After the disqualification of World Rankings leader Gabriella Kota and her teammate, Krisztina Acs, the women’s doubles category became a really open competition in Budapest at the Teqball World Series. After the group stages, only two teams’ records remain immaculate, and these two units made it to the final: WCh silver medallists Petra Pechy/Nora Vicsek will clash with Kinga Barabasi/Viorica Tonu for the gold in the Hungarian capital.

Group A turned out to be as competitive as expected: 2022 World and 2023 European champions Lea Vasas/Zsanett Janicsek (HUN) struggled against Nelly Wilke/Daytona Hansen and could not keep their momentum after winning the first set, so the Germans were able to come back and pull off the upset. They also completed the comeback versus Silvia Ferrer Garcia/Timea Kapusi (ESP/HUN), shocking everyone by claiming the top spot in Group A.

Group B suddenly became an open field after the disqualification of Gabriella Kota/Krisztina Acs due to the former’s unsportsmanlike behaviour after the mixed doubles semifinals. It was predictable that the battle would be tight and this is exactly what happened: Mira Faeno Dahlmann/Nanna Lind Kristensen (DEN), Anna Izsak/Boglarka Nagy (HUN) and Mara D’Alessandro/Karina Zustakova (ITA/SVK) all finished with 5 points, but the tie-breaker (set difference) favoured the former two so they moved on to the quarterfinals.

There were some dominant performances in Group C and D, where world silver medallists Petra Pechy/Nora Vicsek (HUN) and Kinga Barabasi/Viorica Tonu (ROU/MDA) swept their respective quartets without losing a set. Alicja Bartnicka/Zaneta Cygora (POL) finished second in Group C and Zsofia Dezsenyi/Amelie Julian (HUN/FRA) took second place in Group D.

The QFs were kind of the opposite of the group phase as all four matches became lopsided. Bartnicka/Cygora crushed Wilke/Hansen by allowing a combined six points, and Barabasi/Tonu also dominated against Izsak/Nagy. Pechy/Vicsek and Dezsenyi/Julian gave no chance to Vasas/Janicsek and Dahlmann/Kristensen in the first sets, and despite both of the eventual losing teams levelling up in the second sets, it just was not enough.

Interestingly, the semifinals were also less hard-fought: Pechy/Vicsek continued their incredible run and knocked out Dezsenyi/Julian in two quick sets to advance to the final, where they will face Barabasi/Tonu, who had a bit tougher match versus Bartnicka/Cygora, but were able to close them out in two sets, too. For Viorica Tonu, this day will forever be remembered as she became the first player from Moldova to reach the final in a major tournament!

Sunday is the finals day as there will be only three matches to conclude the event. The program starts with the women’s doubles gold medal game where the above-mentioned duos will face each other. It will be followed by the men’s doubles final where Apor Gyorgydeak/Adam Blazsovics (ROU/HUN) will go up against Adam Bako/Matyas Odnoga (HUN). Barabasi and Gyorgydeak will have double duty on Sunday as they will be featured in the mixed doubles finals against the Team Gobek teammates, Alicja Bartnicka and Marek Pokwap from Poland.

Follow the final day of the Teqball World Series in Budapest on TeqTV on YouTube!