Brazil will host the first round of its National Challenger Series this weekend (29-30 May), with reigning mixed doubles world champions Natalia Guitler and Marquinhos Vieira beginning their journey to retain their title.

The duo, who are ranked number one in the world for mixed doubles, won a thrilling final in 2019, in Budapest against local favourites Csaba Banyik and Zsanett Janicsek. They will enter this weekend’s event as firm favourites and if they are to confirm their place at the 2021 Teqball World Championships they will be seen as the team to beat.

Brazilian stars will also be battling it out for World Championships quota places in singles and doubles. 14 individuals will participate in the singles and 12 in the doubles, including Marquinhos and partner Leonardo Santana. Neither Guitler nor Marquinhos will compete in the singles competition. Round 2 of Brazil’s National Challenger Series will be held at the end of June, followed by round 3 in July and round 4 in August.

This weekend will also see the fourth and final rounds of Portugal’s and Eswatini’s National Challenger Series. Dionisio Manuel Brito Pereira Goncalves will be looking to secure his second successive singles title to improve his chances of booking a spot at the World Championships. Meanwhile, in Eswatini, National Federation President Taribo Bhembe is proving hard to beat after he claimed the singles and doubles titles once again in round 3 last weekend (22-23 May).

ALL INFORMATION & RESULTS of the Brazil Challenger Series Round 1 - HERE

ALL INFORMATION & RESULTS of the Portugal Challenger Series Round 4 - HERE

ALL INFORMATION & RESULTS of the Eswatini Challenger Series Round 4 - HERE