After 26 years, the Romanian team has a medal at the World Table Tennis Championship. The “Tricolore” qualified for the semi-finals

The Romanian women's table tennis team qualified, on Friday, for the semifinals of the London 2026 World Championship. The national women's team thus ensured its presence on the podium at the current edition and returned among the medal-winning teams of a World Championship edition, 26 years after the bronze medal obtained by the tricolors in Kuala Lumpur.

• Romania will meet in the semi-finals the strong team of China (1st place in the world), on Saturday, from 14:30.
• The other semi-final is Germany – Japan.
• Regardless of the result, Romania has already secured the bronze medal and a prestigious return to the world table tennis elite, writes GOLAZO.ro.

On Friday evening, Romania (#7 in the world), the reigning European vice-champion, defeated France (#5 in the world), the world bronze medalist from the previous edition, in the quarters, with a score of 3-1, announced the Romanian Table Tennis Federation.

Before the duel at OVO Arena Wembley, Romania was leading 5-0 in head-to-head meetings, and under the guidance of coach Viorel Filimon, the women's team had never lost against France.

How the “tricolors” qualified in the semi-finals of the WC

Adina Diaconu – Jia Nan Yuan was the opening match, and the Romanian started decisively and imposed a strong game, with controlled shots, which gave her satisfaction in the first and fourth sets. Reaching the decider, she gave up the pace in front of her opponent and lost the match, score 2-3 (11-7, 11-13, 8-11, 11-8, 5-11).

Bernadette Szocs equalized the score between Romania and France, after defeating Prithika Pavade in the decisive set. With a varied and consistent game, our player won the first two sets and faced the pressure after losing the next two. In the final set, Bernadette Szocs took control of the game, had tactical clarity and imposed a suffocating pace for the 3-2 victory (11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 5-11, 11-2).

Next up is the confrontation with the world champion

Romania took the lead for the first time after Andreea Dragoman defeated Charlotte Lutz. Through accurate placements and lightning strikes, which limited the opponent's response possibilities, she prevailed 3-1 (11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6).

The point necessary for Romania's qualification to the semi-finals of the London 2026 World Championship was brought by Bernadette Szocs, following the match with Jia Nan Yuan, which she mostly controlled. The Romanian highlighted her qualities again, calculated her every move and the shots she prepared for a huge victory, score 3-1 (10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 14-12).

Romania will play in the semifinals against the world champion China, on Saturday, from 14:30 (Romanian time).

The World Championships in London bring together 64 men's and 64 women's teams from around the world, between April 28 and May 10, in an anniversary edition, which marks 100 years since the first World Championships, since the establishment of the ITTF and the Romanian Table Tennis Federation (FRTM).