FITEQ’s 250th event came to a close on Sunday in Madrid, where the Teqball World Series debuted in 2024. The five finals were held at the illustrious Plaza de Espana in the Spanish capital, and the matches did not disappoint the thousands of spectators. At the end of the day, Hungary and Thailand collected 2-2 gold medals each, and Romania’s Apor Gyorgydeak claimed the fifth one.

In the women’s singles, 2021 world champion Anna Izsak showed everybody that she is back and is close to her best shape. She did not lose a set until she reached the semifinal where she faced fellow Hungarian Zsofia Dezsenyi, and it became one of the closest games of the tournament. In the end, Izsak closed Dezsenyi out in the overtime of the third set to advance to the final where she met World Teqball Championship 2023 runner-up Jutatip Kuntatong. The Thai star dominated during the whole tournament despite having to go through an incredibly tough bracket: in the quarterfinals, she crushed 2022 world champ Carolyn Greco (USA), then did not give any chance to European champ Kinga Barabasi (ROU) in the semis. The gold medal game was not different at all as Kuntatong showed off her skills and spectacular bicycle kicks to finish off Izsak in straight sets, but the Hungarian should not be unhappy to win the silver in her first major tournament since March 2023.

Final, women’s singles

Anna Izsak (HUN)–Jutatip Kuntatong (THA) 0:2 (-5, -9)

„A dream came true with this win. I was studying Izsak's serves to know how to react and which of her sides to put pressure on. I can't describe what I feel now because I want to celebrate, but I have to stay focused for the women's doubles” – said Kuntatong after earning her country’s first-ever gold medal outside of Asia and their first in the singles category, too.

Two Hungarian teams clashed in the mixed doubles final, and all four players were about to be featured in another final. World bronze medallists Krisztina Acs/Csaba Banyik suffered a loss in Group B against Sudarat Thongkot/Sorrasak Thaosiri, but still advanced. In the quarterfinals, they met with another Thai twosome, Areeya Homdee/Jirati Chianliang and they defeated them in 3 sets. Then, in the semis they faced the third Thai duo, world champs Suphawadi Wongkhamchan/Phakpong Dejaroen - just like in Bangkok six months ago. This time, the Hungarians emerged victorious and completed the revenge to proceed to the final, where they met their friends, and teammates Gabriella Kota/Balazs Katz, who upset WCh 4th-placed Alicja Bartnicka/Marek Pokwap (POL) in a thrilling three-setter beforehand. The final though was not that close, as Acs/Banyik took home both sets by a margin of 4 points, so the World Ranking nr. 1-ranked Banyik will most likely keep his position at the top of the World Ranking. Interestingly, WCh runner-ups Vania Moraes da Cruz/Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida (BRA) did not make it to the top 8 as the Romanians Kinga Barabasi/Apor Gyorgydeak bounced them in the Round of 16.

Final, mixed doubles

Krisztina Acs/Csaba Banyik (HUN)–Gabriella Kota/Balazs Katz (HUN) 2:0 (8, 8)

„We started this tournament with a loss in the group stage, but we needed it to gear up and yesterday we felt, we were untouchables. In the final, we stayed focused and had great serves by Banyik to control the game” – said Krisztina Acs about how they recovered, then went to warm up again for the women’s doubles final.

Apor Gyorgydeak has a chance to go down as one of the best single players in history, and he just added one more gold medal to his enormous collection. 2022’s world and current European champion cruised through the group phase without giving up a set and continued this streak until the final in the men’s singles. There he faced Hungarian Martin Csereklye, the only player who possessed a positive record against Gyorgydeak, and the one who knocked out WCh bronze medallist Hugo Rabeux (FRA) in the semifinal, where he won the tie-breaker 16:14. To begin the final, Csereklye kept up with Gyorgydeak until the end of the first set, but the Romanian switched gears and ran away with the last points. He held onto the momentum for the second set, where he was able to dominate Csereklye and snatched the tournament victory to win his first major single’s tournament since the European Games.

Final, men’s singles

Apor Gyorgydeak (ROU)–Martin Csereklye (HUN) 2:0 (9, 2)

„I was super motivated because I knew that only against Csereklye did I have a negative record. On the other hand, I got my first international trophy against him in Eger. I want to be at the top of the world again, and I'm very happy that I stayed unbeaten even after the Teqball World Series 2024 Madrid this year” – said Gyorgydeak, who will maintain his position on the top of the World Rankings after his triumph in Madrid.

Since they joined forces, Thais Jutatip Kuntatong and Suphawadi Wongkhamchan have not only been unbeaten but they usually dominate their opponents in the women’s doubles. The case was the same in Madrid as they finished the group phase with a shocking 2,5 conceded points per set average, then eliminated WCh bronze medallists Vania Moraes de Cruz/Ester Viana Mendes (BRA) in straight sets, too, then sent their compatriots, Areeya Homdee and Jariya Seesawad home in the semis. Hungarians Krisztina Acs/Gabriella Kota (who knocked out WCh runner-ups and fellow Hungarians Petra Pechy/Nora Vicsek in the other semifinal) could not rise to the occasion in the final, as the Thais showed no mercy, allowing a combined 8 points to them. To close them out, Wongkhamchan performed their signature bicycle kick, this time it brought the tournament title to them.

Final, women’s doubles

Jutatip Kuntatong/Suphawadi Wongkhamchan (THA)–Krisztina Acs/Gabriella Kota (HUN) 2:0 (4, 4)

„I really love playing Teqball and we love to play together with Kuntatong. This feeling always provides us extra energy and in Madrid we needed it” – said Suphawadi Wongkhamchan after the final.

Hungarians Csaba Banyik and Balazs Katz have been the men’s doubles category’s undisputed kings since the beginning of 2023. They have lost only two games last year, and it seems like their chemistry is still there. To prove that last year’s performance was not a one-season wonder, they started their campaign with a bang, even though they lost a set in the group phase against the always dangerous Lionel Beyer (FRA) and his partner, Baptiste Berna (POR). But after that, they upped their game: in the quarterfinals, they destroyed Adam Bako and Matyas Odnoga, another strong Hungarian unit who ended their undefeated streak last year. In the semis, they gave 0 chance to Thailand’s second team, Sorrasak Thaosiri/Jirati Chianliang, only to face the country’s nr. 1 duo, Boonkoom Tipwong/Phakpong Dejaroen (who won against the 3-time world champ Serbians, Nikola Mitro/Bogdan Marojevic a round earlier) in the gold medal game. The first set was all about the Hungarians, but the second one was incredibly tight. Coming to the closing points, the Hungarians had a two-point lead, but the Thais saved two match points. However, at 11:11, Banyik pulled off his bullet-like serve, and this ace was enough for them to take the throne in Madrid.

Final, men’s doubles

Csaba Banyik, Balazs Katz (HUN)–Boonkoom Tipwong, Phakpong Dejaroen 2:0 (THA) (5, 11)

„We were confident in men's doubles but the mixed doubles category was very stacked. To win here in Madrid, especially in this amazing environment at the Plaza de Espana assured us that we are on the right path. I was very surprised by the Best Male Athlete of Teqball World Series Madrid 2024 award, and it tells me that hard work pays off” – said Banyik after his second gold medal ceremony of the day.

As he mentioned, the Best Female & Male Athlete of the Event awards debuted here in Madrid. Banyik took it home in the male’s field, while the other athlete who collected two golds, Jutatip Kuntatong won it in the female category

The next Teqball World Series is around the corner as Vietnam's Quy Nhon will host the upcoming tournament from the 6th to the 9th of June.