The semifinal pairings for tomorrow’s decisive day at the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup are now set. Jia Nan YUAN will face Bernadette SZOCS, while an all-German clash will see reigning champion Ying HAN take on top seed Sabine WINTER, as Europe’s elite battle for places in the final in Montreux.
All matches of the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup will be available live worldwide on ETTU.tv and YouTube ETTU official, except in the following countries and territories, where specific broadcast agreements apply and access is restricted (geo-blocked). In these regions, fans should follow the tournament exclusively on the official local broadcasters listed here.
See the pictures by Remi GROS here.
Sabine WINTER – Maria XIAO 3-1 (12-14, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9)
Top seeded Sabine WINTER of Germany had a shaky start of the match against Maria XIAO of Spain before she took the control of the match.
“I was somewhat relieved once the win was wrapped up. I lost the first game a bit unnecessarily, and even afterwards, despite holding clear leads, I never felt completely comfortable. In the fourth game she even closed the gap again at 7–8. I’m happy that I’ve reached the semifinals of a top European tournament once more opportunities like that don’t come around all that often,” explained WINTER.
Jia Nan YUAN – Sofia POLCANOVA 3-0 (19-17, 11-4, 11-4)
The 2024 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup winner Jia Nan YUAN defeated European champion Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria in straight games in the first quarterfinal match of the program. After a tense opening game, the match became a one-sided affair.
“It was a very tense match at the beginning. After I won the first game, I felt much more relaxed in the second and third. In the first game I was especially focused, concentrating on every ball and thinking carefully about my serve and receive,” said YUAN.
In the next round, YUAN will face the winner of the match between Bernadette SZOCS and Charlotte LUTZ.
“For me, reaching the final day and qualifying for the ITTF Singles World Cup is very important. I’m really happy about it.”
Fu YU – Ying HAN 2-3 (8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 4-11)
Reigning champion Ying HAN of Germany advanced to the semifinals after a thrilling five-game clash with Portugal’s Fu YU. Fu YU put the three-time winner under constant pressure and twice fought back to level the match, but HAN raised her level in the decisive game to seal the victory.
Fu YU had previously defeated the German defensive specialist in the final of the 2019 European Games in Minsk, so HAN was well aware of the scale of the challenge.
“I’ve won most of my matches against her. I didn’t expect her to be this strong today, she made virtually no easy mistakes. But I stayed patient. I’m happy to be back in the semifinals and to have qualified for the World Cup.”
Tomorrow will see a repeat of last year’s semifinal in an all-German clash between HAN and Sabine WINTER.
“Of course I would like to win again, but this time it will be even harder against Sabine. She has improved. I’m playing well, but not quite as well as I did in January.”
Bernadette SZOCS – Charlotte LUTZ 3-1 (11-7, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5)
After a two-year of missing it, Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS has returned to the semifinals. On her way to the final day of the event, SZOCS ended the impressive run of France’s Charlotte LUTZ, who had come through the qualification phase and reached the quarterfinals after defeating Linda BERGSTROM the day before.
LUTZ put SZOCS under considerable pressure, but it was not enough to prevent the Romanian from securing victory.
“It was a very difficult match, but I expected that because every time we play it’s a big fight. Charlotte is a very aggressive player and our matches are always intense. Today she used a lot of variation, especially in the second game. I needed some time to adjust my tactics. My coach explained what I shouldn’t play against her, and that helped me get back on track. I stayed positive,” said SZOCS.
Tomorrow, SZOCS will face Jia Nan YUAN.
“In general I have a positive record against her, but she beat me here at the Top 16 three years ago. I was leading 3–1, 9–6 and still lost. This time I won’t give her the same chance again.”
Today’s victories meant more than just a place in the semifinals. The 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup also serves as a qualification event for the ITTF Singles World Cup. By reaching the semifinals, the top four players in both the men’s and women’s events have secured direct qualification for the prestigious global tournament.
