On the second day of play at the 2026 CCB Europe Top 16 Cup in the Omnisports venue in Montreux, the tournament’s biggest names entered the arena as the Round of 16 in the men’s event got underway.
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.
Jonathan GROTH – Darko JORGIC 1–3 (14–12, 3–11, 8–11, 8–11)
Last year’s runner-up and three-time champion Darko JORGIC opened his campaign with a win over Denmark’s Jonathan GROTH. After a neck-and-neck battle in the opening game, JORGIC shifted into a higher gear and tightened his control of the match. In the fourth game, the Slovenian led 9–5, but GROTH forced a timeout at 9–8. The short break worked in JORGIC’s favor, as he regrouped and sealed the victory.
“I may have started the first game a bit too passively, waiting for Jonathan’s mistakes, and in a few rallies I was overly aggressive, going for full power. The opening round is always tough and very important, and that adds extra pressure. After that, I found my rhythm. In the second game I began to dominate with my serve, my returns improved, and my overall game became more stable. I avoided the quick mistakes I made at the beginning of the match. I’m happy with this first win. As I said, the opening rounds are always the hardest, the ice is broken and now we move forward,” said JORGIC.
Anders LIND – Dimitrij OVCHAROV 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-9)
On his third appearance in Montreux, Denmark’s Anders LIND defeated Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, one of the most successful players in the history of the event, who has competed 16 times at the Top 16 and lifted the trophy on five occasions.
“The opening round is always difficult. It never feels comfortable with new tables and new balls. Today I don’t think I played my best, but I performed as well as I could under these circumstances and got the most out of my game,” said LIND.
LIND had previously faced OVTCHAROV twice, beating him most recently in league competition, but this time he introduced a new weapon.
“I believe my serve made the difference today. I experimented with a few new variations and, for the first time in a match, I used some serves I had never tried before. They worked quite well. Sometimes trying new things can backfire, but today it helped me. I’m glad I took the risk and I plan to keep developing that part of my game.”
Reflecting on the closing stages of the third game, LIND added:
“I always get a bit nervous when I lead 2–0. I don’t really know why, but I rarely lose from that position, so it’s fine.”
Anton KALLBERG – Benedikt DUDA 2-3 (6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 12-14, 13-15)
European Championship runner-up and No. 5 seed in Montreux Benedikt DUDA recovered from a 1–2 deficit to defeat No. 9 seed Anton KALLBERG of Sweden. KALLBERG even held a match point in the fourth game before losing the duel by the narrowest of margins.
DUDA claimed the opening game, but the momentum quickly shifted. KALLBERG’s powerful play dictated the pace and control of the match. The swing continued until 3–4 in the third game, when DUDA created his first real advantage and moved to three game points. Out of nowhere, KALLBERG erased them and surged forward to earn a match ball. Power and precision kept DUDA alive on the brink of defeat and forced the contest into a deciding game.
The final exchanges were played neck and neck, with both players battling on a knife’s edge.
“Anton played incredibly well today, much better than in my last clear win over him in the Bundesliga. He played the short game extremely well and produced some excellent forehand flips. It’s good to have won such a tight match in the first round. If it’s Möregårdh in the quarterfinals, I have nothing to lose, I’ve clearly lost the last matches against him.”
Surviving match point in the fourth game proved to be a turning moment.
“The most important thing was that I stayed in the match the whole time. After losing the first game, Anton started playing incredibly well, very aggressive and almost without mistakes, especially over the table. His forehand flick was so strong, like a Chinese penhold player. I don’t think I won more than a point or two against it. He was playing at a very high level, but mentally I kept myself in the game. Even when he had a match point in the fourth game, I believed I could still win and just focused on trusting myself,” added DUDA.
The suspense carried into the fifth game.
“Another key moment was at 6–6 in the fifth set. I lost two points on my serve and he had a big chance to finish the rally, but when he didn’t, I told myself to stay in the match because another opportunity would come. Staying that focused comes from a lot of mental training and experience. Matches are rarely easy — you don’t often step on court and win 3–0. Most of the time it’s a tough battle, especially in Europe where the level is so high. You have to accept that both players will win and lose points. In the end, it’s about making brave decisions, trusting yourself and taking your chances when they appear.”
Felix LEBRUN -Alvaro ROBLES 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-7)
There were no chinks in Felix LEBRUN’s armour in his duel against Alvaro ROBLES, who had come through the qualification stage a day earlier in Montreux.
“It was a great opening round, a solid 3–0 win. There were a few tense moments in the middle of the match, but each time I managed to pull away at the end. I’m very happy with the way I handled it,” said LEBRUN.
In the next round, Felix will face Anders LIND.
“My next opponent is obviously a top player. He beat me the last time we played, and he’s improved a lot this year, so it’s going to be a very difficult match. My goal is to try to win and, if possible, make it as straightforward as I can, but of course his objective is the opposite. I’m happy to face him again. I’ve wanted a rematch ever since I lost to him in Frankfurt. I’m feeling good. The competition in Doha went quite well, and after that we had a strong training period of about two and a half weeks to arrive here in the best possible shape. I hope that work pays off in this tournament, and if not here, then over the course of the season,”stated LEBRUN.
Marcos FREITAS – Truls MOREGARD 3-1 (9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4)
Top seed Truls MOREGARDH suffered an early exit after a powerful performance from Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS. The 2014 champion FREITAS dropped the opening game but then took firm control of the match.
“I was well prepared because we had played here last year, when I lost 3–0, but I knew I had chances back then that I didn’t take. This time I was very focused on winning the first match. I built an early 5–1 lead, but a few rallies that could have gone either way all went to him in the first game, and that made the difference. In the end he was slightly better in the rallies,” explained FREITAS.
The momentum shifted from the second game onward.
“I knew, however, that I had my opportunities, especially at the start of the points. I stayed focused and began to play better and better in the third, fourth and fifth balls of the rallies, which helped me turn the match around. After the first set I was moving much better and giving everything I had.”
Dang QIU – Tomislav PUCAR 2-3 (6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 10-12)
The 2023 finalist and European champion Dang QIU was challenged by qualifier Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia. PUCAR built an early lead, but QIU found his rhythm in the second game. The German moved ahead 2–1 before PUCAR responded to level the match. Refusing to hold back, the Croatian edged the deciding game by the narrowest of margins.
“We are from the same generation, so we have played many matches against each other. It was important that I managed to create an early gap. After winning that game, I tried to play smarter in the next two. Then I gradually found my rhythm, started to adjust my game and play better. I took the fourth set, and in the fifth it was almost 50–50, not a lottery, but a matter of who had a bit more courage and luck. The score was very close, and fortunately it went my way. At 10–10 I think I showed a little more bravery and composure. I played a short ball, he hesitated for a moment, and that made the difference in the end. I’m thankful I managed to finish it off and win,” explained PUCAR.
Simon GAUZY – Patrick FRANZISKA 3-1 (10-12, 11-9, 13-11, 11-8)
After the early exits of Dang QIU and Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, the German team suffered another setback with the elimination of 2021 winner Patrick FRANZISKA. The No. 6 seed faced France’s No. 11 seed Simon GAUZY, who secured his place in the quarterfinals after a breathtaking contest.
“I knew I would be facing one of the top eight players in the tournament. Even though he’s slightly ahead of me in the rankings, it’s only by a few places, so I expected a very big match. I think this was the 25th or 26th time we’ve played each other in my career, so we know one another extremely well. I’m very happy with how I held my level. At the start I played very strongly and at a high intensity. I was a bit disappointed with the first game because I played well and even had a set point that he saved. In the second set I was trailing 3–6 and 4–7, if I remember correctly, so it felt like a small miracle to come back and level the match,” said GAUZY.
Powerful rallies and spectacular points, cheered by the packed Omnisports venue, highlighted the duel.
“I tried to be as aggressive as possible and stay close to the table, even though I also won some nice points from further back. I combined my strengths well and it worked. I’m dealing with a few personal issues that have left me very tired. After a strong tournament in Qatar and many club matches, I’ve accumulated quite a bit of fatigue. Still, I’m happy with my performance. I’ve already beaten two top-20 players this year, which is very encouraging for what comes next.”
