Eduard IONESCU and Bernadette SZOCS claimed the singles titles at the Romanian National Championships in Bucharest. The 2026 edition of the National Individual Championships was held at Sala Polivalentă Rapid, bringing together the country’s leading players in a highly competitive field across all events. In the men’s singles, IONESCU secured the national title after finishing ahead of Iulian CHIRIȚA in the final. Both players showed strong form throughout the event, with Ovidiu IONESCU and Darius MOVILEANU completing the podium. In the women’s singles, SZOCS once again confirmed her status at the top of Romanian table tennis, defeating Adina DIACONU in the final. Elena ZAHARIA and Andreea DRAGOMAN shared third place. SZOCS added a second title in women’s doubles alongside Elizabeta SAMARA, while IONESCU also enjoyed a successful campaign, winning the mixed doubles title together with SZOCS. The men’s doubles crown went to Rareș ȘIPOȘ and Cristian PLETEA. Romania Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
REITŠPIES and PETROVOVÁ take titles at Czech National Championships
The Czech Republic men’s and women’s national championships were held in České Budějovice, where David REITŠPIES and Nikita PETROVOVÁ claimed the singles titles. While it marked a third national title for the El Niňo Prague player REITŠPIES, it was a first career triumph for PETROVOVÁ of TJ Ostrava KST. The tournament featured several surprising results. The top favourite in the men’s singles, Lubomír JANČAŘÍK, was eliminated in the third round by Ondřej KVĚTON, while in the women’s event, both Zdena BLAŠKOVÁ and Karin GROFOVÁ fell short of the title. In the men’s final, REITŠPIES defeated Pavel ŠIRUČEK and expressed his satisfaction after the match: “It’s wonderful, what can I say. Second season with El Niňo, second title. I have to thank club owner Zbyněk Špaček, coach Petr Kaucký and my teammates. I feel at home there, and my results reflect that.” Women’s singles winner PETROVOVÁ was overwhelmed by her success. After the final against Karin GROFOVÁ, she could hardly believe what she had achieved: “I can’t believe it happened. I approached the final the same way as every previous match. I didn’t think about it as a gold medal match. I knew I wouldn’t be the favourite and just wanted to fight. She has a much better record than me, so I thought that if everything worked perfectly, I might have a chance, but there was always that uncertainty.” Czechia Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
HAUG secures seventh title as CARLSEN and MAGNUSSEN shine in Bergen
Borgar HAUG, Rebekka CARLSEN and Krizander MAGNUSSEN claimed the main titles at the Norwegian National Championships in Bergen. The event was held in a brand-new table tennis hall, offering an outstanding setting for this year’s battles for the prestigious King’s Trophy, as Laksevåg club welcomed the country’s top players. In the men’s singles, HAUG underlined his status as Norway’s leading player by capturing his seventh national title. In the final, he defeated Martin FRØSETH, with the match featuring several high-quality rallies before HAUG took control. On his way to the title, HAUG was tested by Khai Noah LAM in the semifinals, while FRØSETH advanced after a strong comeback victory over Alexander KLERCK FRANSSON. The women’s singles confirmed the continued dominance of CARLSEN, who added another national title to her impressive collection. She defeated her club teammate Christine KALVATN in the final (4-2), after initially taking a commanding lead. In the semifinals, CARLSEN overcame Anne Sophie KALVATN, while Christine KALVATN progressed with a solid win over Aida DAHLEN. The event once again highlighted the strength of club B72, which had a strong presence throughout the competition. In para open singles, MAGNUSSEN claimed his first King’s Trophy, taking advantage of the absence of multiple-time champion Tommy URHAUG. He advanced confidently through the draw and defeated Thomas SÆTRA in the final to secure a landmark victory. Norway Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Para Open Singles
MUTTI and MONFARDINI crowned champions in Terni
At the PalaTennistavolo “Aldo De Santis” in Terni, Gaia MONFARDINI (ASV TT Südtirol) and Matteo MUTTI (Apuania Carrara) claimed their first singles titles at the Italian National Championships, both triumphing in the second final of their careers. MONFARDINI capped an outstanding tournament by completing a hat-trick of titles, having also won the mixed doubles alongside John OYEBODE and the women’s doubles together with her mother, TAN Wenling. In the women’s singles final, MONFARDINI defeated Nikoleta STEFANOVA (Tennistavolo Castel Goffredo) 4-2, denying her opponent a twelfth national title. Nicole ARLIA (Centro Sportivo Aeronautica Militare) and Giorgia PICCOLIN (Centro Sportivo Esercito), the champions of 2024 and 2025, respectively, shared third place. “It’s the first time I’ve beaten Nikoleta, and it feels amazing,” said MONFARDINI. “She has a great serve and a lot of experience. I approached the match with humility and focus, and I managed to react in the most difficult moments. The semifinal against ARLIA was also very tough—I was trailing 0-2 and came back. I tried to play at my best level and succeeded. My mother TAN, who was coaching me, reminded me to stay mentally strong. Her advice was crucial. She knows me very well and helped me manage my emotions. I dedicate this victory to her, to my father Alfio and to my club TT Südtirol. I didn’t expect to win three titles, but I learned not to put too much pressure on myself.” In the men’s singles, MUTTI defeated reigning champion John OYEBODE (Tennistavolo Sassari) 4-1 to secure his first national title. Mihai BOBOCICA (Centro Sportivo Aeronautica Militare) and Marco CAPPUCCIO (Tennistavolo Sassari) finished in third place. “It’s an incredible feeling,” MUTTI commented. “In 2019 I lost the final to my brother Leonardo, and that was a tough moment. Two years ago I also lost in the semifinals after leading 3-0, which was perhaps my biggest disappointment. It wasn’t easy to come back from those moments, but they helped me grow. I prepared very well for this tournament and felt confident. In the semifinals I beat BOBOCICA, a true legend of our sport. In the final, I knew it would be a battle against OYEBODE. Leonardo was decisive—having him on the bench gave me confidence in the key moments. Sharing this title with him makes it even more special.” In the women’s doubles, MONFARDINI and TAN Wenling secured their second national title together, defeating defending champions Debora VIVARELLI and Giorgia PICCOLIN (Centro Sportivo Esercito) 3-1 in the final. Bronze medals went to Nikoleta STEFANOVA / Nicole ARLIA and Valentina RONCALLO / Miriam CARNOVALE. In the men’s doubles, Carlo ROSSI (Marcozzi Cagliari) and John OYEBODE retained their title with a 3-1 victory over Andrea PUPPO (Tennistavolo Sassari) and Matteo MUTTI. Third place was shared by Francesco TREVISAN / Danilo FASO and Francesco PALMIERI / Alessandro DI MARINO. In mixed doubles, John OYEBODE and Gaia MONFARDINI claimed their third title in the last four years, defeating Niagol STOYANOV (Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre) and Giorgia PICCOLIN 3-0 in the final. Bronze medals went to Tommaso GIOVANNETTI / Chiara COLANTONI and Federico VALLINO / Miriam CARNOVALE. Italy Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
FREITAS and PINTO crowned national champions
Marcos FREITAS and Matilde PINTO claimed the national senior titles at the 2025–2026 Portuguese National Championships, held in Vila Nova de Gaia. For 19-year-old PINTO, this marks her first senior national title, completing an impressive progression after winning gold in almost all younger age categories. In the final, she defeated Júlia LEAL to secure the crown. FREITAS, one of Portugal’s most experienced players, added another national title to his career, reaffirming his status at the top of Portuguese table tennis. He overcame João GERALDO in the final in straight games. Portugal Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
ZIJADIĆ and CERIĆ crowned champions in Ilijaš
The Bosnia and Herzegovina National Individual Championships for seniors took place in Ilijaš, bringing together the country’s top players for two days of intense competition. After a series of closely contested matches, Benjamin ZIJADIĆ secured the men’s singles title, while Emina CERIĆ emerged victorious in the women’s event, confirming her strong form on the national stage. In the men’s competition, ZIJADIĆ finished ahead of Edin KONJIĆ, with Dario PEJIĆ and Kenan ZAHIROVIĆ sharing third place. In the women’s singles, CERIĆ topped the podium ahead of Harisa MEŠETOVIĆ, while Ana SLADOJE and Ajna ZLOTRG completed the medal positions. The doubles titles went to Emir MUJIČIĆ / Anes MUJIČIĆ in men’s doubles and Harisa MEŠETOVIĆ / Ana SLADOJE in women’s doubles, while the mixed doubles crown was claimed by Aron KANLIĆ and Harisa MEŠETOVIĆ. Bosnia and Herzegovina Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
Luxembourg National Championships ready the for exciting weekend in Bertrange
Luxembourg’s leading table tennis players will gather this weekend at the Centre Atert in Bertrange for the Foyer National Championships, where the 2026 national titles will be decided across men’s and women’s singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles. Defending singles champions Sarah DE NUTTE (Diddeleng) and Eric GLOD (Wëntger) return with the aim of retaining their crowns. However, the competition promises to be wide open, with several strong contenders capable of challenging for both titles and podium places. In the women’s event, Sarah DE NUTTE enters as the main favourite, but Enisa SADIKOVIC (Diddeleng) will be eager to build on her recent progress and push the defending champion even further than last year. A strong group of challengers, including Carole HARTMANN (Iechternach), Jona SCHROEDER (Préizerdaul), Melisa SADIKOVIC (Diddeleng), Tessy DUMONT (Lënster) and Kinda MOSTAFA (Union), will also be targeting medal positions. The men’s competition is expected to deliver high-quality encounters, particularly in the later rounds. Among the leading contenders are former national champions Luka MLADENOVIC (Berbuerg), Maël VAN DESSEL (Hueschtert-F.) and Eric GLOD (Wëntger), alongside Aaron SAHR (Houwald). Other top-seeded players include Loris STEPHANY (Berbuerg), Tom SCHOLTES (Berbuerg), Arlindo DE SOUSA (Lénger) and Gene WANTZ (Recken). Attention will also be on emerging talents Pit SCHOLTES (Lenneng), Luca ELSEN (Lëntgen) and Foos FERBER (Préizerdaul), who will be looking to challenge the established names. In the doubles events, new champions are guaranteed as none of last year’s gold medal-winning pairs return in the same combinations. In men’s doubles, WANTZ / VAN DESSEL and GLOD / CIOCIU top the seeding list. In the women’s event, the leading pairs are GONDERINGER / DE NUTTE and SADIKOVIC / SADIKOVIC, while in mixed doubles the top seeds are DE NUTTE / MICHELY and SADIKOVIC / WANTZ. Competition begins on Saturday with the doubles events from 11:00, followed by mixed doubles at 13:15. The men’s singles start at 13:15, while the women’s singles begin at 16:20. The mixed doubles competition will be completed on the same day, with the final scheduled in the evening. Sunday will feature the decisive stages of the tournament, including quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals in all remaining events, culminating with the singles finals at 18:00. Matches will be played in a knockout format, with singles played best-of-seven games and doubles best-of-five. A live stream will be available on Sunday via the official federation platform, where fans can also follow results and updates throughout the competition.
KOLODZIEJCZYK Leads Open Title Race in Horn
Excitement is building ahead of the 96th Austrian National Championships, set to take place this weekend in Horn (Lower Austria). With defending champion Andreas LEVENKO withdrawing, the race for the men’s singles title is wide open. Top seed Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK enters the tournament as the main favourite, aiming to claim his first national singles title. The 2024 European doubles bronze medallist is seeded in three events – singles, men’s doubles (with his brother Franci KOLODZIEJCZYK) and mixed doubles (with women’s top seed Karoline MISCHEK). However, strong competition awaits. LIU Zhenlong, runner-up last year, has shown excellent form in the Bundesliga, while Simon PFEFFER, Alexander CHEN, and Julian RZIHAUSCHEK are all serious contenders. One thing is certain a new champion will be crowned. In the women’s singles, the withdrawals of Sofia POLCANOVA and defending champion LIU Yuan have reshaped the draw. Karoline MISCHEK, runner-up last year, leads the field and is expected to face her club teammate Nina SKERBINZ in a potential final. Young talent Mariia LYTVYN, bronze medallist at the U15 European Championships, could challenge the favourites. She is also among the top contenders in women’s doubles alongside Julia DÜR, and will defend her mixed doubles title with Christoph SIMONER.
Future International Referees Trained in Havířov
Last weekend, Havířov (Czechia) hosted a two-day educational workshop for prospective international referees, organised within the ETTU Referee Mentoring Program and held in conjunction with the WTT Youth Contender. The workshop was led by experienced international referees Matej HAMRAN (Slovakia) and Petr BOHUMSKÝ (Czechia). The event brought together a group of experienced umpires and national referees aiming to take the next step toward the international level. Participants represented a diverse range of countries, including Austria, Kosovo, Ukraine, Tunisia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Czechia. The main objective was to strengthen their understanding of international refereeing standards and prepare them for future participation in the International Referee School. The programme combined essential theoretical knowledge with practical application. Key topics included tournament scheduling principles, order of play, and different approaches to umpire scheduling. Participants were also introduced to the structure and expectations of the International Referee School. Special emphasis was placed on decision-making in complex situations, including the correct application of rules related to misbehaviour, disqualification, and other challenging scenarios regularly faced at international events. A major highlight of the workshop was its direct connection to the WTT Youth Contender tournament. Participants actively engaged in draw procedures, working in groups on both ITTF and WTT competition formats, before presenting their solutions. The learning experience was further enriched through case studies based on recent referee conferences, followed by interactive discussions and Q&A sessions. Practical exercises also included an overnight umpire scheduling task, allowing participants to apply their knowledge under realistic conditions. On the second day, the focus shifted from the classroom to the field of play. Participants took part in Call Area duties and gained hands-on experience with racket control procedures. They also observed result management processes and the work of referees during live matches, offering valuable insight into the operational side of international competitions. The workshop provided an excellent platform for exchanging experiences, discussing best practices, and strengthening cooperation among match officials. The high level of engagement and enthusiasm of all participants contributed significantly to the overall success of the event. Participants also shared positive feedback: “I am working to raise the level of table tennis referees and umpires in Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is currently a lack of interest in certain areas, and I hope that the skills I gained here will help us follow the latest European standards. I can give only the highest praise, as I truly appreciate the professionalism of everyone involved,” said Oles DOPILKO (Ukraine) “The presenters were extremely competent and professional. Their depth of knowledge and the way they delivered the material were impressive and very helpful for everyone involved. I would also like to highlight the simulation of exam situations, which was particularly useful in preparing for real-life challenges,” noted Christian NOWAK (Austria) Education and continuous development remain essential for maintaining high standards in international table tennis. Workshops such as this play a key role in preparing the next generation of referees for the demands of top-level competition.
Women in Umpiring Webinar to Inspire and Connect
ETTU will host its second women-only webinar dedicated to umpiring on 19 April 2026 at 20:00 CET, bringing together experienced officials and emerging talents for an engaging and inspiring online session. The webinar will highlight the journeys of some of the most accomplished women umpires, who will share their personal experiences from the international stage, including the challenges they have faced, key moments in their careers, and lessons learned along the way. Their insights aim to inspire and guide the next generation of officials. In addition to these discussions, the session will include updates from the HMO, as well as practical advice on presentation and performance in the Field of Play, offering valuable tools for umpires at all levels. Designed to create a supportive environment, the initiative focuses on strengthening connections between generations, encouraging knowledge-sharing and mentorship, and empowering women in officiating within table tennis. The webinar is open to participants at all stages of their officiating journey and aims to combine experience, learning, and inspiration in one interactive session. If you are interested, fill out this Google Form.