ETTU - European Table Tennis Union - News (2 Cititori)

[Milica Nikolic]

Four-time Champions League winners, hosts and top seeds KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg secured their place in the final of the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 after a commanding victory over reigning champions ttc berlin eastside in front of home spectators in Tarnobrzeg.

The German club, one of the most decorated teams in European women’s table tennis history with seven Champions League titles, arrived with a very young line-up, while Tarnobrzeg relied on its vast experience and world-class quality to control the semi-final from start to finish.

In tomorrow’s final, scheduled for 15:00 CET, KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg will face French club Metz TT, who earlier today defeated Spain’s UCAM Cartagena T.M. in the opening semi-final.

In the opening match, 28-year-old Chinese player Zhuojia HE faced Germany’s rising talent, 16-year-old Josephina NEUMANN. HE’s constant variation of rhythm and spin prevented NEUMANN from settling into the match, allowing the Tarnobrzeg player to build an early advantage.

In the second game, NEUMANN adapted better and tried to stay closer in the rallies, but HE remained fully in control. The German youngster opened the third game with a narrow lead, yet the advantage disappeared quickly as HE accelerated the pace and completely dictated the play. From that moment on, the encounter became a one-way street, with HE closing the match comfortably in straight games.

Nineteen-year-old Japanese defender Yuka KANEYOSHI faced experienced 38-year-old Xiaoxin YANG in the second match of the semi-final. YANG once again confirmed her reputation as a player who feels very comfortable against defensive styles. Her powerful attacking play and sharp counter-topspin rallies quickly energized the spectators in Tarnobrzeg.

Despite the straight-games result, KANEYOSHI showed courage and persistence throughout the encounter. The young Japanese player stayed level in the third game at 5-5 and 7-7 before moving ahead 9-7, threatening to extend the match. However, YANG remained patient under pressure, erased the advantage immediately and closed the duel in straight games with her experience and composure proving decisive.

Europe No. 5 Ying HAN, 43 years old and fresh from winning a bronze medal with Germany at the World Championships, faced 20-year-old compatriot Mia GRIESEL in the third match.

HAN opened the encounter in spectacular fashion, winning the first nine points of the match in rapid succession. GRIESEL responded better in the second game and briefly moved ahead 3-1, but HAN quickly closed the gap and once again took complete control with her trademark defensive precision and clever placement.

“It was important to maintain focus. We did not give away easy points and we reduced our errors to a minimum,” explained HAN.

“It was important for us to stay fully focused throughout the entire match. Of course, during the encounter we made some small adjustments, but the key was to concentrate on every ball and every game, and that is why we achieved such a good result.

What pleased me the most today was Xiaoxin YANG’s performance. She has been working very hard to come back to her best form after her maternity break. She returned last November, and our strategy was to bring her back step by step through feeder tournaments rather than immediately putting pressure on her at the biggest events.

She stayed in constant contact with our coaches, preparing carefully one tournament after another. Today she was focused from the very first to the very last ball. She looked fresh, disciplined and very consistent technically, and I am very happy because she is getting very close to her best level again. She is definitely on the right path to returning to top-level table tennis,” said coach Zbigniew NĘCEK.

The post KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg and Metz TT will battle for historic Final 4 crown first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

The team events at the JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Albufeira concluded with dramatic finals, emotional comebacks and impressive performances from some of Europe’s brightest young talents.

You can see pictures here.

The Under 15 Girls Teams final delivered one of the most dramatic encounters of the tournament, as Portugal 1 completed a remarkable comeback against Germany 1 to secure the title in front of home supporters.

Germany started strongly thanks to Lotta ROTHFUSS, who defeated Maria RUIVO in four close games despite dropping the opening set. Portugal quickly leveled the score when Irina SILVA produced a dominant straight-games victory over Emma Sophie LI.

The doubles match became the turning point of the final. ROTHFUSS and LI moved within one game of the title after taking a 2-0 lead, but the Portuguese duo of RUIVO and SILVA fought back brilliantly, winning the next three games to swing the momentum completely in favour of the hosts.

With confidence growing, SILVA completed the comeback by defeating ROTHFUSS in four games to seal the Under 15 Girls Teams crown for Portugal 1.

In the bronze medal match, Spain 1, represented by Teresa CARRASCO VIEITO and Celia VALPUESTA, defeated Israel 1, represented by Gali BEZALEL and Ofek NAHUSHI, to secure third place.

Germany 1, represented by Lukas WANG and Tien Nghia PHONG, captured the Under 15 Boys Teams title after defeating hosts Portugal 1, represented by Rodrigo ANDRADE and Argemiro MORY, in the final.

Earlier in the day, Portugal 1 had booked their place in the final by overcoming Germany 3, represented by Jonathan KRAFT and Sebastian LENZ, in the semi-final. Germany 1 advanced after receiving a walkover, while Germany 2 finished the event with the bronze medal.

The Under 13 Boys Teams title went to Ukraine 1, represented by David DROBOV and Mark VORONOI, after a strong performance in the final against Israel 1, represented by Ilay DAVIDOV and Reah KROL SHAHAR.

Israel had earlier secured their place in the final after defeating Portugal 1 in a hard-fought semi-final. The Portuguese pair of João COSTA and Rodrigo LOURENÇO recovered from a two-match deficit to force a deciding singles clash, but DAVIDOV sealed the victory for Israel with a four-game triumph over LOURENÇO.

Ukraine 1 reached the final after overcoming Ukraine 2, represented by Ivan BUR and Vadym LUNEHOV, in the semi-final.

In the Under 13 Girls Teams final, Spain 1, represented by Carmen GOMEZ and Julia FERNANDEZ, defeated Portugal 1, represented by Lara MONTEIRO and Leonor ASCENCO, to win the title in Albufeira.

Another bronze medal went to Lithuania 1 in the Under 15 Girls Teams event, where Kaja TVOROGAL and Karina MILTO defeated Germany 1, represented by Dana HASPEL and Svenja HEPP, in the match for third place.

The post Germany and Portugal share Under 15 titles at JOOLA Europe Youth Series in Albufeira first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg crowned a historic weekend on home soil by winning their fifth Champions League Women title, defeating France’s Metz TT 3-0 in the final of the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 played in Tarnobrzeg.

The Polish powerhouse, already crowned European champions in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024, once again confirmed their dominance in European women’s club table tennis in front of a packed and emotional home crowd.

For Metz TT, the defeat marked another painful near miss. The French club fell one step short of the title for the third time in its history after also losing the finals in 2023 and 2025.

Both finalists arrived in the title match after impressive semi-final victories. Metz TT overcame Spain’s UCAM Cartagena T.M., while hosts Tarnobrzeg defeated Germany’s reigning champions ttc berlin eastside to book their place in the historic final.

The final opened with a clash between recent World Championship bronze medallist Ying HAN of Germany and 19-year-old Egyptian star Hana GODA. The difference in the ITTF World Rankings between the two players is only one place, with HAN at No. 19 and GODA at No. 20.

The power and speed of GODA’s attacks immediately put Europe No. 5 under serious pressure. The young Egyptian needed only a few rallies to settle into the rhythm before storming through the opening game with fearless attacking play and relentless pace.

The second game turned into a much more balanced battle. GODA briefly lost momentum and HAN created a small gap at 8-5, but the Egyptian quickly responded with aggressive attacks, forcing HAN to move constantly around the table before leveling the score. The game was eventually decided by the narrowest of margins, with HAN converting her second game point to equalize the match.

In the third game, HAN looked in control with a 10-6 lead, but GODA once again refused to surrender. The quality of her attacks and clever variations brought her back into contention, but the experienced German held her nerve to close the game 11-9.

From that moment on, HAN completely took over the encounter, using her defensive mastery and experience to neutralize GODA’s power and secure the victory.

“She was so aggressive. I was surprised by her game at the beginning. Hana played really well and put every ball on the table. I lost the opening game while trying to understand what would work best against her, and from the second game onwards I found the right solution,” said HAN.

World Championship bronze medallist with Romania, Adina DIACONU, currently Europe No. 42 and a Metz TT player for the past eight years, faced Zhuojia HE in the second match of the final.

DIACONU made a flying start, refusing to give the Chinese player any time to settle into the encounter. With aggressive openings and precise pressure play, she forced HE into numerous errors and captured the opening game in impressive style.

However, HE responded strongly in the second game, taking control through outstanding placement and variation, leaving DIACONU with very limited options in the rallies. From that moment on, the match moved entirely in one direction, with HE dominating the next two games through relentless pressure and consistency.

“Adina started very quickly. She entered the match extremely focused and made many good points. I had to calm down and fight point by point,” said HE.

Mariia TAILAKOVA faced Xiaoxin YANG in the third match as Metz TT attempted to keep the final alive, but the Monaco international had different plans.

YANG stormed through the opening game before TAILAKOVA had the chance to settle into the rhythm. However, the Metz player responded impressively in the second game, racing into a 5-0 lead before Xiaoxin managed to win her first point. Fast backhand exchanges and aggressive play from TAILAKOVA kept the gap wide, and her response was both determined and explosive as she leveled the match.

The third game produced some of the best rallies of the duel. The score remained close throughout, with rapid and powerful exchanges keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. The home crowd favourite, YANG, managed to regain the lead despite losing the second game, using her experience and composure in the key moments.

TAILAKOVA increased the pressure once again in the fourth game in an attempt to stay in the match, forcing YANG to take more risks. Xiaoxin built an 8-5 advantage, but the Metz player fought back bravely to level at 8-8. However, strong service and precise placement gave YANG the first match point, and she converted it immediately to secure the title for Tarnobrzeg.

Metz TT – KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg 0-3

• Hana GODA – Ying HAN 1-3 (11-4, 10-12, 9-11, 4-11)
• Adina DIACONU – Zhuojia HE 1-3 (11-7, 4-11, 2-11, 2-11)
• Mariia TAILAKOVA – Xiaoxin YANG 1-3 (6-11, 11-3, 7-11, 8-11)

The post KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg reign again: Polish giants secure fifth Champions League trophy first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Metz TT’s dream of lifting the Champions League Women trophy ended once again one step away from the title, as the French club lost to KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg in the final of the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 in Poland.

Despite the disappointment of a third final defeat after also finishing runners-up in 2023 and 2025, Metz once again confirmed its place among Europe’s elite clubs after an impressive campaign that included a dramatic semi-final victory over Spain’s UCAM Cartagena T.M.

The French side arrived in the final full of confidence after overcoming Cartagena 3-1 in one of the most emotional matches of the weekend. Hana GODA opened the semi-final with a commanding win over Daniela ORTEGA before Maria XIAO leveled for the Spanish club by defeating Charlotte LUTZ.

The turning point came in the third match, where Adina DIACONU survived a tense five-game battle against Tin Tin HO to restore Metz’s advantage. GODA then sealed the historic qualification by overcoming Maria XIAO in straight games, sending Metz TT into the inaugural Final 4 title match.

In Sunday’s final, Metz fought bravely against the experienced Tarnobrzeg side, but the Polish club proved too strong in the key moments. The opening match between Hana GODA and Ying HAN set the tone for the encounter, with the experienced German recovering after losing the first game to win 3-1.

Zhuojia HE then overturned Adina DIACONU’s strong start before Xiaoxin YANG secured the decisive third point for Tarnobrzeg against Mariia TAILAKOVA.

Still, Metz left Tarnobrzeg with pride after another outstanding European season that also brought them the French league title.

“We tried our best tonight, but the Polish team was simply better. The first match started very well for us. At 9-9 and 10-10 there were very important moments, because if we win that game and go 2-0 up, the situation becomes completely different. Of course, it would not have been finished, but we would have gained a lot of confidence. However, Ying HAN played very well in the key moments and handled the pressure perfectly.

Still, everybody in our team tried their best tonight. We lost because Tarnobrzeg are currently the best team in Europe.

At the same time, we are proud because we won the French league title and reached the Champions League final again for the third time. That is already a very good achievement for our club, and of course we hope that one day we can win this final as well. Maybe next year,” said Metz TT club manager Belguise LOÏC.

The post Metz TT confirm their place among Europe’s elite with another Champions League final appearance first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg once again confirmed its status as the dominant force in European women’s club table tennis by lifting a historic fifth Champions League Women trophy on home soil.

After already winning the title in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Polish powerhouse crowned the first-ever ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 in Tarnobrzeg with another memorable triumph, defeating France’s Metz TT in the final after overcoming reigning champions ttc berlin eastside in the semi-final.

Throughout the weekend, Tarnobrzeg combined experience, mental strength and remarkable team spirit — qualities repeatedly highlighted by coach Zbigniew NĘCEK after the victory.

“Today the French team played very well, but for our club the most difficult final was back in 2019, when we believed we had almost no chance against Zagreb. In the end, however, we managed to win the title, and that victory remains very special for us,” said NĘCEK.

According to the experienced coach, handling pressure became one of the decisive factors in the final.

“Our players wanted to win this final very badly, and that is why they started the matches with a certain amount of stress. However, thanks to their high level and strong mentality, they managed to overcome that pressure and eventually play their best table tennis,” explained NĘCEK.

The Tarnobrzeg coach reserved special praise for Ying HAN, who opened the final with a crucial victory over Hana GODA.

“The most difficult task today was for Ying HAN, because she played the opening match against the number one player from the French club, but she managed it perfectly.

I also cannot say which player was the best today, because we are one team. It is not only about the players at the table, but also the reserve players, our staff and the incredible support we receive from the spectators.”

NĘCEK also underlined the importance of HAN inside the club beyond her performances at the table.

“We also have excellent cooperation with Ying HAN. She has been playing here for 14 years, so she feels very comfortable in Tarnobrzeg, and our cooperation is at the highest level.

She also helps the other players as a coach, not only as a player. Ying has a very warm and positive character, and that spirit inside the team helps us achieve success.”

The emotional atmosphere surrounding the club and the strong connection inside the team were evident throughout the entire Final 4 weekend.

“They are wonderful players, and I truly love working with them. That comes straight from my heart,” said NĘCEK.

Tarnobrzeg’s journey to the title began with a commanding semi-final victory over ttc berlin eastside, where Zhuojia HE, Xiaoxin YANG and Ying HAN all secured straight-games victories to send the hosts into the historic final.

In the title match against Metz TT, HAN recovered from losing the opening game against Hana GODA before HE and YANG completed the triumph that secured another golden chapter in Tarnobrzeg’s remarkable European story.

The post KTS Enea Siarkopol Tarnobrzeg’s winning spirit shines again in historic Final 4 triumph first appeared on European table tennis union.

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