Portugal’s women’s table tennis team is on a roll. They secured a spot in the knockout rounds of the European Team Championship today. Their victory over the Czech Republic (3-1) sealed their advancement. The team now waits to see how the men’s tournament plays out.
The action unfolded in Zadar, Croatia. The Portuguese women showed real dominance in Group D. Fu Yu and Jieni Shao were in top form. They both claimed wins against Hana Matelova, scoring 3-0 and 3-2 respectively. Shao added another win, beating Veronika Polakova 3-1. While Matilde Pinto battled hard, she fell to Karin Grofova (3-2).
These strong performances pushed Portugal to four points. This was enough to grab first place in their group. Earlier, they had beaten Belgium (3-1) to kick things off. Now, Belgium and the Czech Republic, each with one point, will fight for the remaining qualification spot.
The men’s team, however, faced a tougher afternoon. They went head-to-head with England and ultimately lost 3-2. João Geraldo certainly did his part. He won both his matches, defeating Samuel Walker (3-1) and Tom Jarvis (3-2). But England’s duo, Walker and Jarvis, proved strong against Tiago Abiodun, winning 3-0 and 3-1.
João Monteiro also fought hard but lost his match 3-1 to Paul Drinkhall. This result confirmed the narrow defeat for Portugal. In their group, the top two teams move forward. Portugal still leads Group D with three points. This comes from their initial 3-1 win over Greece and today’s loss. England holds two points, and Greece has one. However, Greece has played one less match. They will face England on Wednesday in a crucial contest.
Portugal has a rich history at these European Championships. The men’s team even won gold in 2014 when they hosted the event. They also boast two silver medals (2017, 2019) and two bronze (2011, 2023). Not to be outdone, the women’s team has earned a silver in 2019. They also have two bronze medals from 2021 and 2023. These past successes show the talent running through both squads.
The 44th edition of the European Table Tennis Championship continues in Zadar, Croatia. Teams will compete for titles until Sunday. It’s a stage where new champions will be crowned and legacies will grow.