The ITTF World Youth Championships 2024 in Helsingborg witnessed three days of intense team action, culminating in the first medals being awarded. While Korea Republic made history by breaking China and Japan’s dominance in the Under-19 girls’ category, European teams stood out with remarkable performances across multiple events. Poland emerged as a revelation in Helsingborg, delivering great results in both the Under-15 and Under-19 boys’ categories: Poland’s young stars showed incredible resilience, especially in their quarterfinal comeback against Korea Republic. Trailing 2-0, they fought back to claim a stunning 3-2 victory. The semifinals saw another nail-biting thriller as they edged past Italy in a five-match battle to secure a spot in the final. Despite falling 3-0 to China in the title match, the Polish team’s grit and determination earned widespread admiration. Italy and Chinese Taipei secured bronze medals. The Polish Under-19 boys continued to impress, upsetting tournament favorites Korea Republic in the quarterfinals before outlasting Japan in a dramatic 3-2 semifinal clash. While China proved too strong in the final, winning 3-0, Poland’s silver medal underscored the growing depth of European talent. Romania and Japan completed the podium with bronze medals. Italy joined the European success story by claiming bronze in the Under-15 boys’ category, solidifying their status as a rising force in youth table tennis. In the Under-15 girls’ category, Germany earned a well-deserved bronze medal, sharing the podium with Hong Kong, China, as China reclaimed the title with a 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei. The Under-19 girls’ competition was defined by Korea Republic’s unprecedented triumph, marking the first time neither China nor Japan claimed the title. After defeating top-seeded China in a thrilling 3-2 semifinal, Korea secured a 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei in the final. China shared bronze with France, highlighting Europe’s continued presence at the top level.
ETTU Announces New Appointments to Committees
The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) Executive Board, following proposals from Committee Chairs, has confirmed several new appointments to its Committees. These appointments include Deputy Chairs and Executive Board (EB) members . ETTU Officials and Committees List Medical and Sport Science Committee Coaches Committee Gender Equality Committee Para Table Tennis Committee Ranking Committee Technical Committee Umpires and Referees Committee Veterans Committee Youth Committee
LEBRUN Brothers Shine in Fukuoka, Claiming WTT Finals Doubles Crown
The 2024 WTT Finals in Fukuoka delivered a spectacular finale to a season, with thrilling matches and unforgettable moments in the Infinity Arena. Among the standout performances, French siblings Felix and Alexis LEBRUN emerged victorious in the men’s doubles final, marking a career-defining moment. The LEBRUN brothers claimed their second WTT Series title as a pairings, defeating Japan’s Hiroto SHINOZUKA and Shunsuke TOGAMI in a gripping 3-2 encounter (14-12, 12-14, 6-11, 11-7, 4-11). This triumph not only avenges their semifinal finish in last year’s WTT Finals in Doha but also establishes them as one of the top duos in the sport. “We dreamed of this moment and believed in our chances, but to actually win this title is just amazing. We played so well throughout the tournament, and sharing this moment with Felix is unforgettable,” said Alexis LEBRUN. The tournament also saw remarkable performances in other events: Men’s Singles: China’s WANG Chuqin delivered a masterclass, overwhelming local favorite Tomokazu HARIMOTO (JPN) 4-0 (11-2, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5) to claim his third consecutive WTT Finals title and close out the season as the year-end World No.1. Women’s Singles: In an all-Chinese showdown, WANG Manyu edged out CHEN Xingtong in a thrilling 4-3 match (13-11, 9-11, 4-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5). This victory marked her third WTT Series singles title of the season. Women’s Doubles: Japan’s Honoka HASHIMOTO and Hitomi SATO defeated compatriots Satsuki ODO and Sakura YOKOI in a commanding 3-0 victory (11-5, 12-10, 11-8) to take the crown.
The Draw for Europe Cup Men 2024: Stage Two to Be Held in Austria, Denmark, and France
The draw for Stage Two of the Europe Cup Men 2024 took place today, setting the stage for an exciting phase of the competition.
Europe Cup Women 2024: Stage Two Set for Action in France and Portugal
Stage Two of the Europe Cup Women 2024 is ready to kick off, with 14 clubs competing across four groups.
Keeping Girls in Sport: Join the webinar
ETTU is pleased to invite member Associations to the “Keeping Girls in Sport” webinar, which is organised by Sport and Citizenship, UFEC, and ENGSO as part of the Erasmus+ GAP Women project, which ETTU is part of. The session will explore: Speakers, including experts and role models, will share experiences, best practices, and solutions such as the GAP Women online course for grassroots organisations. We encourage you to join this discussion on fostering girls’ long-term sports participation.
Ticket Sales for CCB Europe Top 16 Cup 2025 Begin Today
Europe’s Biggest Stars to Shine in Montreux From February 20–23, 2025, the CCB Europe Top 16 Cup Montreux will take place for the 7th time in Montreux. Exciting new developments await! Ticket sales stared today. The CCB Europe Top 16 Cup Montreux 2025 comes with many innovations. Since the European Championships in Linz, it has been confirmed that there will be a new competition format. At the ETTU Annual General Meeting, the delegates of the 54 member associations unanimously approved the Executive Board’s proposed changes. The new format is as follows: There is no longer a limit of only two players per nation, ensuring that Europe’s absolute best players will compete. All matches will follow the “Best of 5” format. In addition to the changes to the match format, the venue will feature a completely new layout. The organizing committee has worked to homologate a new floor color specifically for the Top 16, which will be used exclusively in Montreux! New features include: An additional grandstand with private boxes for companies and two rows of seating directly along the playing field, where VIP tickets will also be available. A significantly larger catering tent offering a wide variety of snacks and meals. The demand for tickets has been overwhelming in recent weeks, especially from France following Felix LEBRUN’s victory at the WTT Champions in Montpellier. On Wednesday, November 20, ticket sales will open on the website www.top16montreux.com, and it is recommended to secure your favorite seats quickly. On Thursday and Friday, all licensed players from Swiss Table Tennis (STT) up to and including U-19 have free entry—a unique opportunity to draw inspiration and motivation from European stars and Paris Olympic medalists. Ticket registration for these players is managed through STT via the following link: Tickets for STT-Licensed U11-U19. Don’t miss out—secure your ticket now. See you in Montreux!
Brunetti Castel Goffredo Clinches Seventh Italian Women’s Super Cup
Brunetti Castel Goffredo claimed their seventh Italian Women’s Super Cup title, maintaining an unbeaten record in the tournament’s history. The team triumphed in front of their home fans at the PalaTennistavolo “Elia Mazzi,” defeating ASV TT Südtirol 5-0. The victory was celebrated with the presentation of the trophy by Deputy Federal Vice-President Carlo BORELLA. The match followed a best-of-nine format, played simultaneously on two tables. In the opening round, Romania’s Andreea DRAGOMAN dominated Evelyn VIVARELLI at table 1, while Nikoleta STEFANOVA secured a straight-sets victory over Debora VIVARELLI at table 2. The second round mirrored the first, with Bernadette SZOCS of Romania defeating Gaia MONFARDINI at table 1, despite MONFARDINI’s effort to claim the third set. At table 2, DRAGOMAN overcame a spirited challenge from Debora VIVARELLI in the first and third sets, while the second set was a more straightforward affair. With the score at 4-0, only one match was required to seal the victory. At table 1, SZOCS delivered a commanding performance against Evelyn VIVARELLI, securing the title for Castel Goffredo. The winning team also included Anastasiia KOLISH from Russia and Nicole ARLIA. “We are satisfied,” remarked coach Alfonso LAGHEZZA. “Winning the seventh Italian Super Cup is a proud moment for us. Unlike previous encounters, the adversaries didn’t offer much resistance, and the match was largely one-sided. The exception was the game between SZOCS and MONFARDINI, where the decisive set highlighted the significant gap between the players. Our team deserves credit for staying focused and determined throughout, demonstrating remarkable consistency. This trophy sets a strong foundation for what promises to be a demanding season.” Match Results Table 1 Table 2
KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg Dominates to Secure Quarterfinal Spot in Women’s Champions League
Four-time champions and reigning titleholders KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg once again secured their place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League Women. After their triumph in the opening leg, the Polish club defeated Novi Sad on home soil, confirming their dominance in Group A. Having previously secured victory against Saint-Quentin TT in France, Tarnobrzeg added their second win in the group stage by prevailing against the Serbian club. The visitors fielded a weakened lineup, with a freshly recovered Tijana JOKIC and young Sara RADAK unable to challenge the polished performances of Fu YU, Elizabeta SAMARA, and Natalia BAJOR. Elizabeta SAMARA reflected on the team’s performance after a demanding schedule: “We had a marathon week — five matches in eight days, including League games. But today, we showed great team spirit and shape. Everything was on our side.Speaking about the opponents, she added: “Novi Sad — I know all the girls from their team. They are fighters, no matter what the score.” KTS ENEA SIARKOPOL TARNOBRZEG – Novi Sad 3-0
Champions League Men Final Stage Draw Announced
The draw for the Champions League Men knock out phase has been revealed, setting the stage for thrilling Round of 16. The draw was held in Suchedniów, Poland after the Stage One tournament where eight clubs quilified for the final stage. The first leg will be played on 13.-15. December and the leg 2 on 20.-22. December. The lower ranked team will have the first home right.
