European Table Tennis Championships – Out after three match points: Kaufmann’s bitter European Championship day – Sport

Linz (dpa) – Two months after her big appearance at the Olympic Games, German table tennis hope Annett Kaufmann experienced a bitter day at the European Championships in Linz. The 18-year-old was eliminated from three different competitions in less than eight hours.

The semi-final in the mixed doubles was particularly tough: After three missed match points, Kaufmann (SV DJK Kolbermoor) and the world number 12 Patrick Franziska (1. FC Saarbrücken) lost in 2:3 sets against Sofia Polcanova and Robert Gardos from Austria and therefore missed out Endgame.

“It’s so bitter,” said Kaufmann. “I’m a bit speechless right now.” Shortly before, she had also failed in the doubles match with her national team colleague Nina Mittelham and the two Swedes Christina Källberg and Linda Bergström (1:3). In the evening, the multiple junior European singles champion lost 4-0 to top seed Bernadette Szoczs from Romania.

“Proud of our medal”

After their bitter semi-final exit, Kaufmann and Franziska at least secured the bronze medal in the mixed doubles. Because third places are not specifically contested at world and European table tennis championships.

“If there is some calm, we will also be proud of our medal and this performance on our mixed debut,” said Kaufmann. The level in the semi-finals in particular was “incredibly high”. For the 18-year-old, it is not the first European Championship medal of her young career: she already won the European Championship title with the German team in 2021 and 2023.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:241018-930-264041/4