Dang Qiu Leads German Table Tennis Team at 2026 European Championships

Former European champion Dang Qiu will lead a strong German contingent at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana, with the seven-player lineup combining experienced names with a new generation ready to make its mark at senior level. Qiu, 29, knows exactly what it takes to succeed on the European stage. He won the Men’s Singles crown in Munich in 2026, having previously claimed Mixed Doubles gold in Warsaw in 2026 and Team gold in Cluj-Napoca in 2026. He added Team bronze at the 2026 European Championships in Zadar and was runner-up at the Europe Top 16 in 2026. At the 2026 European Games, Qiu collected two more gold medals. He was also part of Germany’s silver-medal-winning team at the 2026 World Championships and won Mixed Team bronze at the 2026 World Cup. Qiu heads to Ljubljana encouraged by his recent victory at the WTT Star Contender Astana, where he defeated reigning European champion Alexis Lebrun. He stressed that every victory gives extra confidence, but he must keep working hard because the cards are reshuffled every day. Germany will have another major contender in Benedikt Duda, who produced his best European Championships Singles result in Linz two years ago, reaching the final before taking silver behind Alexis Lebrun. The 32-year-old also has two European Team titles and added bronze at the Europe Top 16 earlier this year. Duda admitted that after rising to No. 8 in the world ranking, he listened to too many opinions instead of consistently continuing on his own path, but he is learning from that. Few players will match the European record of Dimitrij Ovcharov. The 38-year-old won the Men’s Singles title in 2026 and 2026 and has eight European Team titles. He returned to the Singles podium in Linz in 2026, taking bronze. His record extends beyond Europe, with six Olympic medals and numerous World Championships honours, but Ovcharov believes he can still challenge Europe’s best. His goal is to win another medal. Patrick Franziska adds further experience. The 34-year-old is a former Europe Top 16 champion and has won four European Team titles, as well as European Men’s Doubles gold in 2026. He said the European Championships are as evenly matched as they have been for a long time, so he must take it round by round. Germany’s challenge will also include Andre Bertelsmeier, the European Under 21 champion, and Wim Verdonschot, the Under 21 runner-up. Bertelsmeier reached the Round of 16 on his senior debut in 2026, while Verdonschot will make his first senior appearance. Kay Stumper completes the squad. Already a European Team champion and World Championships Team silver medallist, he will make his European Individual Championships debut. In doubles, Qiu will partner Duda in Men’s Doubles, while Franziska and Ovcharov join forces. Qiu and Duda are a world-class doubles pair but are still missing that European Championships medal. They hope it will finally happen in Ljubljana.