ETTU - European Table Tennis Union - News

[Milica Nikolic]

The 81st edition of the Spanish Championships held its finals on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, at the Palau d’Esports Catalunya in Tarragona, with the city hosting the event for the third consecutive year. Diego LILLO captured the men’s singles title, whilest Natalya PROSVIRNINA triumphed in the women’s singles. The doubles titles went to Camila Renata MOSCOSO and María BERZOSA in women’s doubles, Rafael DE LAS HERAS and Diego LILLO in men’s doubles, and Renata SHYPSHA and Álvaro GIMENO in mixed doubles.

In men’s singles, the final produced a historic brother-versus-brother showdown between Diego LILLO and Alberto LILLO, both representing the Valencian Community. Diego LILLO held eight match points before the contest was pushed into a deciding game, where he required two additional chances to secure the title. The podium was completed by Carlos FRANCO (Castile–La Mancha) and Miguel Ángel PANTOJA (Community of Madrid), who shared third place.

In women’s singles, Natalya PROSVIRNINA, representing Catalonia, controlled the final with her defensive style against Eugenia SASTRE from the Balearic Islands. PROSVIRNINA claimed her second Spanish Absolute title, following her previous triumph in Jaén. Third place went to Camila Renata MOSCOSO and Renata SHYPSHA, both from Catalonia.

In women’s doubles, Camila Renata MOSCOSO (Catalonia) and María BERZOSA (Castile and León) lifted the trophy after a final in which the opening game was especially close. The champions then consolidated their dominance in the remaining two games. The runners-up were Renata SHYPSHA and Alba RODRÍGUEZ (both Catalonia), while third place was shared by Martina SANS and Julia MARTÍN (Catalonia/Andalusia), and the all-Andalusia pairing of Isabel CONCHILLO and Andrea BENÍTEZ.

In men’s doubles, Rafael DE LAS HERAS (Community of Madrid) and Diego LILLO (Valencian Community) delivered a strong and cohesive performance to win the final and confirm their standing. With this victory, Diego LILLO concluded the day with two titles in Tarragona. The runners-up were Ander CEPAS (Basque Country) and Juan PÉREZ (Andalusia). Third place went to Carlos FRANCO and Miguel Ángel VILCHEZ (Castile–La Mancha/Andalusia), as well as Juan Pedro SÁNCHEZ and Marc GUTIÉRREZ (Region of Murcia/Valencian Community).

In mixed doubles, Renata SHYPSHA (Catalonia) and Álvaro GIMENO (Aragon) proved to be the most consistent pair in the final. Second place went to José Carlos GUILLOT (Valencian Community) and Ainhoa CRISTÓBAL (Community of Madrid), while third place was shared by Camila Renata MOSCOSO and Francesc CARRERA, and by Irina GIMENO and Joan MASIP, all representing Catalonia.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The Senior Individual Turkish Championship took place at the Mamak Sports Hall in Ankara, bringing together the country’s leading senior players under strict qualification criteria.

Participation was limited to athletes ranked in the ITTF World Rankings and the national league standings, resulting in a high-level competition featuring 44 women and 31 men.

In the women’s singles event, the outcome reflected the current balance of power in Turkish table tennis. The four members of the Turkish Women’s National Team occupied the top positions, underlining their consistency and experience at the national level. Ece HARAÇ secured the title, followed by Simay KULAKÇEKEN, while Özge YILMAZ and Sibel ALTINKAYA completed the podium.

The men’s singles competition delivered the biggest storyline of the tournament. Three-time defending champion and national team member Abdullah Talha YİĞENLER was unable to compete due to injury, making last three years’ finalist İbrahim GÜNDÜZ the leading favourite. However, 14-year-old Görkem ÖÇAL produced a sensational performance, defeating several older and more experienced opponents on his way to the title. ÖÇAL’s triumph marked one of the most impressive breakthroughs in recent Turkish Championships history.

Women’s Singles

• Champion: Ece HARAÇ
• Runner-up: Simay KULAKÇEKEN
• 3rd Place: Özge YILMAZ
• 4th Place: Sibel ALTINKAYA

Men’s Singles

• Champion: Görkem ÖÇAL
• Runner-up: İbrahim GÜNDÜZ
• 3rd Place: Ziver GÜNDÜZ
• 4th Place: Hakan IŞIK

The post Ece HARAÇ and Görkem ÖÇAL crowned Turkish Senior Champions in Ankara first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The Swedish Championships 2026 (Swegon Bordtennis-SM 2026) will take place from 19 to 22 March at Brinova Arena in Karlskrona, Sweden.

The four-day national event will bring together the country’s leading players to compete for Swedish titles across singles and doubles categories. The preliminary programme includes Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s and Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles, continuing the long-standing tradition of Sweden’s premier domestic competition.

At last year’s Championships in Uppsala, Truls MÖREGÅRDH (Eslövs AI BTK) captured the Men’s Singles title, while Linda BERGSTRÖM (Ängby SK) claimed the Women’s Singles crown. In doubles, Anton KÄLLBERG and Anders ERIKSSON (Söderhamns UIF) triumphed in Men’s Doubles, Alma RÖÖSE and Erika FRONTH (Halmstad BTK) won Women’s Doubles, and Martin FRIIS and Filippa BERGAND (Eslövs AI BTK) secured the Mixed Doubles title.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The third event of the 2026 JOOLA Europe Youth Series will take place in Albufeira, Portugal, from 21 to 25 May 2026, following a change in the original calendar.

On 28 January 2026, the Austrian Table Tennis Federation informed ETTU that it would not be able to organise the JOOLA EYS event in Stockerau due to venue-related issues. As a result, ETTU turned to the next non-accepted bid for 2026, submitted by the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation.

After reaching an agreement on the new dates, ETTU confirmed that Albufeira will host the event at the Pavilhão Desportivo de Olhos de Água. The official airport for the tournament will be Faro.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The Norwegian Table Tennis Association (NBTF), in cooperation with Laksevåg Bordtennisklubb, has announced that the Norwegian National Championships 2026 will take place from 20 to 22 March in Bergen.

The event will be staged at Alvøen Idrettshall and will bring together Norway’s leading players for three days of top-level national competition. The Championships traditionally represent one of the highlights of the Norwegian table tennis calendar, combining strong sporting quality with an enthusiastic atmosphere.

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[Milica Nikolic]

This year’s Kosovo National Senior Individual Championships will take place on 28 and 29 March in Ferizaj, at the Astrit Bytyqi Sports Hall. Matches are scheduled daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with the country’s top senior players set to compete for national titles.

At last year’s edition, Fatih KARABAXHAKU was the standout performer, claiming three titles: Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. In doubles events, he partnered with Blend HAJDARI in Men’s Doubles and Taibe RULI in Mixed Doubles. He successfully defended his Men’s Singles crown with a convincing 3:0 victory in the final.

In the Women’s Singles event, Leoresa IMERI delivered an impressive campaign to secure the national title. The Women’s Doubles title went to Shega HASHANI and Alma MEHMETI, while the Mixed Doubles and Men’s Doubles competitions also featured closely contested finals.

A memorable moment of the previous Championships was the participation of two father-and-son pairs in Men’s Doubles, highlighting the strong family tradition within Kosovo table tennis.

With strong defending champions and emerging talents expected to compete once again, the 2026 edition in Ferizaj promises two days of high-level action and an excellent sporting atmosphere.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The Romanian National Championships 2026 will take place from 19 to 22 March at the Sport Club Rapid Competition Hall in Bucharest. The event will feature all senior categories: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

At the 2025 edition, also held in Bucharest, Iulian CHIRIȚA claimed the men’s singles title, while Bernadette SZOCS secured the women’s singles crown. In doubles events, Elizabeta SAMARA and Andreea DRAGOMAN triumphed in women’s doubles, Eduard IONESCU and Darius MOVILEANU won men’s doubles, and Eduard IONESCU paired with Bernadette SZOCS to capture the mixed doubles title.

With leading national players expected to compete once again, the 2026 Championships promise four days of high-level action in the Romanian capital.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The European table tennis family mourns the passing of Andre DAMMAN, a distinguished official and respected administrator whose influence spanned generations.

Born in 1931, DAMMAN devoted his life to table tennis, approaching every responsibility with seriousness, integrity and strong principles. From 1983, he served as Chairman of the ITTF Ranking Committee and was a member of the ITTF Council.

At European level, DAMMAN was a member of the ETTU Ranking Committee from its establishment in 1976, playing a pivotal role in the development and safeguarding of ranking structures. He later became Chair of the Committee, further strengthening its work through his leadership, expertise and clear vision.

In subsequent years, he also served as a member of the ITTF President’s Council, continuing to offer his experience and guidance to the global table tennis community.

In his youth, DAMMAN was actively involved in the organisation of Belgian table tennis and competed as a player at the European Championships in 1960 and 1962. He was no mean player. Facing England on one occasion, he defeated Connie WARREN, who reached No.3 on the England men’s ranking in 1967, a notable achievement that underlined DAMMAN’s own competitive level.

At the 1983 World Championships in Tokyo, DAMMAN served as non-playing captain for Belgium, competing in Category Three. It was there that a 13-year-old Jean-Michel SAIVE was included in the team. DAMMAN selected the young talent for just one match, against El Salvador, while placing his confidence primarily in REMO de Prophetis, Thierry CABRERA and Didier LEROY. Time would prove that the decision to give SAIVE his opportunity, however limited at the time, marked the beginning of an extraordinary career.

Renowned for his intelligence, multilingual abilities and strong views on the responsibilities of match officials, DAMMAN was never afraid to speak his mind. He consistently defended fairness, clarity and integrity in competition management. His experience in organising and managing competitions was considerable, and his voice carried authority within both European and international circles.

Andre DAMMAN leaves behind a lasting legacy in European and world table tennis. His dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment to the values of the sport will be remembered with profound respect. He was a mentor for more than one generation of talents in governance and administration, many of them still serving ETTU and ITTF.

On behalf of the European table tennis community, we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

The post In Memoriam: Andre DAMMAN (1931-2026) first appeared on European table tennis union.

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