Ella Pashley and Larry Trumpauskas both defended their Under-21 National Cup titles at Highfields TTC in Wellingborough at the weekend, a year after winning the event together for the first time.

The National Cup is a round robin for England's leading under-21 players, so every player meets every other and the title goes to the best record across the weekend. That rewards consistency over one good day.

Pashley unbeaten

Pashley did not lose a match. Her meeting with Sophie Earley in the final round decided the women's event, with Earley also unbeaten until then, and Pashley won it 3-0. Earley finished second and Anna Green took third after beating Catherine Lv.

Earley and Green were the top seeds in the under-21 women's doubles at May's National Championships, and Earley was a double winner at the 2025 Junior National Championships.

Trumpauskas does the work early

The men's event was decided before the last round. A 3-2 win over Abraham Sellado in round seven put the title out of his rivals' reach, so Trumpauskas's only defeat of the weekend, 3-1 to Isaac Kingham in the final round, did not affect the result.

Sellado was runner-up, ahead of Max Radiven on their head-to-head result. Radiven, still a junior, was the top seed in the junior boys' singles at May's National Championships.

A familiar pairing

Pashley and Trumpauskas have dominated England's under-21 events for two seasons. They won the Under-21 National Cup together in October 2025, and in May 2025 they both took the under-21 singles titles on the first day of the Junior and Under-21 National Championships in Nottingham. Last year's National Cup came just before WTT Star Contender London, where both played, and Table Tennis England's report at the time tied their wins to that step up.

Pashley and Trumpauskas have shared England's under-21 titles before. They won the Under-21 National Cup together in October 2025, and in May 2025 both took the under-21 singles titles on the first day of the Junior and Under-21 National Championships in Nottingham. Table Tennis England's report on last year's National Cup, which came just before WTT Star Contender London, was headlined "Trumpauskas and Pashley show Star Contender belief".

Both went into this May's National Championships as defending under-21 champions. Pashley was the third seed behind her England teammate Tianer Yu, who beat her in the 2024 final, and Trumpauskas was seeded behind Joseph Hunter.

  • Women: 1 Ella Pashley, 2 Sophie Earley, 3 Anna Green
  • Men: 1 Larry Trumpauskas, 2 Abraham Sellado, 3 Max Radiven

What's next

Table Tennis England's junior calendar continues with the Cambridge Junior 4*, which offers a route to the National Championships and raises money for a disability charity. Entries close later this week, as do entries for the Cadet and Girls' Cadet British Clubs Leagues.