The male teqers took the main stage at European Games 2023 Kraków-Malopolska which is also the sport's first European championships. Also, the two best women players reappeared today to play their postponed final.

In the men’s competition, 21 athletes took the field to represent their countries.

Fan favourite Adrian Duszak did his best to please the home crowd and advanced from his group in dominating fashion by conceding the fewest points with 12 in two matches. World champion Apor Gyorgydeak followed suit by allowing no more than 6 points in any set, and the same applied to Frenchman Hugo Rabeaux. Hungarian Csaba Banyik also completed the group stage with an immaculate record, meanwhile in Group E, F and G third sets were needed to determine the group winners. Bogdan Marojevic was able to close out Petr Bubniak (who suffered an injury during their match and had to be taken care of), but Brian Mengel Thomsen successfully completed the comeback against Gor Sargsyan, just like Kosovian Adrian Uka versus Oleh Usychenko. The Ukrainian, however, had no reason to be sad because he also advanced with being the best 2nd-place finisher.

It was not the case for him after the quarterfinal, where Gyorgydeak crushed him in two sets (12-3, 12-3), and Rabeaux also easily solved Uka. Duszak continued his impressive run with a convincing victory against Thomsen, but the fourth QF brought great excitement between Banyik and Marojevic. The Serbian took a 1-0 lead and was one point away from advancing to the next round, but the Hungarian snatched the 2nd set with the score of 12-11 and eventually secured the win with 12-10 in the decisive third one.

Hugo Rabeux (FRA) smashing against Adrien Uka (KOS).

The four highest-ranked players made it to the semifinals, and their battle did not disappoint the fans. Gyorgydeak faced Rabeaux and claimed the lead with the tightest margin possible (12:11), and then the French quickly equalized. They went toe-to-toe in the third set, but the world champion shifted gears after 7-7 and went on a 5-0 run to hold off his rival and move on to the final.

In the other semi, Duszak had still been on a spree: he jumped to a 9-1 lead in the first set and kept 7 points of the advantage until the end, and the scenario was quite similar in the second one, so the top Polish player made it to the final on home soil.

Banyik did not have much time to rest, he was almost immediately called to fight for the bronze medal. He played a tight first set with Rabeaux with the French having the last laugh after 11:11, then in the second set, Rabeaux took advantage of Banyik’s errors and claimed the bronze to win his first medal in a major tournament.

Csaba Banyik (HUN) in action.

“It is just unbelievable to win a medal at the European Games in the blue jersey. Although my goal was to be the title holder at the very first European championships, I could not pass Gyorgydeak in the semifinal. I hope we can better this position together with Amelie in mixed doubles, however, first, she has the chance to get France's first gold medal in women's singles in Kraków” - said Rabeaux.

And the circumstances were ideal this time for the women’s final, the match that was postponed from yesterday due. Unfortunately for the French players though, Amalie Julian came up just short against Kinga Barabasi. Julian was able to make it close in the first set but Barabasi finished stronger, and the Romanian was dominant in the second one to become Teqball’s first European champion!

Final, women’s singles:

Barabasi (ROU) – Julian (FRA) 2-0 (9-, 6-)

“It really motivates me that the hard work I put in appears in my development and helped me to become European champion. My goal is to win the World Championship, which seems even closer now, but I have a lot of work to do to fulfil my dreams” - said Barabasi.

Amalie Julian also shared her thoughts: “Although I came to Krakow to be Teqball's first female European champion, Barabasi was just better in the final. I did not find my rhythm and I am disappointed, I do not really know what happened. I have to analyze the match and find the causes.”

Amelia Julian (FRA) & Kinga Barabasi (ROU) in the women's singles final.

The main question for the men’s final was if it was going to be the day when a country sweeps the first two European Championship golds ever, or if the home player gets to celebrate in front of his fans.

The two stars, Gyorgydeak and Duszak put up a great fight, and once again the world champion finished stronger in the opening set. He carried the momentum on to the second and started with eight (!) points in a row. Duszak tried his best to fight back from the huge deficit and put together a 6-point streak on his own, but the leader of the World Rankings held him off and ultimately won the final!

Final, men’s singles:

Gyorgydeak (ROU) – Duszak (POL) 2-0 (8-, 8-)

This means that Teqball’s first and second-ever gold medals go to Kinga Barabasi and Apor Gyorgydeak from Romania.

“I would have never thought that I will be European and World champion at the same time. At the beginning of my career, it was tough for me to play in front of my family, but first at the WCH and now here I really felt their support, and at the end of the game I let my emotions come out. So possibly they will be my talisman from now on” - said Apor Gyorgydeak after the victory ceremony.

“I have never played in front of a crowd like this before. I had the chance to win the first Teqball European Championship gold for Poland here in Kraków, but unfortunately, I did not succeed. Apor was better this time, but I work hard in order to turn it around at the World Championship” - told Duszak.