The start of the 2025 European Team Championships in Zadar already brought an upset of major proportions.
Seeded only No. 18 in the Women’s Event, the Netherlands overcame third-seeded France after a long, dramatic clash that featured an outstanding comeback by Britt EERLAND and Jie LI, securing victory for the Dutch team.
Favourites for the title, France opened the duel strongly, Jia Nan YUAN swept EERLAND 3–0 in the opening match. Prithika PAVADE then faced a much tougher challenge; Jie LI forced her to go the full distance before France established a 2–0 lead.
Shuohan MEN gave the Netherlands some breathing space with a win over Charlotte LUTZ, before EERLAND pushed the match into the decider with a determined performance against PAVADE.
The final duel between Jie LI and Jia Nan YUAN was a nerve-racking battle that eventually went to a dramatic fifth game.
“It’s a great feeling to win a match like this. As a team we always believed we could come back, especially now, with Jie LI back in the squad, we wanted to prove we can still fight for everything. Shuohan also showed great fighting spirit, and I’m proud of what we achieved together. We gave everything, and we deserved this win,” said Britt EERLAND.
It was also a significant comeback on an individual level. Eerland, currently ranked No. 27 in Europe, defeated PAVADE, who holds the No. 8 position.
“Our matches are always tight. Today it was about handling the moment, both sides felt the pressure, and in the end it wasn’t about tactics but about who could keep the quality in the rallies. Even if I had lost, I would have been proud of how I played and how I fought,” Britt said.
On LI’s victory, Eerland added:
“We already knew Jie could beat YUAN and that it would be a tough match. The most important thing was for her to stay patient, we kept reminding her of that during coaching. We all believe in each other, and that belief made the difference.”
Both EERLAND and LI returned to the national team this season after their breaks.
“My last international match was in 2019, so I had almost five years away from competition. Now that my child is a little older, it’s easier to travel and play again, and I still love the sport, so coming back felt natural,” said Jie LI.
“I had to stop playing for a while because of COVID-19. Now I value every match even more and want to be a good example for my son. Both Britt and I came back after breaks, this is our first European Championship since returning,” she added.
Asked about playing the deciding match, Li explained:
“I had already played against Yuan in the French league, so I knew it would be difficult, but I was familiar with her style. At such a big event the emotions are stronger, so I focused mainly on the mental side of the game.”
Looking ahead to their next opponent, Spain, EERLAND said:
“We haven’t really thought about that yet. We’ll have a rest day tomorrow, but we’ll come to the hall to watch their match and prepare. This win gives us a lot of confidence for what’s ahead. And now, as both of us are mums, we’ll enjoy morning sessions even more,” she laughed.
It was not only the Netherlands celebrating the return of experienced players, Ukraine also started successfully, defeating Türkiye, with Tetyana BILENKO back in the national team after a long absence.
“It was my first match in a long time, I hadn’t played for the national team for four years. I was a bit nervous, but I’m happy I could show my best game. The atmosphere in our team is very positive, and there were many nice emotions,” said BILENKO.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s Fu YU, Jieni SHAO, and Matilde PINTO defeated Belgium’s Lilou MASSART, Margo DEGRAEF, and Julie VAN HAUWAERT comfortably, 3–0.
“For a first match, I felt good and played solidly. We didn’t expect major problems today. Our goal as a team is to win a medal, step by step. The next match against Czechia will be harder, but we are ready for it,” said Jieni SHAO.
Poland’s Anna BRZYSKA, Natalia BAJOR, and Katarzyna WEGRZYN overcame Bulgaria’s Maria YOVKOVA, Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA, and Kalina HRISTOVA after a shaky start.
Yovkova opened with a win over BRZYSKA, but BAJOR turned the momentum, leading Poland to victory.
“We managed to come back and hope to perform better next time. The first rounds are always tough, but we’ll keep pushing and do our best. It’s a strong competition, and we believe we can continue to perform well,” said Katarzyna WEGRZYN.
Sweden Overcame Greece in Straight Matches. Christina KALLBERG, Linda BERGSTRÖM, and Filippa BERGAND delivered strong performances at the start, giving Sweden a confident opening victory over Greece.
“I’m really proud of the team for making such a strong start. I think we all did what we needed to do and produced solid performances. It’s always tough to begin a tournament — normally you feel a bit nervous — but in the end, I think we were all quite stable,” said Christina KALLBERG.
“I think I played well and was the better player in this match. I stayed more active, managed to play my game all the way through, and it worked well.”
Reigning champions Germany began their title defence with a solid 3–0 victory over Slovenia, led by Sabine WINTER in her new role as the team’s number one.
“We have a great team, and it doesn’t really matter who takes the lead. Of course, I’ll do everything I can to contribute my best and I’m happy to step in as the leading player when needed. Starting a tournament with a 3–0 win is always positive. Annett had a tighter match but handled it well in the fifth set, which will help her confidence going forward. I’m happy with my own match, and Yuan finished it off decisively. I think we can be very satisfied with this start,” said Sabine WINTER.
