The team events at the JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Albufeira concluded with dramatic finals, emotional comebacks and impressive performances from some of Europe’s brightest young talents. You can see pictures here. The Under 15 Girls Teams final delivered one of the most dramatic encounters of the tournament, as Portugal 1 completed a remarkable comeback against Germany 1 to secure the title in front of home supporters. Germany started strongly thanks to Lotta ROTHFUSS, who defeated Maria RUIVO in four close games despite dropping the opening set. Portugal quickly leveled the score when Irina SILVA produced a dominant straight-games victory over Emma Sophie LI. The doubles match became the turning point of the final. ROTHFUSS and LI moved within one game of the title after taking a 2-0 lead, but the Portuguese duo of RUIVO and SILVA fought back brilliantly, winning the next three games to swing the momentum completely in favour of the hosts. With confidence growing, SILVA completed the comeback by defeating ROTHFUSS in four games to seal the Under 15 Girls Teams crown for Portugal 1. In the bronze medal match, Spain 1, represented by Teresa CARRASCO VIEITO and Celia VALPUESTA, defeated Israel 1, represented by Gali BEZALEL and Ofek NAHUSHI, to secure third place. Germany 1, represented by Lukas WANG and Tien Nghia PHONG, captured the Under 15 Boys Teams title after defeating hosts Portugal 1, represented by Rodrigo ANDRADE and Argemiro MORY, in the final. Earlier in the day, Portugal 1 had booked their place in the final by overcoming Germany 3, represented by Jonathan KRAFT and Sebastian LENZ, in the semi-final. Germany 1 advanced after receiving a walkover, while Germany 2 finished the event with the bronze medal. The Under 13 Boys Teams title went to Ukraine 1, represented by David DROBOV and Mark VORONOI, after a strong performance in the final against Israel 1, represented by Ilay DAVIDOV and Reah KROL SHAHAR. Israel had earlier secured their place in the final after defeating Portugal 1 in a hard-fought semi-final. The Portuguese pair of João COSTA and Rodrigo LOURENÇO recovered from a two-match deficit to force a deciding singles clash, but DAVIDOV sealed the victory for Israel with a four-game triumph over LOURENÇO. Ukraine 1 reached the final after overcoming Ukraine 2, represented by Ivan BUR and Vadym LUNEHOV, in the semi-final. In the Under 13 Girls Teams final, Spain 1, represented by Carmen GOMEZ and Julia FERNANDEZ, defeated Portugal 1, represented by Lara MONTEIRO and Leonor ASCENCO, to win the title in Albufeira. Another bronze medal went to Lithuania 1 in the Under 15 Girls Teams event, where Kaja TVOROGAL and Karina MILTO defeated Germany 1, represented by Dana HASPEL and Svenja HEPP, in the match for third place.
KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg and Metz TT will battle for historic Final 4 crown
Four-time Champions League winners, hosts and top seeds KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg secured their place in the final of the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 after a commanding victory over reigning champions ttc berlin eastside in front of home spectators in Tarnobrzeg. The German club, one of the most decorated teams in European women’s table tennis history with seven Champions League titles, arrived with a very young line-up, while Tarnobrzeg relied on its vast experience and world-class quality to control the semi-final from start to finish. In tomorrow’s final, scheduled for 15:00 CET, KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg will face French club Metz TT, who earlier today defeated Spain’s UCAM Cartagena T.M. in the opening semi-final. In the opening match, 28-year-old Chinese player Zhuojia HE faced Germany’s rising talent, 16-year-old Josephina NEUMANN. HE’s constant variation of rhythm and spin prevented NEUMANN from settling into the match, allowing the Tarnobrzeg player to build an early advantage. In the second game, NEUMANN adapted better and tried to stay closer in the rallies, but HE remained fully in control. The German youngster opened the third game with a narrow lead, yet the advantage disappeared quickly as HE accelerated the pace and completely dictated the play. From that moment on, the encounter became a one-way street, with HE closing the match comfortably in straight games. Nineteen-year-old Japanese defender Yuka KANEYOSHI faced experienced 38-year-old Xiaoxin YANG in the second match of the semi-final. YANG once again confirmed her reputation as a player who feels very comfortable against defensive styles. Her powerful attacking play and sharp counter-topspin rallies quickly energized the spectators in Tarnobrzeg. Despite the straight-games result, KANEYOSHI showed courage and persistence throughout the encounter. The young Japanese player stayed level in the third game at 5-5 and 7-7 before moving ahead 9-7, threatening to extend the match. However, YANG remained patient under pressure, erased the advantage immediately and closed the duel in straight games with her experience and composure proving decisive. Europe No. 5 Ying HAN, 43 years old and fresh from winning a bronze medal with Germany at the World Championships, faced 20-year-old compatriot Mia GRIESEL in the third match. HAN opened the encounter in spectacular fashion, winning the first nine points of the match in rapid succession. GRIESEL responded better in the second game and briefly moved ahead 3-1, but HAN quickly closed the gap and once again took complete control with her trademark defensive precision and clever placement. “It was important to maintain focus. We did not give away easy points and we reduced our errors to a minimum,” explained HAN. “It was important for us to stay fully focused throughout the entire match. Of course, during the encounter we made some small adjustments, but the key was to concentrate on every ball and every game, and that is why we achieved such a good result. What pleased me the most today was Xiaoxin YANG’s performance. She has been working very hard to come back to her best form after her maternity break. She returned last November, and our strategy was to bring her back step by step through feeder tournaments rather than immediately putting pressure on her at the biggest events. She stayed in constant contact with our coaches, preparing carefully one tournament after another. Today she was focused from the very first to the very last ball. She looked fresh, disciplined and very consistent technically, and I am very happy because she is getting very close to her best level again. She is definitely on the right path to returning to top-level table tennis,” said coach Zbigniew NĘCEK.
History made in Tarnobrzeg as Metz TT secure place in inaugural Women’s Final
The first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 began today in the Polish city of Tarnobrzeg, where four of Europe’s top clubs arrived with hopes of lifting the most prestigious trophy in European women’s club table tennis. In the opening semi-final, France’s Metz TT overcame Spain’s UCAM Cartagena T.M. after a tense and emotional battle to secure their place in tomorrow’s final, scheduled for 15:00 CET. Later today, hosts KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg will face Germany’s ttc berlin eastside for the second ticket to the title match. See the pictures here. Egypt’s Hana GODA, currently ranked No. 20 in the ITTF World Rankings, opened the match for Metz TT against Chilean international Daniela ORTEGA, ranked No. 109 in the world. Both players started with strong service games, with GODA looking aggressive from the first rallies, while ORTEGA tried to disrupt the rhythm by constantly changing the pace and varying the spin. Despite the resistance from the South American champion, GODA maintained a narrow advantage throughout the opening game to take the lead. ORTEGA struggled on receive in the second game, while GODA continued to apply pressure with her quick attacking play and solid placement. The Cartagena player showed signs of a comeback at the start of the third game, taking her first lead of the match at 3-2. However, GODA immediately responded, refusing to allow the momentum to shift. As the Egyptian accelerated the tempo even further and denied ORTEGA any opportunity to slow the rallies down, UCAM Cartagena coach Jesús CANTERO called a timeout in an attempt to break the rhythm. GODA, however, remained fully in control and closed the match in straight games. “She was playing really well, so I had to put a lot of power into my shots and keep the ball on the table. I’m happy I could bring this point to the team,” said GODA. The clash between Europe No. 8 Charlotte LUTZ and Europe No. 6 Maria XIAO leveled the match. XIAO justified her higher ranking by taking control early in the encounter. The players stayed close until the middle of the opening game, when the Spaniard began to pull away with precise placement and well-timed attacks down the line. LUTZ managed to keep pace at 4-4 in the second game, but XIAO once again created separation by constantly pushing the French player half a step behind and disrupting her rhythm. “I played without any pressure because I knew we were the underdogs here. Without QI Fei, it is very difficult to win this match, so I had nothing to lose. The last time I played against LUTZ, she beat me 3-0 and I had no chance, so today I was just thinking point by point and game by game. I think that was the key. The big difference this time was that she did not receive my serve very well, and that gave me the opportunity to be aggressive before her. She has a very attacking game, so if I could be aggressive first, it gave me the chance to control the point,” explained XIAO. Currently ranked No. 42 in Europe, Adina DIACONU faced Europe No. 43 Tin Tin HO in another tense clash of the semi-final. The Romanian international applied strong pressure from the start, using heavy spin and aggressive openings to force HO into errors. However, Tin Tin stayed calm and managed to shift the momentum in the second game. After a tense battle at 8-8, HO accelerated at the right moment to earn two game points at 10-8 and converted the second to level the match. The third game produced another neck-and-neck battle. Better receive and early initiative helped HO move in front, but DIACONU responded strongly in the fourth game, quickly building a 6-2 advantage. Although HO reduced the gap to 6-4, the Romanian player remained composed, extended the lead to 8-4 and forced the match into a decisive fifth game. In the decider, DIACONU completely took control, dominating the rallies and sealing an important victory for Metz TT. “It was a tough match, but I think I played very well in the first two games. I was leading in both of them, in the first set maybe 8-2, but she fought for every point and kept playing better and better. The same happened in the second game. I was in front again, but then I lost it, so I started to feel a little nervous.I also had some problems with my serve, many balls were going out and I really do not know why. But in the end, I am very happy that I managed to control my emotions and turn them to work for me.I tried to stay very calm because she is a very aggressive player. I just needed to stay in the rally and in the game, and that was the key for me today,” said DIACONU. “Today is my father’s birthday. I was sad that I could not celebrate it together with my family, but now I am so happy we won today.” GODA left nothing to chance in her second appearance at the table. The Egyptian star immediately put the match under control despite Maria XIAO’s experience and tactical variations. Hana dictated the tempo from the opening rallies and never allowed the Spaniard enough time to settle into rhythm. “My serve worked very well today, and that was the most important thing,” said GODA. Metz TT – UCAM Cartagena T.M 3-1
Real Club Cajasur Priego TM make history with first European trophy
Real Club Cajasur Priego TM secured the first European trophy in the club’s history after defeating SF SKK El Nino Praha in a dramatic ETTU Europe Cup Men final that delivered two thrilling encounters decided only after the full five matches. The trophy to the winning team was presented by ETTU Vice President Jaroslaw KOLODZIEJCZYK. After taking a narrow 3-2 victory in the opening leg in Spain, the Priego side travelled to Prague knowing that another difficult battle awaited them. Just like in the first encounter, the second leg again went the distance, but the Spanish club once more found the decisive points when it mattered most. One of the heroes of the final was Hampus SODERLUND, who preserved his unbeaten record across both matches and delivered two crucial victories in each encounter. Priego opened the second leg perfectly as SODERLUND defeated David REITSPIES in straight games. Robert GARDOS then increased the visitors’ advantage with a strong victory over Tomas KONECNY, placing the Spanish side in a commanding position. SF SKK El Nino Praha responded through Yevhen PRYSHCHEPA, who overcame Carlos MACHADO to keep the Czech club alive. The momentum continued to swing after David REITSPIES produced an impressive straight-games victory against Robert GARDOS to level the match and force a dramatic final encounter. Everything rested on the duel between Tomas KONECNY and the unbeaten Hampus SODERLUND. The experienced Czech player started strongly and moved within one game of victory after taking the first two games. However, SODERLUND produced another remarkable comeback, fighting back to win the next three games and secure the title for Real Club Cajasur Priego TM. The Spanish side therefore completed a memorable European campaign and added the ETTU Europe Cup Men trophy to the club’s history for the very first time. Hampus SODERLUND admitted that immediately after the final victory he was still struggling to process the emotions following the historic success for Real Club Cajasur Priego TM. “At the moment I honestly don’t even know exactly what I feel. Maybe a little bit empty because it has been such a long journey for all of us,” said SODERLUND. “We started already in Novi Sad at the end of August in Champions League Stage 1and since then it has been a whole season full of difficult matches where somehow we always managed to survive.” The Swedish player highlighted the significance of securing the first European trophy in the history of the Spanish club. “I’m just happy that together we managed to make this title possible for the first time in the history of Priego de Córdoba. It is truly a historic night for the club.” SODERLUND also praised the entire structure around the team throughout the season. “The club management did an amazing job, the coaches worked incredibly well on the bench and of course the players also gave everything. I’m simply very proud of this team.” Reflecting on the final itself, SODERLUND underlined how difficult the challenge in Prague proved to be. “We knew it would be very hard. Winning 3-2 at home was great, especially with such an amazing crowd behind us, but that result gave us no real advantage going into Prague. We knew we had to start again and beat them one more time in their own hall and we managed to do it.” He also pointed out that the road to the trophy had already included several dramatic moments earlier in the competition. “In the quarterfinals against HB Ostrov we won through the Golden Match and Diogo CARVALHO played unbelievably. In the earlier stages we also had problems against Marcozzi from Italy, then suddenly Carlos MACHADO started winning incredible realies. It was really a complete team effort all season. Whenever one player struggled a bit, another one stepped up. That’s why this journey was so special.” Robert GARDOS also highlighted the difficulty of the final and praised the team’s preparation for the decisive encounter. “We suspected that the opponent would make some changes to the lineup. But they have three quality players and it was difficult for us again,” said GARDOS. “I did not play well in the opening match and I wanted to help the team more in the second leg. I prepared very well and I definitely gave a better performance.” The experienced Austrian praised the team’s excellent start in the second leg, particularly the contribution of the unbeaten Hampus SODERLUND. “We started amazingly. Hampus was once again in great shape and I managed to play much better than in the first match. After going 2-0 up, I already felt we had two very good chances to win the title.” Despite seeing the Czech side fight back, GARDOS said the team never stopped believing. “Carlos fought hard, but he lost against PRYSHCHEPA. Then I also lost because the Czech player simply played better than me. But even when Hampus was trailing, we still believed he could turn the match around. He had his chances, stayed mentally strong, and finally managed to change the direction of the match and win.” The experienced Austrian also admitted that the team’s previous success in a Golden Match earlier this season may have helped mentally, even though Priego eventually avoided another decider. “This year we already won a Golden Match in the Czech Republic against HB Ostrov, so maybe that gave us some psychological advantage. But it is good that it did not happen this time because Golden Matches are very unpredictable.” SF SKK El Nino Praha – Real Club Cajasur Priego TM Opening leg Real Club Cajasur Priego TM – SF SKK El Nino Praha 3-2
Linz AG Froschberg win ETTU Europe Cup Women title
Linz AG Froschberg are the new ETTU Europe Cup Women champions after completing a dramatic comeback against ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari in front of their home crowd in Linz. After suffering a 1-3 defeat in the opening leg in Italy, the Austrian side produced a flawless response on home soil, winning 3-0 to force the golden match and eventually lifting the trophy after a thrilling finale that went the full distance. The trophy was presented to the winning team by ETTU Vice President Didier LEROY. From the very beginning, Linz AG Froschberg showed determination to overturn the deficit. Suthasini SAWETTABUT opened the evening with a strong 3-1 victory over Hengyu MA, controlling the crucial moments of the fourth game to give the Austrian club the perfect start. Ivana MALOBABIC then increased the pressure on the Italian side by defeating Tania PLAIAN in straight games. Although every game was closely contested, MALOBABIC remained focused in key rallies and pushed Linz one step closer to the comeback. In the third match, Britt EERLAND and Miriam CARNOVALE produced a dramatic five-game battle. EERLAND recovered after losing the opening game, dominated the middle part of the match, and despite CARNOVALE forcing a decider, the Dutch player held her nerve to secure the decisive victory and send the final into the golden match. The tension inside the hall continued to rise as the trophy had to be decided in the golden match. SAWETTABUT edged Miriam CARNOVALE 11-9 in the opening duel before Tania PLAIAN responded immediately for ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari with an emphatic 11-1 victory against Ivana MALOBABIC. With everything resting on the final encounter, Britt EERLAND once again stepped to the table and defeated Hengyu MA 11-8 to secure the trophy for Linz AG Froschberg and complete remarkable comeback. The Austrian club had previously won the Champions League Women title on two occasions, in 2009 and 2013, but until now had never managed to capture the ETTU Europe Cup Women crown. Their dramatic victory in Linz therefore completed another important chapter in the club’s European legacy. Britt EERLAND admitted that Linz AG Froschberg entered the second leg determined to overturn the narrow defeat from Sardinia and believed from the beginning that the comeback was possible. “We were ready for our revenge. Last time it was very close, with three matches going to the deciding moments, so we knew we had a chance,” said EERLAND. “This week we prepared very well together, everybody stayed in Linz, and you could really see that in the match. Everybody had their game face on and wanted to put pressure on the opponents.” Speaking about the decisive Golden Match, EERLAND explained that taking initiative under pressure proved crucial. “With the Golden Match, the pressure is there for everybody. I felt that the player willing to take risks would have the advantage. I wanted to open the rallies quickly with my long serves and control the game as much as possible. I think I played smarter in the Golden Match,” she said. EERLAND also praised the contribution of her teammates throughout the evening. “I think everybody fought very well. Ivana is a player who normally needs one set to warm up, so the Golden Match format can be difficult for a defender, but in the regular match she was extremely strong with her 3-0 win. As a team we recovered very well from the first leg and finished with the title.” The Dutch international also underlined the importance of completing the triple this season. “Now we have won everything – the Cup, the league title and the Europe Cup. That feels very special. I personally had never won the Europe Cup before, so I’m very happy we achieved it. I think we are also the first Austrian club to win this title, which makes it even more special.” Club president Günther RENNER immediately joined the celebrations after the historic success, while manager Robert RENNER praised the team’s fighting spirit and emotional achievement. “Unbelievable how exciting can table tennis be? The team gave everything and deserved everything. After 2013, another European title comes to Linz. We owed this to my father Günther RENNER,” said Robert RENNER. The evening also carried emotional significance for the club as Suthasini SAWETTABUT, who announced her retirement, and coach Josef PLACHY received a memorable farewell in front of the home crowd. Linz AG Froschberg – ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari 3-0 Golden match Linz AG Froschberg – ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari 2-1 Opening leg ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari – Linz AG Froschberg 3-1
Champions and Challengers, Tarnobrzeg, Berlin, Cartagena and Metz Chase European Trophy
For the first time in history, the ETTU Champions League Women season will end with a Final 4 and Tarnobrzeg is ready to welcome four clubs dreaming of the biggest trophy in European club table tennis. Hosts and top seeds KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg arrive once again among the favourites after another dominant European campaign. Four-time Champions League winners and leaders of Polish women’s table tennis for decades, Tarnobrzeg bring experience, depth and one of the strongest squads in Europe. At the centre stands Ying HAN, fresh from winning bronze with Germany at the ITTF World Team Championships Finals in London. “Our team is very united, and we all truly love table tennis,” said HAN, who also hopes the home atmosphere can become an important advantage for the Polish club. Waiting for them in the semi-final will be reigning champions ttc berlin eastside, one of the most successful clubs in European women’s table tennis history. Seven Champions League titles, years of consistency and enormous squad depth once again make ttc berlin eastside one of the main contenders for the trophy. Berlin’s club arrive in Tarnobrzeg knowing exactly how to handle the biggest occasions. The second semi-final will feature two clubs chasing history in different ways. UCAM Cartagena TM reached the Champions League Women Final 4 for the first time after one of the most dramatic campaigns of the season, including an incredible comeback and golden match victory in the quarter-finals against Saint-Quentin TT. Led by experienced Spanish international Maria XIAO, Cartagena arrive full of belief. “The quarter-final was really insane,” admitted XIAO. “It was almost impossible for us, but somehow we managed to qualify. I think our team spirit helped us a lot.” Standing on the other side will be Metz TT, a club that has spent the last few years knocking on the door of European glory. Finalists in both 2023 and 2025, Metz now arrive believing this could finally be their moment. Players such as Adina DIACONU, Charlotte LUTZ and Hana GODA give the French side one of the most balanced teams in the competition. “The goal is always to win the trophy,” said LUTZ ahead of the Final 4. “We feel ready for it.” With reigning champions, experienced winners, rising challengers and packed stands expected in Tarnobrzeg, the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 promises a spectacular finish to the European club season. ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 Semi-finals – 23 May 2026 Final – 24 May 2026 15:00
Portugal ready to launch another exciting JOOLA Europe Youth Series stop
The 2026 JOOLA Europe Youth Series Portugal Open starts today in Albufeira, bringing together Europe’s promising young talents for five days of competition at the Pavilhão Desportivo de Olhos de Água. See pictures here. The tournament will run from 21 to 25 May and will feature U13 and U15 events in boys’ and girls’ categories, including team competitions, singles, and mixed doubles. This year’s event host 75 playes in Under 15 Boys Event, 40 in Under 15 Girls, and 38 and 23 in each Under 13 Boy’s and Girls events. A total of 15 nations will be represented in Albufeira: Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Ukraine. Competition begins today with the U15 and U13 Boys’ and Girls’ Team group stages, while the programme throughout the week also includes singles events and mixed doubles competitions. Finals in team events are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, while singles main draw matches will dominate the final two days of the tournament. Among the top seeds in the U15 Boys Singles event are Spain’s Alexander MALOV, Germany’s Lukas WANG and Finland’s Jimi KOIVUMÄKI, while the U15 Girls Singles draw is led by Adela BRHELOVA of Czechia, Laura MARSICKOVA of Czechia and Teresa CARRASCO VIEITO of Spain. The U13 categories also promise strong competition. England’s Dimitar DIMITROV heads the U13 Boys Singles seeding list ahead of Pietro CAMPAGNA of Italy and Luca ROMERO of Spain, while Adela BRHELOVA again appears as the top seed in the U13 Girls Singles event, followed by Carmen GOMEZ of Spain and Julia FERNANDEZ of Spain. In the team competitions, Spain enters as one of the strongest nations across several categories. Spanish teams lead the seeding in both U13 Boys and U13 Girls events, while Germany tops the U15 Boys Teams seeding and Spain again leads the U15 Girls Teams competition.
ttc berlin eastside target another European crown
Few clubs arrive at the HYLO ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 with a legacy as rich and consistent as ttc berlin eastside. For more than a decade, the German powerhouse has been one of the defining forces in European women’s club table tennis, combining winning tradition, squad depth and remarkable continuity at the highest level. Seven Champions League titles – most recently in 2025, adding to triumphs in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 – underline Berlin’s status among Europe’s elite. Their domestic dominance has been equally impressive, with twelve German championship titles and fourteen German Cup victories, including another national cup success in 2026. Added to that are three ETTU Cup titles, confirming the club’s long-standing European pedigree. This year, Berlin once again arrive at the decisive stage after a campaign defined by control, resilience and depth. They opened their Champions League journey with a convincing 3-0 victory over Saint-Denis TT 93 before following it with a solid 3-1 win against Linz AG Froschberg. As the group stage progressed, Berlin showed composure in pressure moments as well, edging Saint-Denis 3-2 in a tense return encounter. Their only setback came away against Linz, but by then they had already established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the competition. In the quarter-finals, the German side produced two highly convincing performances against PGE Fibrain AZS Politechnika Rzeszów. After securing a strong 3-1 away victory in Poland, Berlin delivered one of their best displays of the season in front of a nearly sold-out home crowd to complete qualification with a dominant 3-0 success. The return match in Berlin highlighted the strength of the reigning champions, that officially booked Berlin’s place in the Final 4. Now the defending champions face perhaps the toughest possible challenge. In the semi-finals, Berlin will meet hosts and top seeds KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg in what promises to be one of the standout clashes of the Final 4 weekend. Playing in Tarnobrzeg against a side led by Ying HAN, HE Zhuojia, FU Yu and YANG Xiaoxin means Berlin will enter what many describe as “the lion’s den.” Yet few teams in Europe are more accustomed to decisive moments than the German champions. With experience, winning mentality and remarkable squad depth, Berlin once again arrive at the Final 4 believing they can add another major European title to their extraordinary collection.
Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg Ready to Defend Home Ground at ETTU Champions League Women Final 4
As hosts and top seeds of the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4, KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg arrive in a familiar position – among the favourites for the title. The Polish club will face reigning champions ttc berlin eastside in the semi-final on 23 May at 19:00, and earlier the same day, UCAM Cartagena TM will meet Metz TT in the opening semi-final at 15:00. The Polish powerhouse has dominated women’s table tennis in Poland for decades, winning 32 national titles since the 1990/91 season, while also building one of the strongest European legacies in the modern era. Four Champions League crowns in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024 have established Tarnobrzeg as one of the benchmark clubs in Europe. This season, the team once again progressed through the competition with impressive control. Tarnobrzeg opened their campaign with commanding victories over MIRO Ganxets Costa Durada and Saint-Quentin TT before confirming their authority in the quarter-finals against Etival ASRTT with a 3-1 away victory followed by a dominant 3-0 success at home. At the heart of the squad stands Ying HAN, currently ranked No. 5 in Europe and fresh from winning the bronze medal with Germany at the ITTF World Team Championships Finals in London. “ I’m very happy that we were able to win the bronze medal together with the team at the centenary edition of the World Team Championships,” said Han. “This medal is very special and unique.” There is little time to celebrate, however, with the Final 4 arriving quick after the World Championships. “ I needed to rest for one or two days and recharge my body. Then I immediately switched into preparation mode for the club competition,” explained HAN. Tarnobrzeg once again bring together one of the most experienced and balanced squads in Europe. Alongside HAN are world No. 12 Satsuki ODO, European No. 10 Fu YU and No. 29 YANG Xiaoxin, while the team is further strengthened by HE Zhuojia, Ng Wing LAM, Magdalena SIKORSKA and Kinga STEFANSKA. For HAN, the secret behind Tarnobrzeg’s consistency is simple. “Our team is very united, and we all truly love table tennis,” she said. The experienced defender also believes the diversity of playing styles inside the squad gives Tarnobrzeg a major tactical advantage. “The strength of our team is that we have many different playing styles, which allows us to use different tactics against different opponents.” Despite the club’s impressive history, HAN insists every season begins from zero. “Every season is a new beginning for us, and we approach every competition in the best possible condition,” she explained. The German international also welcomed the introduction of the new Final 4 format. “I believe the new league format will attract even more table tennis fans,” said HAN, who also hopes the home atmosphere in Tarnobrzeg can become an important factor during the decisive weekend. “Of course, I hope that more supporters will come and cheer for us.” And after years of success together, her connection with the club remains deeply personal. “Winning any title for my club would mean a lot to me, because the club feels like a big family.” ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 Semi-finals – 23 May 2026 Final – 24 May 2026 15:00
Istanbul 2027 among key topics at meeting between ETTU President MOURA and Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan ÇAKIR
During his visit to WTT Feeder Istanbul, ETTU President Pedro MOURA met with Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan ÇAKIR, President of Türkiye Olympic Committee, also ITTF Executive Vice President and director of the 2027 European Games, alongside Türkiye Table Tennis Association President Mr. Kerim KOÇ. The meeting focused on preparations for the European Games Istanbul 2027, as well as broader discussions about the future development of international table tennis. Speaking after the meeting, Pedro MOURA highlighted the value of open dialogue and cooperation between institutions. “It was a very positive meeting and a good opportunity to exchange ideas about the preparation of the 2027 European Games and the future of table tennis,” said MOURA. “We discussed several important topics connected to the international development of our sport. Meetings like this are very important because strong cooperation between federations and sports institutions helps us continue building and improving table tennis for the future.” “It was a great pleasure to welcome ETTU President Mr. Pedro MOURA to Türkiye. During our meeting, we had comprehensive discussions on the preparations for the 2027 European Games and the special role that table tennis will play within this major event. As President of the Turkish Olympic Committee and Vice President of the ITTF, I have always attached particular importance to table tennis and to its unique position within the international sports movement. At the 2027 European Games, table tennis will be one of the standout sports, and we are committed to delivering the highest possible standards in every aspect of its organization” said Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan ÇAKIR. Türkiye has become an important hub for table tennis through the successful international events it has hosted in recent years. In Istanbul’s bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, table tennis will also hold an important place thanks to our strong infrastructure, extensive organizational experience, and the international expertise we have built over the years. “Mr. Pedro MOURA’S visit was a clear reflection of the strong ties and shared vision between Türkiye and the European table tennis community.” The fourth edition of the European Games will feature 26 sports and disciplines, including 22 Olympic sports connected to the programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The event is expected to play an important role in the Olympic qualification pathway, offering athletes opportunities through direct quota places and ranking systems. Table tennis remains one of the confirmed sports on the programme, continuing its important role within the multi-sport event. The Istanbul edition will also introduce rowing beach sprint, weightlifting and squash to the European Games programme, while gymnastics, volleyball and wrestling return after missing the previous edition in Kraków-Małopolska 2023.
