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The season is about to start in Madrid
The wait is over, the 2024 season starts in Madrid with five categories between the 23 and 26 of May with the Teqball World Series. While the group and knockout stages will be held in Polideportivo Municipal Gallur, the finals will be organised in an urban environment, in one of Spain's most recognisable venues, the Plaza de Espana.
2023 ended with the most colorful World Teqball Championships which was the sport's first WCh outside of Europe. Many records were already broken even before the tournament started in Bangkok, Thailand and at the end, the highest numbers ever have been reached regarding players, matches, TV, and media.
With 128 athletes from 31 countries and with multiple innovative rules have been adjusted that affect Teqball World Series Madrid, such as the FITEQ World Ranking policy, a new point system to motivate partners to organize more events even on the smallest scale. The updated WR system also influences the ranking of each event. FITEQ's Best Athlete of the Event award also debuted in the Spanish capital. At the end of the competition, both a female and a male player will be awarded after the votes of three groups: fans, TV, and FITEQ's Competition Department.
In men's singles, 32 players will face each other. The current title holder Adrian Duszak (POL) misses the event but the world champ from 2022 and runner-up last year, Apor Gyorgydeak (ROU) steps to the table. The FITEQ World Ranking leader's biggest opponent may be the record champion Adam Blazsovics. Although the Hungarian wants to focus more on his sole missing world champion title, the mixed doubles, he will also compete in his favourite category.
Two world and one European champion are among the 28 players in women's singles. Besides Anna Izsák (HUN), world champion in 2021, Carolyn Greco (USA), world champion in 2022, and Kinga Barabasi (ROU) European champion in 2023, last year's WCh runner-up, Jutatip Kuntatong (THA), European championships silver medallist, Amelie Julian (FRA), and Teqball's first European championships medallist, the Danish Nanna Lind Kristensen both are in Madrid.
World champion silver medallist, Julien Grondin (FRA) returns to the table after almost two years of hiatus due to a knee injury. His partner in men's doubles will be the Polish wunderkind Bartłomiej Franczuk. Csaba Banyik/Balazs Katz (HUN) as the category's current world and European champions are also among the 32 teams, while the three-times world champion double, Bogdan Marojevic/Nikola Mitro (SRB) is their biggest rival. One of Teqball World Series Madrid's dark horses can be Adam Bako/Matyas Odnoga who surpsides everybody last year in Esztergom with thunderous game style. Two Thai pairs will try to break the European hegemony. World Teqball Championships 2023's bronze medallist Phakpong Dejaroen is expected to show great moves with Boonkoom Tipwong. While Sorrasak Thaosiri/Jirati Chanliang (THA) can be dangerous to anybody with the 'always attacking' tactics and will already face the Serbians in the group stage. The 'two Leonardos' will represent Brazil as Leonardo Santana/Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida teamed up to triumph after last year's success in Los Angeles at the Teqball Tour.
From the 15 teams in women's doubles, five stand out. Jutatip Kuntatong/Suphawadi Wongkhamchan (THA) are the current world champions, however, the runners-up Nora Vicsek/Petra Pechy (HUN) will once again try to stop the 'flying Thais'. The bronze medallist duo from Bangkok, Vania Moraes de Cruz/Ester Viana Mendes (BRA) and the six-times Teqball Tour winner Gabriella Kota/Krisztina Acs (HUN) are among the challengers as well as Jariya Seesawad/Areeya Homdee (THA) who did not have the chance yet to lift a FITEQ trophy.
The most unpredictable category is mixed doubles. More than 10 pairs are expected to reach the final day when anything can happen. The world champions Phakpong Dejaroen/Wongkhamchan (THA) are the side to beat as both players attack efficiently, but the silver medallist from Bangkok Vania Moraes de Cruz/Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida (BRA), and bronze medallist Csaba Banyik/Krisztina Acs (HUN), as well as European championships bronze medallist Marek Pokwap/Alicja Bartnicka (POL) can be found in XD. On the other hand, new sides formed recently as Adam Blazsovics/Petra Pechy (HUN), Apor Gyorgydeak/Kinga Barabasi (ROU).
The home team will be represented by 7 athletes: Damián Prieto López (MS, MD) Francesc Trujillo Miralles (MS, MD), Ivan Alvarez López (MS, MD), Hector Iglesias Campa (MS), Tania Rodríguez Canal (WS), Pablo Gutierrez Sanchez (MD), Germán García Reyes (MD). Silvia Ferrer Garcia cannot participate as the world champion fifth from Bangkok tore her ligament.