home matches. Laura RAHOTIN PAVIČ lost 3-1 to Portugal’s Julia LEAL, while Tjasa NOVAK was beaten in straight games by Poland’s Anna BRZYSKA.

France’s Alexis LEBRUN will arrive at the European Championships in Ljubljana carrying some of the finest memories of his career – and two titles to defend. Two years ago in Linz, LEBRUN produced a memorable campaign to become European Men’s Singles champion, while also joining forces with his younger brother Félix to claim the Men’s Doubles crown. Now, at 23, the Frenchman returns to the continental stage as a more experienced player and with an even stronger position among Europe’s elite. “For me, it is one of those amazing moments. I think it is my best memory in table tennis. I played at a crazy good level, so I have very good feelings when I remember that tournament. What I remember most is how I felt at the table. It was very special to experience that,” said LEBRUN. The situation in Ljubljana will be different. In Linz, LEBRUN entered the event without carrying the weight of being one of the leading contenders. Two years later, after adding more major titles and medals to his collection, he knows expectations have changed. “For sure, it is a little bit different. I think I have improved a lot as well. Before Linz, I was really an outsider, and now I would say I am not the favourite. I think Truls and Félix are the favourites, but I am just behind them. It is different, but it also gives me more confidence because I know I managed to do it when I was a big outsider. Now that I have improved, I know I have a chance to do it again.” LEBRUN has continued to strengthen his position at the top of European table tennis since his triumph in Austria. He won Team gold with France at the 2025 European Championships in Zadar and claimed back-to-back Europe Top 16 titles in 2025 and 2026. His record extends well beyond the continental stage. LEBRUN was part of the French team that won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, helped France to World Championships Team silver in Busan in 2024 and Team bronze in London in 2026, while also winning Men’s Doubles bronze at the 2025 World Championships in Doha. With Ljubljana one of his major targets at the start of the season, LEBRUN has placed particular emphasis on his preparation. “I played a lot of tournaments to prepare for Ljubljana. We also went to China with our full staff to prepare for this event. For me, it is the most important event at the beginning of the season, so I will try to prepare as much as I can and be really ready for the tournament.” LEBRUN expects the battle for medals in Ljubljana to be particularly demanding, with the strength of European table tennis continuing to grow. “I think this year the level is very, very high. European table tennis has improved a lot in recent years, so in Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles it will be very tough, but I hope I will have good results.” Alongside his Singles title defence, LEBRUN will also have another European crown to protect with Félix. The brothers arrive in Ljubljana as the reigning European Men’s Doubles champions and the world’s top-ranked pair. “We are the reigning champions and also number one in the world, so of course we want to defend this title. It is never easy to win titles when you are the favourite because there are many very good players in Europe. We have prepared a lot in doubles for this event, so we will try to enjoy every match and keep going for the title.” Having entered Linz as an outsider and left with two gold medals, LEBRUN arrives in Ljubljana in a very different position – but with the memory of that remarkable week still providing confidence as he prepares to defend his European crowns.