Title holders Budaörsi Sport Club managed to overturn a 1-3 deficit from the opening leg of the quarterfinals to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Europe Cup Women. On their way to the penultimate stage, they halted the brave efforts of UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – RM TERAN’s young players. However, the Spanish club can still celebrate a great season. Budaörsi Sport Club clinched victory after the introduction of the golden match. In the first leg in Spain, Dora MADARASZ struggled with an injury, but today she was at her best, leading the team with a convincing win over Gabriela FEHER in the opening duel. Helga DARI and Maria FAZEKAS followed her lead. “I recovered, and I am very happy that we were able to turn the match around at home. I played a great match and an important set against Feher, which was crucial for us. It was a tough injury with my hip, but I am really happy that in just a few weeks it improved enough for me to bring this level back to my game,” said MADARASZ. In the golden match, 17-year-old María BERZOSA scored the only point for the Spanish side. SKST Plus Hodonín confirmed their opening-leg dominance against SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA, once again losing only one match. Karin GROFOVA was the backbone of the Czech team’s success, securing two wins over Eugenia SASTRE and Pauline CHASSELIN. Marketa SEVCIKOVA defeated Ainhoa CRISTOBAL, while Solomiya BRATEYKO fell to CHASSELIN, just like in the first leg. With Prithika PAVADE returning to the lineup for the second leg, Saint-Denis 93 TT overcame CTM Mirandela much more comfortably in Spain than they had at home. In France, Saint-Denis 93 had to go the full distance, but in Spain, Jie LI and Agathe AVEZOU followed PAVADE’s winning rhythm. Prithika PAVADE opened the match with a win over Annamaria ERDELYI, who had previously claimed both points in the first leg. Novi Sad faced their final match of the season. On home soil, they struggled against FIBRAIN KU AZS POLITECHNIKA RZESZOW. The Polish side had won the opening leg in straight matches, leaving too wide a gap for the Serbian team to overcome. Aneta MAKSUTI defeated Zuzanna WIELGOS in the opening match and had a chance to force the golden match in the fourth duel, but Fen LI proved too strong, also defeating Sara RADAK. Tijana JOKIC secured the second win for Serbia with a victory over Katarzyna GRZYBOWSKA-FRANC. SEMI-FINALISTS – EUROPE CUP WOMEN 2025 QUARTERFINAL RESULTS Second leg SKST Plus Hodonín – SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA 3-1 Opening leg SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA – SKST Plus Hodonín 1-3 Second leg Budaörsi Sport Club- NIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – RM TERAN 3-0 GOLDEN MATCH Budaörsi Sport Club- NIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – RM TERAN 2-1 Opening leg UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS – RM TERAN – Budaörsi Sport Club 3-1 Second leg CTM Mirandela – Saint-Denis 93 TT 0-3 Opening leg Saint-Denis 93 TT – CTM Mirandela 3-2 Second leg Novi Sad – FIBRAIN KU AZS POLITECHNIKA RZESZOW 2-3 Opening leg FIBRAIN KU AZS POLITECHNIKA RZESZOW – Novi Sad 3-0
SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA Joins ASC Grünwettersbach in Men’s Europe Cup Semi-Finals
SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA has secured its place in the semi-finals of the Men’s Europe Cup, joining ASC Grünwettersbach. The Czech club convincingly overcame STK Vyhne from Slovakia, winning both legs without dropping a single individual match. Just like in the opening leg in Slovakia, Tomas KONECNY, David REITSPIES, and Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA delivered dominant performances. The only moment of resistance came from Filip SZYMANSKI, who pushed KONECNY to five games. However, once Tomas secured the opening point for the hosts, the momentum firmly shifted, and the rest of the match followed a one-sided trajectory. Reflecting on the victory, Tomas KONECNY said:“I opened the game against Filip; I was up 2:1 and 8:4, but lost it and was down 5:4 in the fifth game. Finally, I won. Then we knew that on number three we had a sure point. David Reitšpies played very well and enjoyed his game, winning 3:0. For Jevgenij, it was just the formality. So we are happy and looking forward to the semifinal.” Two more quarter-final ties are scheduled for Sunday: HB Ostrov z.s. vs UKS Dojlidy Białystok in Havlíčkův Brod, Post SV Mühlhausen 1951 e.V. vs Real Club Cajasur Priego TM in Germany. SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA – STK Vyhne 3-0 STK Vyhne – SF SKK EL NINO PRAHA 0-3
ttc berlin eastside to Fight for the Crown Again after a Dramatic Semi-Final Twist
Reigning champions KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg were forced to surrender their title even before reaching the final of the Champions League Women, as ttc berlin eastside staged a stunning comeback in the semi-finals. After losing the first leg 1-3 at home, the German club turned the tie around with a straight matches victory in Tarnobrzeg. With a 0-3 defeat, KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg was pushed into a golden match. The same line-ups were fielded: Xiaona SHAN, Sabina SURJAN, and Mia GRIESEL for Berlin, against Ying HAN, Elizabeta SAMARA, and Fu YU for Tarnobrzeg. However, unlike the main match, the golden encounter did not even reach a third duel — SHAN and SURJAN secured victories to seal Berlin’s place in the final. Reflecting on the strategic challenges they faced, Sabina SURJAN explained: “I think that KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg played very smart in the opening leg. They put Ying HAN ‘down’ to play against me in the third position. In addition, SAMARA always plays superbly against SHAN, so our line-up could not perform at its best. We learned from that, but even before the start, we were in a bad position, having to play without Nina MITTELHAM due to injury. We lost 1-3 at home, and we knew we needed to win 3-0 or 3-1 just to reach the chance for a golden match.” Despite these challenges, the German trio delivered a fantastic performance in Tarnobrzeg. SURJAN added: “In the opening match SHAN performed superbly — it was a fantastic match. I did not start well, losing the first game against SAMARA 5-11, but then I adapted to her game and managed to take control. GRIESEL was absolutely fantastic. She was stretched to five games but managed to win, preventing a very dangerous scenario where the match could have gone the full distance.” ttc berlin eastside has previously won the Champions League Women title five times — in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021. Interestingly, in 2022, they lost the final to KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg, who went on to win the next two editions as well. Overall, the Polish club has secured Champions League titles in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. In the upcoming final, TTC Berlin Eastside will meet the winner of the semi-final between Metz TT and Saint-Quentin TT. The first leg ended with a narrow 3-2 victory for Saint-Quentin TT at home, while the decisive return match in Metz is scheduled for 28th April. Photo By: Piotr Morawski KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg – ttc berlin eastside 0-3 Golden match KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg – ttc berlin eastside ttc berlin eastside – KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL Tarnobrzeg 1-3
Linz AG Claims Championship Title Nine Days After Cup Victory
Linz AG Froschberg claimed the national double. Just nine days after lifting the national cup, the Linz team also triumphed in the Bundesliga final, defeating hosts Kufstein with a commanding 4–0 victory. “Today I’m really satisfied. I played well, and we handled the pressure. I’m happy to have played a few matches in the Bundesliga and the Cup. Next year, I hope to get more appearances, especially looking toward the Champions League,” beamed Linz AG Froschberg star Britt EERLAND after her clear 3–0 win against Danielle Florence KELLY. Earlier, Ivana MALOBABIC had put Linz in the lead with a 3–1 win over SU Pei-Ling. Suthasini SAWETTABUT then extended the visitors’ advantage with an impressive 3–1 win over Arantxa COSSIO. “Sawettabut delivered a top-class match against Cossio. The wonderful crowd enjoyed a great show in Kufstein,” said Linz AG head Günther RENNER, impressed by the final and the atmosphere. The two-time Champions League winners then sealed the title with a 3–1 doubles win by Suthasini SAWETTABUT/Ivana MALOBABIC, wrapping up the match at 4–0 and securing their tenth consecutive national title. It marked the 24th league championship overall for the Linz club. Despite the defeat, Kufstein club president Hermann MOSER was pleased: “We were very nervous, but we had our chances in three of the four matches. We knew we were the clear underdogs. Still, we’re celebrating the first runner-up title in our club’s history.” Women’s Bundesliga Final Final in Kufstein: Sparkasse Kufstein – Linz AG Froschberg 0:4
Istanbul Hosts Under 23 Para Table Tennis Development Camp in June
The European Table Tennis Union, empowered by the ITTF, is set to organize the Under 23 Para Table Tennis Development Camp from June 23rd to 28th, 2025, in Istanbul, Türkiye. The camp, open to young para athletes across Europe, will take place at the Cebeci Sports Complex, with accommodation provided at the WandaVista Hotel, a five-star facility located in Mahmutbey, Istanbul. The venue and hotel are approximately 10 kilometers apart, with an average travel time of 15 minutes. To encourage broad participation, ETTU will cover full accommodation costs for one U-23 player per association, including transportation from and to Istanbul Airport. Associations may register an unlimited number of players, with additional participants (players, coaches, or accompanying persons) paying a daily fee. Players under 18 must be accompanied by a coach, while those aged 18 and above are strongly encouraged to attend with one. A coaches’ meeting will be held on arrival day, June 23, with the exact time to be confirmed. The coaching team will include ETTU’s appointed Head Coach (to be announced) and Uğur AKSOY. The deadline for entries is May 23, 2025, and should be sent to Ana IVOŠEVIĆ (ana.ivosevic@ettu.org) and Tahsin ERGÜL (tahsinergul@evoq.com.tr). For visa support, Taylan ADIMAN (turkishtabletennis@gmail.com) is the designated contact person. Cancellations without penalty are accepted until June 13, 2025; after that date, a full cancellation fee will apply.
Pierre KASS Shares Insights at European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships
ETTU Secretary General Pierre KASS was invited to attend the European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships in Luxembourg, where he met with key figures from the European gymnastics community, including European Gymnastics’ General Director Lisa WORTHMANN. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and foster dialogue between two European sports federations. On behalf of the European Table Tennis Union, KASS presented a token of appreciation, symbolically marking the occasion and underlining the importance of inter-federation cooperation within the European sporting community. “It has been a tremendous pleasure to attend the 2025 European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships. The level of athleticism, precision, and artistry on display was truly inspiring. I deeply value opportunities like this to celebrate the spirit of European sport and strengthen the bonds between our sporting communities. Congratulations to all the athletes, coaches, and organizers for delivering such an exceptional event.”
Champions Crowned at JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Ilijaš
The JOOLA Europe Youth Series, held in Ilijaš, Bosnia and Herzegovina, concluded after five days of competition, bringing together some of Europe’s most talented young players in an intense and exciting tournament across teams, singles and doubles events. In the Under 15 Girls’ Singles, it was an all-Türkiye final as Ela Su YÖNTER triumphed over Nil BASRAN with a 3-1 victory. The bronze medals were claimed by Mariia LYTVYN of Austria and Duru KIRBAÇ of Türkiye, who fell in the semi-finals. In the Under 15 Boys’ Singles, Germany celebrated a one-two finish as Lukas WANG defeated compatriot Samuel KUHL in straight games. Jonas RINDERER of Germany and Kai Lun CHOW of England completed the podium as bronze medalists. A standout performance in the Under 13 Girls’ Singles came from Zsófia FEGYVER of Hungary, who overcame Ela Su YÖNTER, the champion in the older age category. Nadalia IONAȘCU and Kariss Yasmin ȘERBAN, both representing Romania, earned bronze. In the Under 13 Boys’ Singles, Stefan BONCHEV of Bulgaria secured the gold medal after defeating Alexandru POP of Romania. The bronze medals went to Filip NAGY of Slovakia and Dimitar DIMITROV of England. Doubles competition brought further success for emerging talents. In the Under 15 Girls’ Doubles, Maya Roberta MADAR of Romania and Teodora SUDZUM of Serbia overcame Türkiye’s Nil BASRAN and Duru KIRBAÇ in the final. The bronze medals were awarded to the Croatian duo Lana BENKO and Klara KONČAR, and to Mariia LYTVYN (Austria) and Patricia STOICA (Romania). In the Under 15 Boys’ Doubles, Germany’s Tien Nghia PHONG and Samuel KUHL claimed the title after a hard-fought win against Denmark’s Malik SEVERINSEN and Emil HASSELBALCH. Bronze medals went to Filip RAČÁK and Ondrej MORÁVEK of Slovakia, and the German pair Lukas WANG and Jonas RINDERER. In the Under 13 Girls’ Doubles, the Swiss team of Enya HU and Michelle WU overcame home favorites Mia HADŽOVIĆ and Lejla BOTONJIĆ of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final. Claudia BERTOLINI and Alice BORSANI of Italy, along with Romania’s Kariss Yasmin ȘERBAN and Nadalia IONAȘCU, finished in third place. The Under 13 Boys’ Doubles final saw Stefan BONCHEV of Bulgaria and Simon ZSIGMOND of Hungary defeat Germany’s Benno DETTMER and Kirill MANALAKI. The semi-finalists and bronze medalists were Jeffrey WEI and Jonathan KRAFT of Germany, and Dimitar DIMITROV and Zihan LIN of England. Pictures here
ASC Grünwettersbach First to Reach Europe Cup Men’s Semi-Finals
Germany’s ASC Grünwettersbach became the first club to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Europe Cup Men, following a commanding performance in both legs of their quarterfinal clash against SKST Havířov. After a 3-0 victory at home, the German side repeated the scoreline today in Czechia, once again prevailing in straight matches. “We’re really happy to reach the semi-finals,” said Leo DE NODREST.” We won 3-0 in both matches, but they were all tough. We’re glad we could be the better team when it mattered most. We played the same opponents in both legs, so it was a bit easier to prepare, using what we learned from the first match. Still, the team had to fight hard — most of the games were won after very close fight.” What makes their achievement even more impressive is the path they had to take — starting from the very first qualifying stage. In November, ASC Grünwettersbach defeated Namiznoteniški klub SAVINJA (Slovenia), ALZIRA TENNIS TAULA (Spain), and SK Vydrany (Slovakia). One month later, in Stage 2, they overcame STK Starr (Croatia) and ENOLI BORGES VALL (Spain), with their only defeat coming at the hands of KTS Gliwice (Poland). In the knockout stage (Stage 3), Grünwettersbach eliminated Austria’s SPG Felbermayr Wels in both legs before repeating that success against SKST Havířov in the quarterfinals. SKST Havirov – ASC Grünwettersbach 0-3 Opening leg ASC Grünwettersbach vs SKST Havířov 3:0 Photos by: Jaroslav ODSTRCILIK
In Memory of Hans Wilhelm GÄB
Former ETTU President and Honorary President of DTTB passes away at 89 The European table tennis community mourns the passing of Hans Wilhelm GÄB, one of the most respected and influential figures in the sport, who passed away on 13 April 2025, just two weeks after celebrating his 89th birthday. A man of deep integrity and vision, GÄB was a former German national team player, a reformer, and a moral authority in both sport and society. His impact spanned athletic achievement, sports politics, corporate leadership, and advocacy for organ donation. Throughout his life, he championed fairness, responsibility, and modernisation. Born in Düsseldorf, GÄB discovered table tennis at the age of 13 and rose to become a multiple-time German champion and national team member. Early on, he and his friend Eberhard SCHÖLER decided not only to criticise sports governance but to help improve it. GÄB first took on responsibility in the regional association of North Rhine-Westphalia and later led a transformative period as President of the German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) from 1981 to 1994. In that role, he laid the foundations for the professionalisation of German table tennis, enabling the rise of stars like Jörg ROßKOPF and Timo BOLL. Since 1994, he continued to support the DTTB as Honorary President, widely recognised for his diplomacy and commitment. As Eberhard SCHÖLER described him, he was an “absolute stroke of luck for German table tennis.” His well-known motto, “Learn to lose with dignity and win with humility,” deeply influenced generations of athletes. As president, he also helped modernise the image of the sport. During the 1989 World Championships in Dortmund, he introduced a red playing surface and professionalised the tournament design in cooperation with television experts. That event marked a turning point — not only because of its visual identity but also because of the sensational title won by FETZNER and ROßKOPF, who awakened the “sleeping giant,” as ROßKOPF later described it. GÄB was as accomplished in business as in sport. A trained journalist and co-founder of Auto Zeitung in 1968, he transitioned into public relations, becoming the first communications director on the board of Ford Germany and later an executive at Opel. He ultimately served as Vice President of General Motors Europe, where he established major sponsorships with sporting icons such as Steffi Graf, Franziska van Almsick, and clubs like FC Bayern and AC Milan. Despite his corporate success, he remained connected to table tennis and sport more broadly. He was President of the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU), was named Chef de Mission for the unified German team at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, and was considered the desired successor to Willi DAUME as head of the German Olympic Committee. However, a serious liver illness forced him to step down from all offices. A liver transplant in 1994 saved his life. GÄB transformed his personal experience into advocacy, founding Athletes for Organ Donation (1996) and later the Children’s Organ Transplant Support Foundation. Supported by public figures such as Timo BOLL, Michael SCHUMACHER, and Steffi GRAF, he tirelessly promoted awareness and the importance of organ donation. In 2005, during a critical phase, he was called upon to lead the German Sports Aid Foundation. Once again, he provided guidance as a reformer and moral pillar, stabilising finances, modernising structures, and later serving as Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Hans Wilhelm GÄB received numerous honours throughout his life, including: In a strong act of principle, he returned his IOC Olympic Order, awarded in 2006, ten years later as a protest against the lack of disciplinary action against Russia following revelations of state-sponsored doping. Hans Wilhelm GÄB was a visionary in sports politics, a gentleman of intellect, humour, and integrity. His contributions to table tennis in Germany, in Europe, and worldwide are profound and enduring. The European Table Tennis Union, together with the DTTB, his club Borussia Düsseldorf, and the entire table tennis family, mourn with his wife Hella, their children Christiane and Wolfgang, and their grandchildren. The funeral will take place in a private family ceremony. With thanks to the German Table Tennis Association for photo and archival content
Titles for Poland and Romania in Ilijaš
The Mixed Teams Event at the 2025 JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Ilijaš, Bosnia and Herzegovina, concluded with victories for Poland and Romania. In the Under 15 Mixed Teams Event, Poland’s Wanessa KULCZYCKA, Nicol BARTOSZKO, Piotr LACKI, and Dawid STANIOWSKI claimed the title after overcoming England’s team, which included Alyssa NGUYEN, Soraya RAHMANI-WALENTYNSKA, Hannah SAUNDERS, Dimitar DIMITROV, Kacper PIWOWAR, and Pablo RAMIREZ RIOJA. The Polish team dominated the final, securing victory in five matches. In the bronze medal match, Slovakia’s Bianka BACSOVÁ, Barbora Melisa GUASSARDO, Marco CISARIK, and Filip NAGY defeated Croatia’s Lana BENKO, Klara KONČAR, Nikola JURIĆ, and Matija VOLF in a much tighter encounter, which went the full distance — 5-4 in Slovakia’s favor. In the Under 13 Mixed Teams Event, Romania 1, represented by Nadalia IONAȘCU, Kariss Yasmin ȘERBAN, Mihai IORDAN, and Alexandru POP, triumphed over their compatriots from Romania 2 — Ioana IONESCU, Teodora SARDENI, Albert Armand CZIGLER, and Matei NIȚĂ — in an all-Romanian final. In the match for third place, Italy, represented by Claudia BERTOLINI, Alice BORSANI, Pietro CAMPAGNA, and Tommaso SIMI, prevailed against Croatia, whose lineup featured Karla IVČIĆ, Sara RIVETTI, Ivan SMILJANIĆ, and Matija ZOHIL. Pictures by Izet TAHIRBEGOVIC here.
