Zadar, Croatia, Set to host Elite Table tennis Players at 2025 European Team Championships
ZADAR, Croatia – Europe’s premier table tennis competition, the European Team Championships, is poised to ignite the Višnjik Sports Hall in Zadar, Croatia, from October 12 to 19. The event will showcase Olympic medalists and rising stars as national teams battle for continental supremacy. “To watch great table tennis stars, Olympic medalists, and to cheer on our own players who will be fighting for medals here,” stated Croatian Table Tennis Association representative, PRIMORAC.
The championships promise a thrilling contest across both men’s and women’s divisions, building on the success of the 2023 tournament. Sweden enters the men’s competition as the top seed,defending their 2023 title won against Germany 3-1,with a team led by Anton KÄLLBERG,Mattias FALCK,Kristian KARLSSON,and Elias RANEFUR.Germany, seeded third, will counter with Benedikt DUDA, Patrick FRANZISKA, and Dang QIU, aiming to reclaim the crown they held in 2021. France (seed 2), featuring the LEBRUN brothers, Félix and Alexis, alongside Simon GAUZY and Thibault PORET, and Portugal (seed 4) with Tiago APOLONIA, João MONTEIRO, João GERALDO, and Tiago ABIODUN, are also strong contenders. Host nation Croatia (seed 7) will field Andrej GAĆINA, Tomislav PUCAR, and Filip ZELJKO, hoping to capitalize on home advantage. Denmark (seed 5) with Anders LIND and Jonathan GROTH, Romania (seed 6) featuring Ovidiu and Eduard IONESCU, and Slovenia (seed 11) led by Darko JORGIĆ are also expected to challenge.
In the women’s competition, Germany aims for a record 10th title, arriving as the top seed after a 3-0 victory over Romania in 2023. Their team consists of Sabine WINTER, Nina MITTELHAM, and Yuan WAN, supported by Annett KAUFMANN and mia GRIESEL. Romania, the five-time European champion and 2023 silver medalist, will rely on Bernadette SZŐCS, Elizabeta SAMARA, Adina DIACONU, and Elena ZAHARIA. France (seed 3), with yuan Jia NAN, Prithika PAVADE, and Charlotte LUTZ, and Portugal (seed 4), led by Fu YU and jieni SHAO, are also poised to compete for the gold. Croatia (seed 7) will be represented by Lea Rakovac, Ivana Malobabic, Hana arapovic, and Mateja Jeger Majstorovic, aiming for a strong performance on home soil.
The Zadar 2025 European Team Championships are anticipated to be a festivity of table tennis excellence, sportsmanship, and European unity. The event’s historic legacy and passionate local support are expected to create an unforgettable atmosphere for players and fans alike.
