The group stage draws to a close for the England Leopards, with a very difficult 3-0 loss to Korea Republic, who defeated China for the very first time at a World Team Championships in 26 years in their last match, and with Sweden’s victory over the current world number ones mean that Sweden take first place in Group 1, followed by Korea Republic, China in third place and England in fourth.
Tom Jarvis got proceedings underway as the current England number one faced Oh Junsung, the man who took the decisive victory against China yesterday. Tom went down fighting 3-0 with three respectable scores, against an opponent who is quite literally on top of his game and on top of the world (11-7, 11-6, 11-6).
The second match was a display of dominance from Korean number one Jang Woojin, the world ranked number 9, as Sam Walker was next up against another world class opponent. Sam having faced the world number 1, the world number 33, in the form of Anton Kallberg, who has been impeccable, mean all three players rankings add up to 44, so Walker (WR209) knew the battle would be difficult. Woojin showed his class taking the match 11-2, 11-5, 11-2.
Connor Green then took An Jaehyun ranked 22 in the world currently, Connor’s opponents of the world number two Truls Moregard and world ranked 21 Liang Jinkun of China, who he lost out to 11-9 in the fifth, meant that the challenges continued thick and fast for the young man from Draycott. Connor put in a performance to be proud of and matched the Korean in the first end at 7-7 before his opponent pulled away taking the first 11-7. Connor really competed with the experienced world star and lost out 11-6 and 11-8 in the second and third.
England women once again acquitted themselves well but came away empty-handed as they were defeated by France at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented by ACN.
Playing their final match of Group 2 at OVO Arena Wembley, England sent out Ella Pashley in the No 1 positions to face Prithika Pavade, ranked almost 450 places above her in the world at No 28.
But Pashley (WR 475) competed well after a slow start which saw her lose the first four points of the match, later going on a run of five points out of six herself before losing the first 11-9.
She briefly led the second, but Pavade won five in a row from 6-5 to secure the game. Both athletes led the third and Pavade brought up two match points, which Pashley saved. But the third was taken and France led.
The gap between Tin-Tin Ho (WR 160) and Jia Nan Yuan (WR 24) was not as wide and Ho, who has looked in good touch, led 1-0 and 2-1, taking the first and third games 11-9, including recovering a 7-3 deficit in the third.
Yuan levelled again and largely stayed ahead in the decider, with Ho always in touch. The score inched up to 9-9 and Yuan then saw a match point saved. But Ho could not engineer a chance of her own and fell to the next match point.
Tianer Yu has not yet hit her best form and gave up 236 places to world No 54 Charlotte Lutz. Yu had an opening at 8-6 up in the second but ultimately was defeated 3-0 (5, 8, 3).
Photos by Michael Loveder & Sam Mellish
