The 2026 European Table Tennis Championships in Ljubljana will bring together all the finest names in European table tennis, including the reigning champion ā the 23-year-old French star Alexis Lebrun. In 2024, he became the third Frenchman after Jacques Secretin and Emmanuel Lebesson to win the singles event at the European Championships.
The eldest of the Lebrun brothers will have a tough challenge in defending his title, as the list of title contenders has some new names compared to 2024. His teammate, Flavien Coton, has been one of the brightest rising stars on the professional circuit, earning plenty of praise after his performance at the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships. The 18-year-old Frenchman is definitely a player to watch out for, as he doesn’t have much pressure from the coaches and fans. Less pressure, a more aggressive game and an extra headache for opponents.
It’s worth mentioning the return of the Russian table tennis players to the major competitions. Vladimir Sidorenko had some stellar performances this year, confidently entering the Top 20 in the World Ranking. He is capable of having a memorable run in Ljubljana, as Sidorenko has made massive progress in the past year. His aggressive playing style, his left-handedness, and his ability to keep his composure in visibly hopeless situations make him a dangerous opponent for anyone who is drawn in the same bracket.
The other title contenders that you can see in the infographic have been on a good run this season, and most of these names wouldn’t surprise anyone if one of them became the champion in the singles event. Those such as Dimitrij Ovtcharov, who has enormous experience and plenty of medals on his resume, could take an example from Timo Boll, who won his final European Championships singles title at the age of 40. On a good day, Ovtcharov still can knock out any European opponent.
Among the dark horses of the European Championships, you can definitely name the 30-year-old Swedish international ā Elias Ranefur. The Swede appeared on the radar of global table tennis fans at the 2026 World Championships, and Ranefur continues to impress on the professional circuit, recently winning the WTT Contender in Bulgaria. He has a very strong serve, quite an orthodox playing style, and some of the opponents still might struggle to find a way to beat Ranefur.
Some other lesser-known players who might eventually find themselves among the medal contenders are Eduard Ionescu, Csaba Andras, Dmitry Vinogradov, and Milosz Redzimski. It will be interesting to see how the Italian rising stars ā Danilo Faso and Francisco Trevisan ā will show themselves among Europe’s finest players.
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