Para table tennis stars converge in Yvelines for the final elite battle – International Table Tennis Federation

The ITTF World Para Elite Yvelines 2025 delivers spectacular competition in Voisins-le-Bretonneux, with two days of intense action already delivering memorable moments and compelling knockout stage battles.

As the final Elite event of the inaugural revamped circuit nears its conclusion on October 30, the French venue has witnessed the dominance of the world number one, home favorites electrifying the local crowd, and several stunning upsets that have reshaped the tournament landscape.

French stars shine on home soil

The host nation’s contingent put in strong performances during the opening stages, with several athletes advancing deep into the competition.

Fabien Lamiraultthe torchbearer of Paris in 2024, was imperious in the men’s division 2, sailing through its group stage and advancing to the semi-finals with convincing victories. The home favorite will face Pole Rafal Czuper in a blockbuster semi-final between two Paralympic champions.

Mateo Boheas has shown excellent form in MS10, beating Germany’s Mio Wagner to reach the quarter-finals, where he will face Brazil’s Gabriel de Oliveira Antunes in a generational battle.

In MS3, Florian Merrien produced fighting performances, but fell in the semi-finals to German Thomas Schmidberger after beating Ireland’s Colin Judge in the quarter-finals, while Flora Vautier reached the semi-finals of the women’s division 4-5 before being defeated by compatriot Alexandra Saint-Pierre in an all-French battle.

The number one in the world is moving forward

The tournament’s top players have made progress largely as expected, but not without challenges.

USA Jenson van Emburgh has been dominant in MS3, dispatching opponents with clinical efficiency to the semi-finals, where he will face legend Thomas Schmidberger in a rematch of their encounter from earlier season.

Brazil Sophia Kelmerthe 17-year-old WS8 sensation, continued her remarkable 2025 campaign by reaching the final with victories over Italy’s Elena Litvinenko and France’s Thu Kamkasomphou. The number one in the teenage world will compete for the title against the Japanese Yuri Tomono.

The Netherlands Kelly van Zon advanced to the WS7 final with characteristically clinical performances, beating Great Britain’s rising star Bly Twomey in the semi-finals. Van Zon will compete for the championship against the Turkish Kubra Korkut.

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Stunning Upsets Resha Draws

Monday’s action yielded several shocking results that opened up several classes.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, Sandra Mikolaschek fell to India’s Bhavina Patel in the WS4-5 semi-finals, despite becoming world number one. However, Mikolaschek bounced back from a group stage loss to Great Britain’s Megan Shackleton to reach the semi-finals, showing the championship’s resilience.

Italy Giada Rossithe WS2 Paralympic champion and world number one, suffered a stunning quarter-final defeat to Croatia’s Helena Dretar Karic, ending her bid for Elite glory in France.

The semi-finals of Class 9 for men will see a fascinating duel between the Spaniards Other Cepas and that of Belgium Laurens Devos – the two athletes who traded the number one position in the world this year. Their rivalry adds extra intrigue to what promises to be a compelling encounter.

Paralympic champions continue to compete

Several Paris 2024 gold medalists remain in contention as the competition enters its final stages.

Italy Matteo Parenzan (MS6) advanced to the semi-finals with a solid performance, while Poland Rafal Czuper (MS2) set up its showdown with Lamirault by defeating Italian Federico Crosara in the quarter-finals.

Croatia Andela Muzinic Vincetic remains on course in the women’s 2-3 division after progressing unbeaten through her group and reaching the knockout stages.

The circuit milestone year has come to an end

The revamped ITTF World Para Circuit reaches its Elite conclusion in Yvelines, with the three-tiered structure delivering unprecedented opportunities in 2025. The new ranking system has created compelling stories and clear paths for progression, with this latest Elite event carrying significant weight for the year-end rankings.

As athletes pursue crucial ranking points in the run-up to 2026 – when World Cup qualifying begins in earnest – each match takes on added importance beyond immediate prize money and prestige.

The competition continues through October 30, with semifinals and finals in all classes determining the final Elite Champions of the season. Voisins-le-Bretonneux’s passionate crowd has created an electric atmosphere, especially for French competitors looking to end the Elite season with home wins.

With the world number one, Paralympic champions and emerging talents all vying for ultimate glory, the stage is set for a spectacular conclusion to the 2025 Elite circuit. The concentration of top talent ensures that whoever prevails will have won against the absolute best in Para table tennis.