At FITEQ'S 250th international event, the knockout stage was yet again a classic one as many surprises and hard-fought victories happened on day 3 of Teqball World Series 2024 Madrid. Tomorrow, the tournament continues with the finals at the Plaza de Espana in the Spanish capital.

The Teqball World Series Madrid 2024 continued with the knockout stages in every category. The morning kicked off with the quarterfinals of women’s singles. The early hours had an effect on the world champion of 2022. Caroly Greco did not score any single point in the first set against last season’s WCh runner-up Jutatip Kuntatong. The Thai absolutely crashed Greco in the beginning, but she bounced back in the second by always playing on Jutatip’s weaker side. However, the flying Thai managed the rest of the game and advanced to the semi-final where the European champion Kinga Barabasi awaited after she won confidently against Boglarka Nagy (HUN) in two sets.

World champion of 2021 Anna Izsak (HUN) triumphed against the European silver medallist Amelie Julian (FRA) while Zsofia Dezsenyi (HUN) assuredly managed the game letting her opponent Agnieszka Rybicka (POL) score only 9 points.

It was already secured before the start of the semis that a Hungarian would be playing at the historic Plaza de Espana in the heart of Madrid. At the contest, Dezsenyi shocked the Queen of Teqball 2021 in the second set and third set, and even had a match point, but Izsak showed how strong she is mentally and made it to the finals.

With the battle of the Romanians, the men’s singles’ KO stage started. The world champion of 2022, Apor Gyordeak beat Arnold Szilagyi and as the quarterfinals’ closest match, and Boonkoom Tipwong took the victory against Marek Pokwap (POL). In three sets the point difference was insanely, only 7 points.

On the other bracket, the Teqball Challenger Cup winner Martin Csereklye (HUN) won the roller coaster-like match against his compatriot, Milan Csabi and qualified for the semi-final where the world and European bronze medallist, Hugo Rabeux (FRA) faced him after he turned the game over against Soma Cseri and won in three.

In the semi-finals, Gyorgydeak showed the world why he is the World Ranking #1 and controlled the whole matchup, thus Tipwong did not surprise him. On the other side, spectators saw a fierce battle between Rabeux and Csereklye which started with the Hungarian’s great game in the first set, but the Frenchman did not give up and fought back in the second. It felt like, they would never decide in the final set, but in the end Csereklye moved on after 16:14.

After the world bronze medallist duo Petra Pechy/Nora Vicsek (HUN) won against Patricia Mayara Nardy/Leticia Luzorio Barbosa (BRA) in two sets in women’s doubles quarterfinals and their compatriots, the multiple Teqball Tour winner pair Krisztina Acs/Gabriella Kota also triumphed versus Ana Marques/Carla Couto (POR), which made sure that a Hungarian double will compete on Sunday as they faced each other in the next round where Acs/Kota won in three sets and will compete on Sunday.

The same happened with the Thais, as the world champion title-holders Jutatip Kuntatong/Suphawadi Wongkhamchan let only six points in two sets to Samla Zebatte (MAR)/Malak Benyounes (ALG) while Jariya Seesawad/Areeya Homdee, two-times Teqball Tour silver medallists overcame Vania Moraes da Cruz/Ester Viana Mendes (BRA). The multiple Teqball Tour winner South Americans were close in the first but could not stop the Thais.

The world champs won confidently in the semis and got their ticket to Plaza de Espana.

The men’s doubles world champion duo, Csaba Banyik/Balazs Katz (HUN) easily advanced to the semi-finals and let only seven points to the opponents in two matches while Bangkok’s bronze medallists, Phakpong Dejaroen/Boonkoom Tipwong (THA) were surprised by the young Hungarian dynamites, Boldizsar Levik/Benjamin Patrik Toth, however, the Asians fought through the challenges and faced the three-time world champion Serbians, Nikola Mitro/Bogdan Marojevic in the semis. The fourth team was Sorrasak Thaosiri/Jirati Chianliang (THA) who beat Soma Cseri/Bence Forgacs (HUN) and Bartlomiej Franczuk (POL)/Julien Grondin (FRA) on the way.

In the semis, the title holders got the victory over Thaosiri/Chianling while Mitro/Marojevic could not stop Dejaroen/Tipwong and finished with bronze medals.

Vania Moraes da Cruz/Leonardo Lindoso de Almedia (BRA), quickly fell out in mixed doubles after the runners-up of the World Teqball Championships 2023 came short against Apor Gyorgydeak/Kinga Barabasi (ROU) who could not grab the world champions as Suphawadi Wongkhamchan/ Phakpong Dejaroen (THA) beat them in three and reached the semis against Csaba Banyik/Krisztina Acs. The world bronze medallist was ready to revenge last year’s loss in Bangkok and this time made it to the final after Dejaroen’s leg got injured. Although he returned, was not the same and his game on Sunday could easily affect their performance.

Marek Pokwap/Alicja Bartnicka (POL) stroked out the multiple Teqball Tour medallist Amelia Julian/Hugo Rabeux (FRA) in the quarterfinals and reached the top four where Gabriella Kota/Balazs Katz was their opponent. The Hungarians crushed Viorica Tonu (MDA)/Hunor Kristaly (ROU) in the R16 and Bogdan Marojevic (SRB)/ Ester Viana Mendes (BRA) in the QF on the road. The Polish duo were not an easy opponent but finally, Kota/Katz will be facing Banyik/Acs at the Plaza de Espana.

Sunday’s schedule starts at 2 PM at the beautiful Plaza de Espana with the final of women’s singles. The two 26-year-old Teqball players have never played against each other but Kuntatong is about to make history as the first Thai athlete to win in the individual category. Izsak has ten times more experience in this category than last year’s world championships’ runner-up, but the flying Thai already showed her talent.

Right after women’s singles, mixed doubles follows where four teammates face each other as both the men and women play together as Kota/Katz will play against Banyik/Acs. They know each other’s moves very well as they also practice together, thus a very close matchup is ahead of us.

From 5 PM sharp, Gyorgydeak faces Csereklye. The Hungarian is one of the few who has a positive record against the King of Teqball from 2022 as he won twice while the Romanian only once, although their last rendez-vous happened in Balatonfured Challenger Cup three years ago. Cserekyle is full of confidence as he won this category a week ago at the Lithuanian Teqball Open. On the other hand, Gyorgydeak will most likely dictate the tempo which can be crucial as he is very strong in the first sets.

In women’s doubles Acs/Kota tries to stop the Thais and fray out their very first loss since they joined teqball.

Teqball World Series Madrid 2024 finishes with the kings’ category as Sunday concludes with the final of men’s doubles. The world-champion Hungarian duo faces Dejaroen/Tipwong in the battle of styles.

Do not forget, as the brand-new prize, the Best Female & Male Athlete of the event Award was introduced in Teqball World Series Madrid 2024, at the end of the competition, the names will be revealed.