England eye promotion back to top level of world game

Both England squads have competed in Division Two of the World Team Championships since their last appearances in the top flight – at the 1997 competition in Manchester. However a vastly improved and youthful-looking England team are hopeful of com

Both England squads have competed in Division Two of the World Team Championships since their last appearances in the top flight – at the 1997 competition in Manchester. However a vastly improved and youthful-looking England team are hopeful of completing a double promotion campaign in East Asia this time around.

England’s men now led by 20-year-old Liam PITCHFORD who burst into the world’s top 100 this season will feature as the top seeds in Group G where they will face Slovakia Turkey Thailand Congo Brazzaville and Israel.

Two years ago in the Westfalenhallen Dortmund (GER) PITCHFORD alongside Paul DRINKHALL Andrew BAGGALEY and Daniel REED comfortably won their group but fell to a Sharath Kamal ACHANTA-inspired India 3-1 to deny the quartet of a place in the top division.

PITCHFORD (wr 54) DRINKHALL (135) and BAGGALEY (153) will this time be joined by 18-year-old Sam WALKER (245) as they look to go one step further in Tokyo this spring. Their toughest group opponents will come in the forms of Slovakia (Thomas KEINATH 100 and Lubomir PISTEJ 145) and Turkey (LI Ahmet 63 and Bora VANG 73) while they could face the Czech Republic (Dimitrij PROKOPCOV 82) India (ACHANTA 54) or Egypt (Omar ASSAR 78) in crucial play-off fixtures during the latter stages.

England’s women have made just one change from the side that competed in Germany in 2012 with Tin-Tin HO (wr 243) replacing Jessica DAWSON. Drawn in Group F the English girls will also be top seeds as they face Lithuania Malaysia Wales Colombia and Israel on their campaign for a promotion to the Championships Division.

Although Joanna DRINKHALL (124) Kelly SIBLEY (146) and Hannah HICKS (345) suffered defeats to both India and Italy in Dortmund they will fancy their chances in Tokyo with Lithuania’s Ruta PASKAUSKIENE (104) the only player in Group F ranked higher than either DRINKHALL or SIBLEY.

Like the men their biggest challenge will come from the other Division Two top seeds; Thailand Brazil and India – should their paths cross in the play-offs. England’s no. 1 and 2 DRINKHALL and SIBLEY will hope to avenge their respective defeats to Mouma Das and expunge the memories of the side’s 3-2 loss in the groups which proved decisive in the girls’ hopes last time out.

Related News

Spain and Combined Germany-Denmark-Serbia Team Crowned Mixed Teams Champions in Riga

On the second day of play at the JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Riga, the Mixed Teams champions were crowned. Spain triumphed in the Under 13 category, while the combined...

Read more

ETTU President MOURA: ITTF Executive Board Meeting Reaffirms Unity and Progress

ETTU President Pedro MOURA, attending the ITTF Executive Board meeting in his role as President of the European Table Tennis Union, underlined the importance of unity and progress at a...

Read more

2025 JOOLA Europe Youth Series – Riga Open Kicks Off

The 2025 JOOLA EYS Riga Open officially began today at the Sport Hall of O. Kalpaks Riga Folk-Art Primary School, bringing together Europe’s most promising young talents in the U13...

Read more

Elections for ETTU Athletes’ Commission Members to Take Place in 2025

The ETTU Athletes’ Commission, which serves as the official voice of athletes within European table tennis, will see five new members elected in 2025. The Commission plays a key role...

Read more

Contact

About Us

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) is the governing body of the sport of table tennis in Europe, and is the only authority recognized for this purpose by the International Table Tennis Federation. The ETTU deals with all matters relating to table tennis at a European level, including the development and promotion of the sport in the territories controlled by its 58 member associations, and the organization of continental table tennis competitions, including the European Championships.

Powered By

All Competitions

Senior Competitions

Club Competitions

Youth Competitions

More Competitions