Bernadette Szócs ascended to the top of European table tennis in March 2024, securing the world number 10 ranking. The Romanian star had previously cemented her status as a top player by winning gold at the European Games in both singles and team events. Her first major breakthrough came in 2016 when she triumphed at the Europe Top 16. At the 2022 European Championships, Szócs paired up with Austrian Sofia Polcanova to clinch the doubles title. She further bolstered her gold medal collection with team European Championships victories in 2017 and 2019.
Having started playing table tennis at the tender age of eight, Szócs enjoyed immense success as a junior, winning the U15 European Championships in 2011 and the U18 title twice in 2011 and 2012. As she competes in the Linz European Championships, Szócs, who also won Champions League silver with Linz AG Froschberg in 2020, will be aiming for a hat-trick of titles.