INSIDE TEQBALL - STORIES FROM THE TEQBALL WORLD

Adrian Duszak is one of teqball’s leading stars, using his freestyle football background to dominate on the Teq table. The current World Number One in singles had an exceptional 2019, finishing in second place in the World Championships and taking home the gold medal in the Teqball Masters in Saudi Arabia. Duszak is a formidable force in doubles but he specialises in the singles game, combining his flexibility and ball control to take him to the top of the FITEQ World Rankings earlier this year. In this interview, Duszak reflects on his teqball adventure to date and outlines his aims for the future.

Do you remember the first time you experienced the curved table?

Yes, I remember very well. I first experienced the curved table in August 2017. Before this I had never heard of teqball and it was hard to imagine a sport played on a curved table. Today I cannot imagine my life without it.

Singles or Doubles? Which one would you choose and what are your reasons?

Singles, of course. I like independence, if you fail, you can only blame yourself. But I want to show this year that I can also achieve good results in doubles. Together with my partner Bartek Franczuk we understand each other perfectly. Despite the distance that separates us (about 300 km), we often see each other, and we train very hard to improve our skills.

Why do you think teqball is addictive?

Teqball is addictive, because you can see progress very fast, especially at the beginning of the adventure with this sport. Even if you are an amateur, you can easily hit the ball several times to your opponent's side just after a few training sessions and after learning the rules. From my point of view, it was a little easier at the beginning because I have been training as a freestyle footballer since 2009. Because of that, there was no problem with technique, and also with flexibility.

Poland has a very active teqball community, which Polish club are you representing?

I represent Podkowa Teqball Club, which is located close Warsaw in the city of Podkowa Leśna. This was the first official club to be founded in Poland.

You have been World Number One in singles from January 2020. How does it feel to be the leading name in teqball?

Being number one in terms of world ranking is something that every player aspires to, but at the start of my teqball adventure I didn't even dream that this would become a reality for me. I am currently in first position in the FITEQ World Rankings and I am training even harder to maintain this. I am looking forward for the next series of tournaments to prove that I deserve to be the number one player worldwide.

Do you have a favorite teqball player, or someone who you found impressive for their talent?

There are a few players who I like to watch and whom I respect for their skills, creativity and speed at the table. I do not follow any player, I want to follow my own path and have my own individual style of play.

You are already the master of movement with your freestyle background but if you could master another skill in teqball, what would that be?

I really like acrobatic tricks, and I would definitely like to transfer and master some of them in teqball, but it is not easy. Let's not forget that teqball is a young sport, dynamically developing and new players are appearing on a regular basis, and with them new combinations.

What has teqball changed in your life?

Teqball has changed my life completely. It's great when you can keep your passion, develop skills, travel, meet new people and improve foreign languages. For me personally it is a beautiful adventure.

Please name a sportsman/woman that you would nominate to be a future teqball ambassador. What makes him/her TEQ?

I think that Robert Lewandowski would be an ideal candidate. Robert is an example of an ideal athlete. He is currently one of the best football players in the world. I can't wait to exchange a few passes on the Teq table with him.

During practice, is there any special rule you apply to make the game more difficult? Do you have any of your own rules during the work out?

The most important thing during each workout is a solid warm-up and stretching. I never start training without these two elements. I also have my own training system, which I constantly improve. I started to eat healthy and implemented a diet, which positively affects my training.

How has the spread of COVID-19 and the pandemic situation changed your everyday sport life?

Unfortunately, the pandemic of coronavirus has affected most people, including athletes. It is a difficult period of time for all of us in teqball but I hope we all come back stronger!

What has been the most memorable moment of your teqlife?

There were many amazing moments last year, but two situations are especially important to me: victory in the Teqball Masters in Saudi Arabia. I will never forget the sound of the Polish national anthem in the middle of the desert, this is something that every athlete strives for. My second great memory is winning the silver medal during the third World Championships in Budapest and receive sincere congratulations from my childhood idol – Ronaldinho.

We can say that 2019 was a very successful year for you, what is your goal for 2020 in teqball?

The year 2020 did not start very well because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but I strongly believe that it will be a year even better than the previous one!

Thank you for the interview and good luck with all your endeavours with teqball!