The first National Challenger Series event is set to take place this weekend (29-30 August) following FITEQ’s announcement of the exciting new competition series last month. The event, hosted by the Phoenix Teqball Club, is set to feature a star-studded line-up of world-class teqers in Mogyoród, Hungary on the outskirts of Budapest, and will include singles, doubles and mixed doubles competitions.

The National Challenger Series is aiming to support National Federations, clubs and players around the world with the return of competitive teqball events during the COVID-19 pandemic. The respective series in each country will enable athletes to compete for World Ranking points and prize money, whilst also providing athletes with a clear qualification pathway for the next Teqball World Championships.

Current singles and doubles world champion Ádám Blázsovics will compete in all three formats, and will be joined in the doubles competition by fellow world champion partner Csaba Bányik. In a highly competitive singles field, including 11 female players, tournament favourite Blázsovics will be challenged by 2018 World Championships silver medallist Árpád Sipos, as well as rising Hungarian stars Ádám Bakó, Bence Forgács and Martin Csereklye. In the mixed doubles, Bányik and Zsanett Janicsek are expected to come out on top, but the mix of experience and youth in a high-quality field will force them to be at their best if they are to be victorious.

The tournament in Mogyoród follows a successful return of international teqball in Eger, where a Beach Teqball Challenger Cup was held earlier this month. As was the case in Eger, the event in Mogyoród will have COVID-19 precautionary measures in place to ensure the safety of all involved.