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.

History

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.

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.

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.

Qualification

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

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

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. 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.

Results

Men

Year Host City Gold Silver Bronze1971Zadar István Jónyer Antun Stipančić Dragutin Šurbek1972Zagreb Antun Stipančić Stellan Bengtsson Dragutin Šurbek1973Böblingen Stellan Bengtsson Dragutin Šurbek Antun Stipančić1974Trollhättan István Jónyer Milan Orlowski Stellan Bengtsson1975Vienna Kjell Johansson Antun Stipančić István Jónyer1976Lübeck Dragutin Šurbek Kjell Johansson Sarkis Sarchayan1977Sarajevo Milan Orlowski Dragutin Šurbek Jacques Secrétin1978Prague Gábor Gergely Milan Orlowski Stellan Bengtsson1979Kristianstad Dragutin Šurbek Desmond Douglas Jacques Secrétin1980Munich Stellan Bengtsson Ulf Thorsell Jacques Secrétin1981Miskolc Tibor Klampár Stellan Bengtsson Dragutin Šurbek1982Nantes Mikael Appelgren Milan Orlowski Desmond Douglas1983Cleveland Milan Orlowski Desmond Douglas Mikael Appelgren1984Bratislava Jan-Ove Waldner Jindřich Panský Mikael Appelgren1985Barcelona Andrzej Grubba Jindřich Panský Mikael Appelgren1986Södertälje Jan-Ove Waldner Desmond Douglas Erik Lindh1987Basel Desmond Douglas Jan-Ove Waldner Jörgen Persson1988Ljubljana Jan-Ove Waldner Jörgen Persson Andrzej Grubba1989Charleroi Jan-Ove Waldner Erik Lindh Jörgen Persson1990Hannover Mikael Appelgren Jan-Ove Waldner Andrzej Grubba1991 Erik Lindh Jan-Ove Waldner Jörgen Persson1992Vienna Jörgen Persson Jörg Roßkopf Zoran Primorac1993Copenhagen Jan-Ove Waldner Peter Karlsson Jörg Roßkopf Jean-Michel Saive1994Arezzo Jean-Michel Saive Jan-Ove Waldner Peter Karlsson Zoran Primorac1995Dijon Jan-Ove Waldner Erik Lindh Jean-Michel Saive1996Charleroi Jan-Ove Waldner Jean-Michel Saive Jean-Philippe Gatien Yang Min1997Eindhoven Vladimir Samsonov Zoran Primorac Jan-Ove Waldner1998Halmstad Vladimir Samsonov Peter Karlsson Jean-Michel Saive Jan-Ove Waldner1999Split Vladimir Samsonov Christophe Legoût Jean-Philippe Gatien Kalinikos Kreanga2000Alassio Werner Schlager Yang Min Jean-Philippe Gatien Jörg Roßkopf2001Wels Vladimir Samsonov Peter Karlsson Petr Korbel Jean-Michel Saive2002Rotterdam Timo Boll Patrick Chila Damien Éloi2003Saarbrücken Timo Boll Vladimir Samsonov Michael Maze Werner Schlager2004Frankfurt Michael Maze Werner Schlager Petr Korbel Alexey Smirnov2005Rennes Alexey Smirnov Vladimir Samsonov Timo Boll Damien Éloi2006Copenhagen Timo Boll Werner Schlager Michael Maze Zoran Primorac2007Arezzo Vladimir Samsonov Kalinikos Kreanga Zoran Primorac Alexey Smirnov2008Frankfurt Werner Schlager Vladimir Samsonov Jean-Michel Saive Alexey Smirnov2009Düsseldorf Timo Boll Vladimir Samsonov Kalinikos Kreanga Michael Maze2010Düsseldorf Timo Boll Vladimir Samsonov Chen Weixing Kalinikos Kreanga2011Liège Kalinikos Kreanga Vladimir Samsonov Werner Schlager Alexey Smirnov2012Lyon Dimitrij Ovtcharov Kirill Skachkov Chen Weixing Vladimir Samsonov2014Lausanne Marcos Freitas Michael Maze Dimitrij Ovtcharov2015Baku Dimitrij Ovtcharov Marcos Freitas Panagiotis Gionis2016Gondomar Dimitrij Ovtcharov João Monteiro Alexander Shibaev2017Antibes Dimitrij Ovtcharov Alexander Shibaev Simon Gauzy2018Montreux Timo Boll Dimitrij Ovtcharov Jonathan Groth2019Montreux Dimitrij Ovtcharov Vladimir Samsonov Timo Boll2020Montreux Timo Boll Darko Jorgić Robert Gardos2021Thessaloniki Patrick Franziska Marcos Freitas Mattias Falck2022Montreux Darko Jorgić Truls Möregårdh Timo Boll Patrick Franziska2023 Darko Jorgić Dang Qiu Dimitrij Ovtcharov Liam Pitchford2024 Darko Jorgić Truls Möregårdh Alexis Lebrun Marcos Freitas2025 Alexis Lebrun Darko Jorgić Truls Möregårdh Patrick Franziska2026 Alexis Lebrun Darko Jorgić Benedikt Duda Felix Lebrun

Women

Year Host City Gold Silver Bronze1971Zadar Beatrix Kisházi Alice Grofová1972Zagreb Beatrix Kisházi Maria Alexandru Zoja Rudnova1973Böblingen Beatrix Kisházi Judit Magos1974Trollhättan Zoja Rudnova Maria Alexandru Judit Magos1975Vienna Ann-Christin Hellman Wiebke Hendriksen Henriette Lotaller1976Lübeck Eržebet Palatinuš1977Sarajevo Beatrix Kisházi Jill Hammersley1978Prague Jill Hammersley Bettine Vriesekoop Valentina Popova1979Kristianstad Gabriella Szabó Maria Alexandru Eržebet Palatinuš1980Munich Jill Hammersley Bettine Vriesekoop Gabriella Szabó1981Miskolc Jill Hammersley Bettine Vriesekoop Valentina Popova1982Nantes Bettine Vriesekoop Jill Hammersley Marie Hrachová1983Cleveland Olga Nemeș Fliura Bulatova Bettine Vriesekoop1984Bratislava Marie Hrachová Bettine Vriesekoop Valentina Popova1985Barcelona Bettine Vriesekoop Zsuzsa Oláh Marie Hrachová1986Södertälje Fliura Bulatova Olga Nemeș Daniela Guergeltcheva1987Basel Csilla Bátorfi Edit Urban Fliura Bulatova1988Ljubljana Fliura Bulatova Bettine Vriesekoop Olga Nemeș1989Charleroi Olga Nemeș Csilla Bátorfi Daniela Guergeltcheva1990Hannover Gabriella Wirth Olga Nemeș1991 Mirjam Hooman Gabriella Wirth Bettine Vriesekoop1992Vienna Csilla Bátorfi Marie Svensson Otilia Bădescu1993Copenhagen Emilia Ciosu Olga Nemeș Otilia Bădescu Åsa Svensson1994Arezzo Jie Schöpp Otilia Bădescu Mirjam Hooman Nicole Struse1995Dijon Otilia Bădescu Emilia Ciosu Jie Schöpp Nicole Struse1996Charleroi Ni Xialian Csilla Bátorfi Nicole Struse Bettine Vriesekoop1997Eindhoven Ni Xialian Jie Schöpp Otilia Bădescu Olga Nemeș1998Halmstad Ni Xialian Nicole Struse Csilla Bátorfi Marie Svensson1999Split Qianhong Gotsch Jing Tian-Zörner Tamara Boroš Ni Xialian2000Alassio Qianhong Gotsch Mihaela Steff Ni Xialian Jie Schöpp2001Wels Csilla Bátorfi Ni Xialian Otilia Bădescu Tamara Boroš2002Rotterdam Tamara Boroš Nicole Struse Ni Xialian Viktoria Pavlovich2003Saarbrücken Jie Schöpp Tamara Boroš Galina Melnik Krisztina Tóth2004Frankfurt Nicole Struse Jie Schöpp Tamara Boroš Liu Jia2005Rennes Liu Jia Krisztina Tóth Li Jiao Mihaela Steff2006Copenhagen Tamara Boroš Liu Jia Li Jiao Mihaela Steff2007Arezzo Li Jiao Nikoleta Stefanova Liu Jia Mihaela Steff2008Frankfurt Li Jiao Li Qian Viktoria Pavlovich Wu Jiaduo2009Düsseldorf Li Qian Li Jie Liu Jia Wu Jiaduo2010Düsseldorf Li Jiao Li Qian Li Jie Krisztina Tóth2011Liège Li Jiao Viktoria Pavlovich Melek Hu Li Jie2012Lyon Wu Jiaduo Li Jie Ni Xialian Viktoria Pavlovich2014Lausanne Liu Jia Viktoria Pavlovich Li Jiao2015Baku Liu Jia Petrissa Solja Irene Ivancan2016Gondomar Shen Yanfei Melek Hu Liu Jia2017Antibes Li Jie Petrissa Solja Sabine Winter2018Montreux Bernadette Szőcs Li Jie Elizabeta Samara2019Montreux Petrissa Solja Bernadette Szőcs Sofia Polcanova2020Montreux Petrissa Solja Britt Eerland Sofia Polcanova2021Thessaloniki Nina Mittelham Fu Yu Hana Matelová Bernadette Szőcs2022Montreux Han Ying Polina Mikhaylova Sofia Polcanova Bernadette Szőcs2023 Han Ying Sofia Polcanova Nina Mittelham Shao Jieni2024 Jia Nan Yuan Sofia Polcanova Bernadette Szőcs Nina Mittelham2025 Han Ying Elizabeta Samara Sabine Winter Xiaona Shan2026 Sabine Winter Bernadette Szőcs Han Ying Jia Nan Yuan

Statistics

Multiple champions

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

Men

PlayerTotalYears Jan-Ove Waldner71984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996 Timo Boll2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2018, 2020 Dimitrij Ovtcharov52012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 Vladimir Samsonov41998, 1999, 2001, 2007 Darko Jorgić32022, 2023, 2024 István Jónyer21971, 1974 Stellan Bengtsson1973, 1980 Dragutin Šurbek1976, 1979 Milan Orlowski1977, 1983 Mikael Appelgren1982, 1990 Werner Schlager2000, 2008 Alexis Lebrun2025, 2026

Women

PlayerTotalYears Beatrix Kisházi41971, 1972, 1973, 1977 Li Jiao2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 Jill Hammersley31978, 1980, 1981 Csilla Bátorfi1987, 1992, 2001 Ni Xialian1996, 1997, 1998 Liu Jia2005, 2014, 2015 Han Ying2022, 2023, 2025 Ann-Christin Hellman21975, 1976 Bettine Vriesekoop1982, 1985/ Olga Nemeș1983, 1989 Fliura Bulatova1986, 1988 Jie Schöpp1994, 2003 Qianhong Gotsch1999, 2000 Tamara Boroš2002, 2006 Petrissa Solja2019, 2020

All-time medal table

See also

Asian Cup PanAm Cup European Table Tennis Championships International Table Tennis Federation

References

External links European Table Tennis Union International Table Tennis Federation