University College London (UCL) had a fifth-place finish at the 2026 European Universities Games in Salerno, Italy.

Xin Ning Ng also achieved fifth place in the Women’s Singles competition as UCL had the best results of the universities representing England, with Durham and Imperial College London also competing.

Some of the strongest university players from across Europe were competing, including many with professional-level experience and a world ranking.

UCL’s Women’s Team (Xin Ning Ng, Shun Hei Wong, Pui Chi Angie Wong, Jiechen Jin) made an excellent start to the competition, defeating the Armenian State University of Economics (ARM) 3–1 and Caucasus International University (GEO) 3-2 to finish second in Group D, losing out 3-0 to University of Ljubljana (SLO).

They progressed to the knockout stages and were knocked out in the quarter-finals by University of Pecs (HUN) 3-0, ending in a share of fifth place.

Durham University were in Group A, losing 3-2 to Suleyman Demirel University of Turkey and 3-0 to German Sport University Cologne, but beating University of Salerno (ITA) 3-1

They ended up in the play-off for ninth place, losing 3-2 to Semmelweis University (HUN). The Durham team was Yuen Shan Wong, Man Ki Li and Sandy Choong.

UCL’s Men’s Team (Xuepeng Wong, Shengkai Xia, Oscar Gao, Di Xie) faced a particularly challenging draw, competing against the University of Vienna (AUT), University of Pécs (HUN) and Queen’s University Belfast (IRL) in the group stage, losing all three matches.

In the play-offs, they beat University of Salerno 3-0 then lost 3-1 to Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design, ending in 15th place.

Imperial College London, in Group F, lost 3-2 to Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design, 3-0 to University of Lausanne (SUI) and 3-1 to Azerbaijan Sport Academy. They lost 3-0 to University of Ljubljana in the positional play-offs.

In the Women’s Singles, UCL’s Xin Ning Ng reached the quarter-finals, losing to Dora Cosic of University of Zagreb 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-5). Cosic, world ranked No 287, went on to win the gold medal.

Shun Hei Wong of UCL, Sandy Choong of Durham and Man Ki Li of Durham all went out in the round of 32, while Yuen Shan Wong of Durham and UCL duo Jiechen Jin and Pui Chi Angie Wong lost in the round of 64.

The best English performer in the Men’s Singles was Wah Yu Choong of Imperial College London, who reached the round of 32.

UCL’s Xuepeng Wang, Shengkai Xia, Oscar Gao and Di Xie; plus Imperial trio Richard Yuyan Dai, David Son and Sui Kit Bryan Chow all went out in the round of 64; Chun Yin Darren Wu of Imperial lost in the round of 128.

Szymon Kolasa (WR 603) of Zamojski Academy Poland beat colleague Jakub Stecyszyn (WR 512) in the gold medal match.

In the Women’s Doubles, Choong & Li of Durham lost in the round of 16 to Agathe Avezou & Leili Mostafavi of University of Paris

Two UCL pairs lost at the same stage – Ng & Wong to Laura Abaraviciute & Meida Sereikaite of University of Vilnius, Lithuania; and Jin & Wong to mane Ghazaryan & Mariam Hambardzumyan of Armenian State University of Economics.

Dora Cosic & Marta Vukelic of University of Zagreb beat Lea Paulin & Katarina Strazar of University of Ljubljana in the final.

In the Men’s Doubles, Wang & Xie of UCL, Gao & Xia of UCL and Chow & Wu of Imperial went out in the round of 32, while Dai & Son of Imperial lost in the previous round.

Artur Grela & Szymon Kolasa of Zamojski Academy of Poland beat David Molnar & David Szantosi of University of Pecs (HUN) in the final.