The Europe Top 16, also known as the Europe Top 16 Cup and previously known as the Europe Top 12, is a table tennis tournament organised annually by the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU), featuring the highest-ranked players in Europe.[2]

Europe Top 16
Most recent season or competition:
2023 Europe Top 16 Cup
FormerlyEurope Top 12
SportTable tennis
Founded1971[1]
Singles entrants16 men; 16 women
ConfederationEuropean Table Tennis Union
Most recent
champion(s)
Men:
Slovenia Darko Jorgić
Women:
France Jia Nan Yuan
Most titlesMen:
Sweden Jan-Ove Waldner (7)
Germany Timo Boll (7)
Women:
Hungary Beatrix Kisházi (4)
Netherlands Li Jiao (4)

History

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The first event was held in 1971 in Zadar, Yugoslavia (now part of Croatia) as an experimental classification tournament. Twelve male players and six female players took part, with István Jónyer and Beatrix Kisházi, both from Hungary, winning the inaugural men's and women's competitions respectively. The tournament would go on to be held each year in different venues, and would become known as the Europe Top 12.[3]

 
Jan-Ove Waldner

From 1971 until 1989, the tournament used a round-robin format; all players played each other once, with the champion being the player who accumulated the most wins. From 1990, there was a change of format; the twelve players were divided into two round-robin groups, with the top two players from each group progressing to semi-finals, followed by a final. At the 2001 tournament the twelve players were divided into four groups for the first time, with the group winners qualifying for the semi-finals, and from 2002 it was decided that the top two players from each group would qualify for quarter-finals, with knockout rounds to decide the winner. From 2015, the number of players qualifying for both the men's and women's events was increased to 16, and the tournament's name was changed to the Europe Top 16.[1][3]

Sweden's Jan-Ove Waldner is the most successful player in the history of the men's event, winning the tournament seven times and finishing runner-up on a further four occasions between 1984 and 1996. Beatrix Kisházi of Hungary and Li Jiao of the Netherlands share the record for most wins in the women's event, with four wins each. Kisházi won the first three editions of the tournament from 1971 to 1973 and regained the title in 1977, while Li's four title wins came between 2007 and 2011.[4][5]

Qualification

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Since 2019, the 16 participants in both the men's and the women's tournaments qualify as follows:[6]

  • The current European Champion.
  • 14 additional players based on the European rankings at the time, subject to a maximum of two players from any association.
  • One player from the host nation. If a player from the host nation has already qualified by right, the next eligible player in the rankings will qualify.

Format

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Since 2018, the format of the tournament has been a knockout played over two days. The semi-final losers play off for third and fourth place.[7] The top three players in both the men's and the women's tournaments will be guaranteed a place at the Table Tennis World Cup, subject to a maximum of two players from any association.[6]

Results

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Year Host City Gold Silver Bronze
1971 Zadar   István Jónyer   Antun Stipančić   Dragutin Šurbek
1972 Zagreb   Antun Stipančić   Stellan Bengtsson   Dragutin Šurbek
1973 Böblingen   Stellan Bengtsson   Dragutin Šurbek   Antun Stipančić
1974 Trollhättan   István Jónyer   Milan Orlowski   Stellan Bengtsson
1975 Vienna   Kjell Johansson   Antun Stipančić   István Jónyer
1976 Lübeck   Dragutin Šurbek   Kjell Johansson   Sarkis Sarkhoyan
1977 Sarajevo   Milan Orlowski   Dragutin Šurbek   Jacques Secrétin
1978 Prague   Gábor Gergely   Milan Orlowski   Stellan Bengtsson
1979 Kristianstad   Dragutin Šurbek   Desmond Douglas   Jacques Secrétin
1980 Munich   Stellan Bengtsson   Ulf Thorsell   Jacques Secrétin
1981 Miskolc   Tibor Klampár   Stellan Bengtsson   Dragutin Šurbek
1982 Nantes   Mikael Appelgren   Milan Orlowski   Desmond Douglas
1983 Cleveland   Milan Orlowski   Desmond Douglas   Mikael Appelgren
1984 Bratislava   Jan-Ove Waldner   Jindřich Panský   Mikael Appelgren
1985 Barcelona   Andrzej Grubba   Jindřich Panský   Mikael Appelgren
1986 Södertälje   Jan-Ove Waldner   Desmond Douglas   Erik Lindh
1987 Basel   Desmond Douglas   Jan-Ove Waldner   Jörgen Persson
1988 Ljubljana   Jan-Ove Waldner   Jörgen Persson   Andrzej Grubba
1989 Charleroi   Jan-Ove Waldner   Erik Lindh   Jörgen Persson
1990 Hannover   Mikael Appelgren   Jan-Ove Waldner   Andrzej Grubba
1991 's-Hertogenbosch   Erik Lindh   Jan-Ove Waldner   Jörgen Persson
1992 Vienna   Jörgen Persson   Jörg Roßkopf   Zoran Primorac
1993 Copenhagen   Jan-Ove Waldner   Peter Karlsson   Jörg Roßkopf
  Jean-Michel Saive
1994 Arezzo   Jean-Michel Saive   Jan-Ove Waldner   Peter Karlsson
  Zoran Primorac
1995 Dijon   Jan-Ove Waldner   Erik Lindh   Jean-Philippe Gatien
  Jean-Michel Saive
1996 Charleroi   Jan-Ove Waldner   Jean-Michel Saive   Jean-Philippe Gatien
  Yang Min
1997 Eindhoven   Jean-Philippe Gatien   Vladimir Samsonov   Zoran Primorac
  Jan-Ove Waldner
1998 Halmstad   Vladimir Samsonov   Peter Karlsson   Jean-Michel Saive
  Jan-Ove Waldner
1999 Split   Vladimir Samsonov   Christophe Legoût   Jean-Philippe Gatien
  Kalinikos Kreanga
2000 Alassio   Werner Schlager   Yang Min   Jean-Philippe Gatien
  Jörg Roßkopf
2001 Wels   Vladimir Samsonov   Peter Karlsson   Petr Korbel
  Jean-Michel Saive
2002 Rotterdam   Timo Boll   Vladimir Samsonov   Patrick Chila
  Damien Éloi
2003 Saarbrücken   Timo Boll   Vladimir Samsonov   Michael Maze
  Werner Schlager
2004 Frankfurt   Michael Maze   Werner Schlager   Petr Korbel
  Alexey Smirnov
2005 Rennes   Alexey Smirnov   Vladimir Samsonov   Timo Boll
  Damien Éloi
2006 Copenhagen   Timo Boll   Werner Schlager   Michael Maze
  Zoran Primorac
2007 Arezzo   Vladimir Samsonov   Kalinikos Kreanga   Zoran Primorac
  Alexey Smirnov
2008 Frankfurt   Werner Schlager   Vladimir Samsonov   Jean-Michel Saive
  Alexey Smirnov
2009 Düsseldorf   Timo Boll   Vladimir Samsonov   Kalinikos Kreanga
  Michael Maze
2010 Düsseldorf   Timo Boll   Vladimir Samsonov   Chen Weixing
  Kalinikos Kreanga
2011 Liège   Kalinikos Kreanga   Vladimir Samsonov   Werner Schlager
  Alexey Smirnov
2012 Lyon   Dimitrij Ovtcharov   Kirill Skachkov   Chen Weixing
  Vladimir Samsonov
2014 Lausanne   Marcos Freitas   Michael Maze   Dimitrij Ovtcharov
2015 Baku   Dimitrij Ovtcharov   Marcos Freitas   Panagiotis Gionis
2016 Gondomar   Dimitrij Ovtcharov   João Monteiro   Alexander Shibaev
2017 Antibes   Dimitrij Ovtcharov   Alexander Shibaev   Simon Gauzy
2018 Montreux   Timo Boll   Dimitrij Ovtcharov   Jonathan Groth
2019 Montreux   Dimitrij Ovtcharov   Vladimir Samsonov   Timo Boll
2020 Montreux   Timo Boll   Darko Jorgić   Robert Gardos
2021 Thessaloniki   Patrick Franziska   Marcos Freitas   Mattias Falck
  Emmanuel Lebesson
2022 Montreux   Darko Jorgić   Truls Möregårdh   Timo Boll
  Patrick Franziska
2023   Darko Jorgić   Dang Qiu   Dimitrij Ovtcharov
  Liam Pitchford
2024   Darko Jorgić   Truls Möregårdh   Alexis Lebrun
  Marcos Freitas

[1]

Women

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Year Host City Gold Silver Bronze
1971 Zadar   Beatrix Kisházi   Ilona Voštová   Alice Grofová
1972 Zagreb   Beatrix Kisházi   Maria Alexandru   Zoja Rudnova
1973 Böblingen   Beatrix Kisházi   Judit Magos   Ilona Voštová
1974 Trollhättan   Zoja Rudnova   Maria Alexandru   Judit Magos
1975 Vienna   Ann-Christin Hellman   Wiebke Hendriksen   Henriette Lotaller
1976 Lübeck   Ann-Christin Hellman   Ilona Uhlíková-Voštová   Eržebet Palatinuš
1977 Sarajevo   Beatrix Kisházi   Jill Hammersley   Ilona Uhlíková-Voštová
1978 Prague   Jill Hammersley   Bettine Vriesekoop   Valentina Popova
1979 Kristianstad   Gabriella Szabó   Maria Alexandru   Eržebet Palatinuš
1980 Munich   Jill Hammersley   Bettine Vriesekoop   Gabriella Szabó
1981 Miskolc   Jill Hammersley   Bettine Vriesekoop   Valentina Popova
1982 Nantes   Bettine Vriesekoop   Jill Hammersley   Marie Hrachová
1983 Cleveland   Olga Nemeș   Fliura Bulatova   Bettine Vriesekoop
1984 Bratislava   Marie Hrachová   Bettine Vriesekoop   Valentina Popova
1985 Barcelona   Bettine Vriesekoop   Zsuzsa Oláh   Marie Hrachová
1986 Södertälje   Fliura Bulatova   Olga Nemeș   Daniela Guergeltcheva
1987 Basel   Csilla Bátorfi   Edit Urban   Fliura Bulatova
1988 Ljubljana   Fliura Bulatova   Bettine Vriesekoop   Olga Nemeș
1989 Charleroi   Olga Nemeș   Csilla Bátorfi   Daniela Guergeltcheva
1990 Hannover   Gabriella Wirth   Olga Nemeș   Xiaoming Wang-Dréchou
1991 's-Hertogenbosch   Mirjam Hooman   Gabriella Wirth   Bettine Vriesekoop
1992 Vienna   Csilla Bátorfi   Marie Svensson   Otilia Bădescu
1993 Copenhagen   Emilia Ciosu   Olga Nemeș   Otilia Bădescu
  Åsa Svensson
1994 Arezzo   Jie Schöpp   Otilia Bădescu   Mirjam Hooman
  Nicole Struse
1995 Dijon   Otilia Bădescu   Emilia Ciosu   Jie Schöpp
  Nicole Struse
1996 Charleroi   Ni Xialian   Csilla Bátorfi   Nicole Struse
  Bettine Vriesekoop
1997 Eindhoven   Ni Xialian   Jie Schöpp   Otilia Bădescu
  Olga Nemeș
1998 Halmstad   Ni Xialian   Nicole Struse   Csilla Bátorfi
  Marie Svensson
1999 Split   Qianhong Gotsch   Jing Tian-Zörner   Tamara Boroš
  Ni Xialian
2000 Alassio   Qianhong Gotsch   Mihaela Steff   Ni Xialian
  Jie Schöpp
2001 Wels   Csilla Bátorfi   Ni Xialian   Otilia Bădescu
  Tamara Boroš
2002 Rotterdam   Tamara Boroš   Nicole Struse   Ni Xialian
  Viktoria Pavlovich
2003 Saarbrücken   Jie Schöpp   Tamara Boroš   Galina Melnik
  Krisztina Tóth
2004 Frankfurt   Nicole Struse   Jie Schöpp   Tamara Boroš
  Liu Jia
2005 Rennes   Liu Jia   Krisztina Tóth   Li Jiao
  Mihaela Steff
2006 Copenhagen   Tamara Boroš   Liu Jia   Li Jiao
  Mihaela Steff
2007 Arezzo   Li Jiao   Nikoleta Stefanova   Liu Jia
  Mihaela Steff
2008 Frankfurt   Li Jiao   Li Qian   Viktoria Pavlovich
  Wu Jiaduo
2009 Düsseldorf   Li Qian   Li Jie   Liu Jia
  Wu Jiaduo
2010 Düsseldorf   Li Jiao   Li Qian   Li Jie
  Krisztina Tóth
2011 Liège   Li Jiao   Viktoria Pavlovich   Melek Hu
  Li Jie
2012 Lyon   Wu Jiaduo   Li Jie   Ni Xialian
  Viktoria Pavlovich
2014 Lausanne   Liu Jia   Viktoria Pavlovich   Li Jiao
2015 Baku   Liu Jia   Petrissa Solja   Irene Ivancan
2016 Gondomar   Shen Yanfei   Melek Hu   Liu Jia
2017 Antibes   Li Jie   Petrissa Solja   Sabine Winter
2018 Montreux   Bernadette Szőcs   Li Jie   Elizabeta Samara
2019 Montreux   Petrissa Solja   Bernadette Szőcs   Sofia Polcanova
2020 Montreux   Petrissa Solja   Britt Eerland   Sofia Polcanova
2021 Thessaloniki   Nina Mittelham   Fu Yu   Hana Matelová
  Bernadette Szőcs
2022 Montreux   Han Ying   Polina Mikhaylova   Sofia Polcanova
  Bernadette Szőcs
2023   Han Ying   Sofia Polcanova   Nina Mittelham
  Shao Jieni
2024   Jia Nan Yuan   Sofia Polcanova   Bernadette Szőcs
  Nina Mittelham

[1]

Statistics

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Multiple champions

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Listed below are the players who have won the tournament on two or more occasions.[1]

All-time medal table

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RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Germany (GER)25142160
2  Sweden (SWE)16171548
3  Hungary (HUN)137727
4  Netherlands (NED)89926
5  Austria (AUT)551222
6  Belarus (BLR)411419
7  Romania (ROU)471122
8  England (ENG)45211
9  Czechoslovakia (TCH)37515
10  Yugoslavia (YUG)34613
11  Soviet Union (URS)31610
12  Luxembourg (LUX)3148
13  Slovenia (SLO)3104
14  Poland (POL)2226
15  France (FRA)211417
16  Croatia (CRO)21811
17  Portugal (POR)1427
18  Russia (RUS)13610
19  Belgium (BEL)1157
20  Denmark (DEN)1146
  Greece (GRE)1146
22  Spain (ESP)1001
23  Italy (ITA)0213
24  Turkey (TUR)0112
25  Czech Republic (CZE)0033
26  Bulgaria (BUL)0022
Totals (26 entries)106106154366

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Europe Top-12/16 archive". ETTU. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Europe Top 16 / General Information". ETTU. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b "About ETTU / History". ETTU. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  4. ^ "ETTHoF / Jan-Ove Waldner". European Table Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Li Jiao, One Title Away from Surpassing the Achievements of Beatrix Kishazi". ITTF. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b "2019 Europe Top 16 Cup / Prospectus" (PDF). ITTF. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Top 16 Cup – two days knock out tournament". ETTU. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
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