Great drama and a thrilling turnaround marked the final match of the Women’s Teams Event Phase One at the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1 in Sarajevo. Belgium and Slovenia battled fiercely for the top position in Group D, with Belgium ultimately prevailing in a full five-match thriller. Slovenia’s Sara TOKIC and Ana TOFANT started strong, defeating Julie VAN HAUWARET and Lilou MASSART, respectively. However, Margo DEGRAEF turned the tide of the match. “Despite the advantage Slovenia built, we never felt like we were behind. Every match was close and could have gone either way. The Slovenian team surprised us by placing Sara TOKIC as their first player, which didn’t work in our favor. But we knew the team draw worked to our advantage for the second half of the match, and that proved right,” explained VAN HAUWARET. DEGRAEF won a nail-biting five-game match against Katarina STRAZAR, reigniting Belgium’s momentum. Both teams had already secured a place among the top 12 for the next stage, but the match determined who would take the top spot in Group D. “You have to approach every match as if it’s a final. Only that kind of mentality can bring results. We gave everything we had,” said VAN HAUWARET. In addition to Belgium and Slovenia, Latvia also advanced to the next phase, while Cyprus will compete in the 13–17 playoff. The top seeds in the Women’s Teams Event, the Netherlands, faced a tough challenge against Bosnia and Herzegovina but successfully defended their top spot in Group A. Bulgaria finished second, followed by Denmark with two wins. The hosts, Bosnia and Herzegovina, placed fourth and, along with Scotland, will play in the 13–17 playoff. In Group B, England remained undefeated, with Switzerland and Lithuania securing the other two qualifying spots. Greenland will head to the playoff. Greece delivered a powerful performance in Group C, securing their place among the top 12 teams. Moldova, with two wins, and Norway, with one, also advanced. Finland will compete in the playoff. The top 3 teams from each group advanced to the Main Stage (positions 1-12). The remaining teams will compete for positions 13-17. Main Stage (Positions 1-12) 4 groups of 3 teams The group winners qualify directly for the ETC Final Stage. The second-placed teams will play additional matches for the two remaining spots in the Final Stage. Main Stage (Positions 13-17) One group of 5 (Round-robin)
Bulgaria Pushes Spain to the Limit, Top Seeds Secure Main Stage Spots
The first phase of the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1 concluded, with the top four teams from each group advancing to the Main Stage (positions 1–16), forming four new groups of four teams each. The fifth and sixth-placed teams will compete for positions 17–21 in a round-robin format. There were no surprises in the top-seeds department. Greece, led by Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS, Konstantinos ANGELAKIS, and Georgios STAMATOUROS, dominated Group A with victories in all four matches, overcoming Switzerland, Latvia, Cyprus, and Moldova. Despite being ranked fifth in the group, Moldova finished in second place. “We had our toughest match at the very beginning of the Championships. Moldova, with Vladislav URSU and a very strong No. 2 player, Andrei PUTUNTICA, was a tough adversary despite their rankings. We knew if we beat them, we would justify our first place in the group,” said ANGELAKIS. Moldova lived up to expectations, with URSU winning both his matches and putting Greece under immense pressure. However, the top seeds showed their depth, relying on all three players to secure a narrow win. In all other matches, Greece recorded straight-match victories. When asked to evaluate the competition, ANGELAKIS highlighted several dangerous teams. “Spain is very dangerous. Hopefully, we will avoid them in the next stage of the Championships if they finish first in their group. They are favorites for the spot in Zadar, with very strong players in all three positions. Norway with Borgar HAUG is a threat, as is Bulgaria with three solid players,” added ANGELAKIS. Bulgaria showed their strength by pushing Spain to the brink in Group C. Spain needed just one point to remain on top of the standings, but Bulgaria had other plans. Vladimir PETKOV defeated Daniel BERZOSA, and Yoan VELICHOV overcame Juan PEREZ. However, Rafael DE LAS HERAS secured a crucial win over Denislav KODJABASHEV in five grueling games (12-10 in the decisive game), ensuring Spain retained the top position in the group. From Group A, Greece, Moldova, Switzerland, and Cyprus advanced to the next stage, while Latvia moves to the 17–21 playoff. In Group B, Finland, Netherlands, Ireland, and Iceland secured progression, with Estonia heading to the playoff. From Group C, Spain, Türkiye, Bulgaria and Scotland moved forward, while Bosnia and Herzegovina will play in the 17–21 bracket. Group D saw Norway, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Wales advancing, while San Marino and Greenland will compete in the playoff. The winner of each group in phase two qualifies directly for the ETC Final Stage. The second-placed teams will play an additional match to secure the final two spots in the Final Stage. Positions 17-21 One group of five teams in a round-robin format. See pictures of Day 3 here
Top Seeds Hold Ground, Lithuania Beats the Odds
The opening group stage of the Men’s Event at the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1 in Sarajevo is progressing without major upsets. On the second day of play in the Bosnian capital, the top favorites mostly prevailed, with the exception of Luxembourg. While their loss to Lithuania went against the seedings, it was not entirely unexpected. The top seeds, Greece, recorded their second win of the event this morning against Cyprus. Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS, Konstantinos ANGELAKIS, and Georgios STAMATOUROS secured a 3-0 victory in straight matches. Cyprus, with one win over Latvia in three encounters, continues to fight for a spot. Meanwhile, the no. 2 seeds Switzerland have recorded two wins and one defeat. In Group B, Finland’s Benedek OLAH, Alex NAUMI, and Lassi LEHTOLA defeated Iceland 3-0 this morning, adding a second consecutive win to their record. The Netherlands’ Milo DE BOER, Kas VAN OOST, Barry BERBEN, and Gabrielius CAMARA remain unbeaten, with three wins over Ireland, Iceland, and Estonia. Group C features two unbeaten teams. Spain, represented by Rafael DE LAS HERAS, Juan PEREZ, and Albert VIRALDEL, added another 3-0 win to their record by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina. Türkiye, with Abdullah YIGENLER, Ibrahim GÜNDÜZ, and Ziver GÜNDÜZ, also impressed, defeating Bulgaria. Türkiye leads the group with three wins, having dropped only one individual match. In Group D, Norway’s Borger HAUG, Martin FROSETH, and Alexander FRANSSON secured their third win today by defeating Wales. Lithuania, represented by Kestutis ZEIMYS, Ignas SISANOVAS, and Lukas RIMKUS, also remains at the top with three victories. In a thrilling five-match clash, Lithuania overcame the higher-seeded Luxembourg team. Luka MLADENOVIC delivered a strong performance for Luxembourg, winning both his matches, including a narrow five-game victory over ZEIMYS that ended 14-12 in the decisive game. However, the absence of Luxembourg’s second player, Mael van DESSEL, due to military obligations, was acutely felt. In the decisive match, SISANOVAS defeated Gene WANTZ to seal Lithuania’s victory. Despite the setback, Luxembourg has two wins in the group, achieved against Wales and San Marino. You can see the pictures here. Tournament Format The Stage 1 competition will follow a group-stage system for both the men’s and women’s events. Men’s Competition The top 4 teams from each group advance to the Main Stage (positions 1-16). The 5th and 6th placed teams will compete for positions 17-21 in a round-robin format. Main Stage (Positions 1-16) The winner of each group qualifies directly for the ETC Final Stage. The second-placed teams will play an additional match to secure the final two spots in the Final Stage. Main Stage (Positions 17-21) 1 group of 5 teams in a round-robin format. Men’s Teams: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Wales.
Netherlands Survive Scare, Bosnia and Herzegovina Push Top Seeds to the Brink
Bosnia and Herzegovina came close to creating a major upset on home soil against the No. 1 seed in the Women’s Teams Event at the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1 in Sarajevo. However, after a valiant effort in a full five-match thriller, the Netherlands ultimately prevailed. In Group A’s third round, the Netherlands started strong with Shuohan MEN defeating Ajna ZLOTRG, but Emina CERIC leveled the score by beating Tanja HELLE. Ana SLADOJE then widened the gap for Bosnia and Herzegovina with a five-game win over Sanne DE HOOP. Under immense pressure, the Dutch team fought back. MEN narrowly won the opening game against CERIC before taking full control of the match. In the decisive game, HELLE overcame SLADOJE to secure the Netherlands’ third win in the group. Bulgaria also remains unbeaten in Group A, with Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA, Kalina HRISTOVA, and Viktoria PERSOVA having one match less than the Netherlands. In Group B, England and Switzerland share the lead with two wins each. England’s Tianer YU, Tin-Tin HO, and Jasmin WONG overcame Lithuania, while Switzerland’s Fanny DOUTAZ, Cynthia LILLY, and Rachel MORET triumphed over Greenland. Greece is the sole unbeaten team in Group C. Akaterini TOLIOU, Malamatenia PAPADIMITRIOU, and Ioanna GERASIMATOU defeated Norway in their latest encounter. In Group D, Belgium and Slovenia both recorded two wins. Julie VAN HAUWAERT, Lilou MASSART, and Eloise DUVIVIER led Belgium to victory against Latvia, while Slovenia’s Sara TOKIC, Ana TOFANT, and Lara OPEKA overcame Cyprus. You can see the pictures here. Tournament Format The Stage 1 competition will follow a group-stage system for both the men’s and women’s events. Women’s Competition The top 3 teams from each group advance to the Main Stage (positions 1-12). The remaining teams will compete for positions 13-17. Main Stage (Positions 1-12) The group winners qualify directly for the ETC Final Stage. The second-placed teams will play additional matches for the two remaining spots in the Final Stage. Main Stage (Positions 13-17) One group of 5 (Round-robin) Women’s Teams: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, England, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Slovenia, Switzerland. Men’s Teams: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Wales.
Top Seeds Greece Survive Early Scare on Opening Day of 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1
On the opening day of the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1 in Sarajevo, the top-seeded team in the Men’s Event, Greece, faced a tough challenge right from their first match. In their duel against Moldova, Greece’s Konstantinos ANGELAKIS lost his match to Vladislav URSU, who also managed to defeat Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS. However, as a team, Greece proved much stronger. Georgios STAMATOUROS overcame Felix COZMOLICI, while both Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS and ANGELAKIS redeemed themselves by defeating PUTUNTICA, securing the win for Greece. In the same group, Switzerland overcame Cyprus, but they had earlier suffered a loss to Moldova. Cyprus managed a victory over Latvia. In Group B, the top-seeded team Finland, featuring Benedek OLAH, Alex NAUMI, and Alexi RÄSÄNEN, played just one match today, comfortably defeating Ireland. The Dutch team, represented by Milo DE BOER, Kas VAN OOST, Barry BERBEN, and Gabrielius CAMARA, proved too strong for both Iceland and Ireland. However, Iceland delivered a surprise performance as Ingi Darvis RODRIGUEZ, Matthias Por SANDHOLT, and Magnus ULFARSSON secured a narrow five-match victory over Estonia. In Group C, the top seeds from Spain—Daniel BERZOSA, Rafael DE LAS HERAS, and Albert VIRALDELL—secured a win against Scotland. Meanwhile, Türkiye, represented by Abdullah YIGENLER, Ibrahim GÜNDÜZ, Ziver GÜNDÜZ, and Hakan ISIK, recorded two victories by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina and Scotland. In Group D, Norway’s Borger HAUG, Khai Noah LAM, Martin FROSETH, and Alexander FRANSSON maintained their position at the top with wins over Greenland and Wales. Luxembourg also secured two victories, putting them in second place in the group. You can see the pictures here. Tournament Format The Stage 1 competition will follow a group-stage system for both the men’s and women’s events. Men’s Competition The top 4 teams from each group advance to the Main Stage (positions 1-16). The 5th and 6th placed teams will compete for positions 17-21 in a round-robin format. Main Stage (Positions 1-16) The winner of each group qualifies directly for the ETC Final Stage. The second-placed teams will play an additional match to secure the final two spots in the Final Stage. Main Stage (Positions 17-21) 1 group of 5 teams in a round-robin format. Men’s Teams: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Wales.
Strong Start for the Dutch Team at 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1
Izet Tahirbegovic
Truls MÖREGÅRDH – Sweden’s Most Popular Athlete
During the Swedish Sports Gala on Monday, January 20th, celebrating the best sporting moments of 2024, Truls MÖREGÅRDH won the prestigious Jerringpriset, the people’s choice award. This marked the first time since the award’s inception in 1979 that a table tennis player claimed the honor. In a highly competitive field that included Olympic champions Armand DUPLANTIS (pole vault), Sarah SJÖSTRÖM (swimming), and David ÅHMAN/Jonatan HELLVIG (beach volleyball), Truls emerged victorious, standing on stage with Swedish sports’ most coveted prize. Truls MÖREGÅRDH was deeply moved during his acceptance speech, expressing heartfelt gratitude to his parents: “Thank you so much; I’m truly in a state of shock. I want to thank all of Sweden for the incredible support this year; it’s been absolutely amazing. It’s so much fun to see all the table tennis fever that’s been created in Sweden. I want to thank everyone who has supported me in every way possible; you know who you are – thank you so much. I’d like to thank two people a little extra today: mom and dad. Thank you for everything you do for me. You are truly the best parents in the world. I would never be where I am today without you. I love you. Thank you!” At the same gala, Jörgen PERSSON, the now-retired Swedish men’s national team coach, was honored as Coach of the Year for leading the Swedish team to remarkable achievements in 2024. In his acceptance speech, PERSSON reflected on his journey and expressed his gratitude: “A big thank you! I stood here 24 years ago and received an award as a team player. And now I’m standing here again, but this time as a leader. I could hardly have dreamed of this. It feels incredibly good. I naturally want to thank my table tennis federation, who believed in me as a leader. I am very grateful for that. Also, a big thanks to the Swedish Olympic Committee, who have supported table tennis all these years! The team sitting down here in front of us (Kristian KARLSSON, Anton KÄLLBERG, Truls MÖREGÅRDH)—without them, I would never have been standing here! I also want to take this opportunity to thank Mattias FALCK, who was part of the team, our physiotherapist Mikael HOLM, who has meant so much, and Jon Persson, who assisted me at the Olympics as an assistant coach. I have so many more people I could thank. I’ve learned so much from my former national coaches over the years. But I won’t go through all of them now, as that would make for a very long speech,” stated PERSSON.
SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA Prevails Over MIRÓ GANXETS REUS in Marathon Round of 16 Clash
In an all-Spanish duel in the Round of 16 of the Europe Cup Women, SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA overcame MIRÓ GANXETS REUS in a nail-biting encounter. Pauline CHASSELIN set the tone for the match with a hard-fought five-game victory over Paulina VEGA. However, Margaryta PESOTSKA and Natalya PROSVIRNINA turned the momentum in favor of MIRÓ GANXETS REUS, giving them a 2-1 lead. CHASSELIN leveled the match once again, and Katarzyna WEGRZYN secured the victory for SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA with a dramatic 3-2 win against VEGA. “It was a very long match, almost 4 hours, but we are very happy about the first leg of Stage 3! There’s still the second leg, and nothing is decided yet—we need to perform really well in that match too! It was really difficult because we could have lost 3-0. The matches were incredibly close, with four out of five going to the decisive game. VEGA was leading 2-0 twice, against both me and WEGRZYN, so this victory feels like it came from very far! It’s a historic win for the club, and I’m so proud of the team spirit. We fought until the end, and the whole team played really well today,” said CHASSELIN. SON CLADERA TTC – MALLORCA – MIRÓ GANXETS REUS 3-2
UKS Dojlidy Białystok Triumph Over KTS Gliwice in Thrilling Round of 16 Europe Cup Clash
After losing to the French side GV Hennebont TT in the Round of 16 of the Champions League Men, UKS Dojlidy Białystok faced a tough challenge in the Round of 16 of the Europe Cup. In an all-Polish clash, UKS Dojlidy Białystok defeated KTS Gliwice in a gripping five-match encounter. Having lost their opening Polish League match against Gliwice earlier this season, UKS Dojlidy Białystok was determined to turn the tables this time. Mihai BOBOCICA made his debut for UKS Dojlidy Białystok in Europe tonight. The six-time Italian champion, with a career-high ITTF world ranking of 54th, temporarily replaced Asuka MACHI. Grzegorz FELKEL gave the hosts in Gliwice an early advantage with a five-game victory over Patryk CHOJNOWSKI. However, Mihai BOBOCICA turned the tide by defeating Jakub MASŁOWSKI in another closely contested five-game match. BOBOCICA also triumphed over Grzegorz FELKEL, while CHOJNOWSKI overcame MASŁOWSKI. Jarosław TOMICKI secured a second point for Gliwice, but it was not enough to deny Dojlidy victory. The return leg is scheduled for February 15. KTS GLIWICE – UKS Dojlidy Białystok 2-3
The draw for the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1
The draw for the 2025 European Teams Championships Stage 1 was held today. The ETC will take place from January 21 to 25 in Sarajevo, bringing together teams vying for a spot in the Final Stage, scheduled from October 12 to 19 in Zadar, Croatia. A total of 12 teams will secure their tickets to Croatia, with six teams qualifying from both the men’s and women’s events.
