Bryant and Malliff to make senior England debuts in Wroclaw

England have handed first senior international call-ups to Jonah Bryant and Katie Malliff for the 2025 ESF European Team Championships, taking place in Wroclaw, Poland, from April 30 to May 3.

England's men will travel to the renowned Hasta La Vista Club as defending European champions, having secured victory over France in a dramatic final last year in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the women's team will be looking to go one step further after securing a silver-medal finish in last year’s final against Belgium.

England has enjoyed monumental success at the European Team Championships since its inception in 1978, winning 44 of the 51 men’s titles and 42 of the 45 women’s titles, a legacy they aim to extend at the 2025 edition.

The men's team selected by National Coach Stuart Crawford and Assistant Coach Nick Matthew for this year's championship includes:

• Mohamed ElShorbagy
• Marwan ElShorbagy
• Declan James
• Curtis Malik
• Jonah Bryant

The women's team consists of:

• Gina Kennedy
• Jasmine Hutton
• Sarah-Jane Perry
• Katie Malliff

Jonah Bryant, following an impressive junior career, has quickly climbed to world No.38 and already boasts seven PSA Tour titles at just 19-years-old. In January, he secured his first-ever win over a top 20 player, Leonel Cardenas, and has taken games off Tarek Momen, Paul Coll, and Karim Abdel Gawad on the PSA Tour this year.

The Brighton-born former European junior champion expressed his excitement, saying:

"It's an honour to be called up for my senior England debut in Wroclaw. I'm eager to prove myself at this level and absorb some of Mo and Marwan's immense know-how. It's going to be a fantastic experience."

Former world no.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy will compete in his third European Team Championships for England, while his younger brother Marwan returns for his second after securing England’s victory last year in the decisive match against Baptiste Masotti.

Reflecting on past successes, Mohamed said:

"My two European Team Championship victories with England have been some of the favourite memories of my career so far. The team environment is very special for me and a place where I really thrive. I can't wait to head to Wroclaw and try to defend our European title again."

Declan James returns to the England men's team for the first time since the 2022 Commonwealth Games, having missed nearly a year due to a ruptured Achilles. Since his comeback in October 2023, he has claimed four PSA titles and risen to world No.25. Curtis Malik, who played a crucial role in England's World Team Championships campaign in Hong Kong last December, retains his spot.

On the women's side, world no.24 Katie Malliff earns her first senior selection following strong recent performances, including a standout run at the Singapore Open, where she claimed a game off world No.3 Hania El Hammamy in the quarter-finals.

Delighted to receive her call-up, Malliff said:

"I am absolutely ecstatic to receive my first call-up for the England team and cannot wait to be part of the women's team in Poland. We are determined to win our title back from Belgium and will be doing everything in our power to be crowned European champions again."

Gina Kennedy returns to England’s no.1 position after missing December's World Team Championships due to injury. Two-time British national champion Jasmine Hutton, who reached a career-high world ranking of 18 in February, moves up to no.2 in the lineup. Meanwhile, Sarah-Jane Perry - who was part of the team that claimed world team gold in 2014 -will add some crucial experience to an already impressive lineup.

National Coach Stuart Crawford expressed his enthusiasm for the squad, stating:

"We're delighted to welcome Jonah and Katie to the England senior teams for the first time. They can not only learn from the abundant experience we have in both men's and women's squads, but also make important contributions on court. We feel we have a strong chance in both events and can't wait to board the plane to Poland."

For event details and the latest news, visit the official tournament website.