The Teqball World Series Madrid 2024 resumed with an action-packed day in the Spanish capital, as all three doubles categories kicked off on Friday.

With mixed doubles day 2 began, and similarly to day 1, the group phase brought some surprising results and upsets. Group A was a walk in the park for world championships runner-ups Vania Moraes da Cruz&Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida (BRA), being one of the two units that did not allow more than 10 points in any sets. The other one was Petra Pechy&Adam Blazsovics (HUN), who surrendered only 19 points in three games in Group F. Defending world champs Suphawadi Wongkhamchan&Phakpong Dejaroen (THA) also swept their group, and their compatriots, Jirati Chianliang&Areeya Homdee clinched Group H. This quartet ended up being the closest one as the Thais won two three-setters: one against Boglarka Nagy&Adam Bako (HUN) and the other against Carolyn Greco&Frankie Diaz (USA). The Hungarians defeated the Americans to claim the 2nd spot, eliminating Greco&Diaz. The third Thai duo, Sudarat Thongkot&Sorrasak Thaosiri topped Group B after taking down WCh bronze medallists Krisztina Acs&Csaba Banyik (HUN) in 3 sets.

The French twosome of Amelie Julian&Hugo Rabeux also took home the group win after the category’s closest win versus Zsofia Dezsenyi&Martin Csereklye, but the Hungarians proceeded from Group C, too. Two more Hungarian teams made it to the top 16: Gabriella Kota&Balazs Katz and Nora Vicsek&Matyas Odnoga finished 1-2 in Group D. Group G also brought a hard-fought battle between Alicja Bartnicka&Marek Pokwap and Kinga Barabasi&Apor Gyorgydeak, with the Polish formation winning 12:11, 12:10 against the Romanians, who advanced to the next round anyways.

In the men’s doubles, Lionel Beyer came close to pulling off the upset versus world champs Csaba Banyik&Balazs Katz - again. The Frenchman almost did it back in Bangkok in the quarterfinals with Jean Thierry Belus on his side, this time he teamed up with Portuguese Baptiste Berna and won the first set against the Hungarian dynamic duo. Banyik&Katz rebounded though, and completed the comeback to finish on the top of Group A, followed by Beyer&Berna, who also moved on. Group B became somewhat of a copy of the former as an emerging team (Thaosiri&Chianliang) snatched one set against a world champ (Nikola Mitro&Bogdan Marojevic), but the Serbians eventually rallied back in the third and took it home in overtime (13:11). There was a 3rd three-setter in this session, in which Bartlomiej Franczuk&Julien Grondin (POL/FRA) successfully finished the comeback against Hungarians Gergo Dombai&Zsombor Bene to win Group D.

Speaking of comebacks, this is Grondin’s first tournament after a 20 months-long hiatus (except for one occasion in June 2023 in Los Angeles), and the silver medallist of the 2021 WCh men’s singles feels confident:

"It is amazing to be back after more than one and a half years. I started my return step by step, but I never felt as strong. I have one goal, to be the world champion in men's singles."

Other contenders, like Adam Bako&Odnoga, Leonardo Santana&Lindoso de Almeida, Boonkoom Tipwong&Dejaroen swept their respective groups, just like Joshua Bello&Jose Ricardo Oviedo Amortegui (COL) and Soma Cseri&Bence Forgacs (HUN).

The women’s doubles group phase concluded Day 2 in Madrid, and last year’s world champions, Jutatip Kuntatong&Wongkhamchan sent a strong message to the rest of the field: the Thai unit allowed only 15 points in 3 group matches, good for an astonishing 2,5 points/set average. However, they were not the only dominant pair, as Brazilians Vania Moraes da Cruz&Ester Viana Mendes, Hungarians Krisztina Acs&Gabriella Kota and WCh silver medallists Petra Pechy&Nora Vicsek finished with an immaculate record to win their groups, too.

Patricia Mayara Nardy&Leticia Luziro Barbosa (BRA) edged out Alicja Bartnicka&Zaneta Cygora (POL) in a thriller to take the last advancing spot in Group A, and the same happened in Group C, where Ana Marques&Carla Couto (POR) secured the 2nd place in overtime against Camila Guevara&Andrea Stephania Torres Camacho (COL). Jariya Seesawad&Areeya Homdee also advanced from Group D to make it two Thai teams in the quarterfinals.

Day 3 will not allow any mistakes for the remaining contestants as the whole competition shifts to the elimination phase. By the end of the morning session, we will know who the finalists will be in the singles categories.

There is going to be at least one Romanian semifinalist in the men’s singles as Apor Gyogydeak and Arnold Szilagyi will face each other in the quarterfinals, and the case is the same with the Hungarians with the Milan Csabi vs Martin Csereklye matchup in the QFs. The Marek Pokwap-Boonkoom Tipwong clash promises to be an interesting one, just like Soma Cseri’s quest to extend his run in Madrid, but Hugo Rabeux will do his best to prevent that.

Last year, Jutatip Kuntatong ended Carolyn Greco’s dreams of defending her title at the World Teqball Championships 2023 in the women’s singles, tomorrow’s match will be the first between them since that battle in December. The other three quarterfinals feature three Hungarians: 2021 world champion Anna Izsak will go up against European championships bronze medallist Amelie Julian, while Zsofia Dezsenyi will face Agnieszka Rybicka (POL), and Boglarka Nagy will try to upset European champion Kinga Barabasi.

After the lunch break, the mixed doubles will step to the tables in the Round of 16, followed by the men’s (RO 16) and the women’s doubles (quarterfinals). When the clock hits 8 PM in Madrid, we will know the exact matchups and program of the epic Sunday finale at the historic Plaza de Espana.

You do not want to miss a beat during this high-octane and high-stakes day, so tune in to our TEQ TV on YouTube!