Just like on Friday, we had a loaded schedule on Saturday as Day 2 of Teqball World Series Jinan. The top male players of the World fought for more than 12 hours in 'City of Springs' to go all the way to the final in the year’s first major tournament.

Among the 48 men's single players, the main contenders easily marched through the group phase, but what Hungarian Benjamin Patrik Toth and Milan Csabi did is something that can rarely be seen. They allowed 0 and 2 points, respectively, in their two matches, but the rest of the favorites, like defending world champion Apor Gyorgydeak (ROU), 4-time world champ Adam Blazsovics (HUN), 3-time world gold-medallist in doubles Nikola Mitro (SRB), or 2023 doubles world champ Balazs Katz (HUN), were not far behind in terms of dominance.

The Round of 32 more or less went according to the odds, too, but we had an upset there as Japanese Akinori Wase eliminated young Austrian Alexander Hamm.

The real fireworks came in the Round of 16: after knocking out doubles world champion Jirati Chanliang (THA) a round earlier, Gyorgydeak faced Katz and made no mistake. Mitro lost the opening set against Pornthep Wapisiri (THA), only to dominate in the next two, and the case was the same between two Polish greats, Marek Pokwap and Bartlomiej Franczuk, with the former getting the best of the latter. Toth edged out Wase, Uthen Kukheaw ended fellow Thai Chayawut Dosa’s journey, and Blazsovics bounced the still-not-fully-healthy Phakpong Dejaroen (THA). The sport’s one of the two most decorated athletes had to go up against two more Thais, but on Saturday, he would not be stopped. In the quarterfinals, Kukheaw managed to score a combined of 15 points against Blazsovics, and it was 10 more than what Sorrasak Thaosiri (who closed out Toth in two incredibly tight sets in the QFs) was able to put up on the scoreboard in the semifinal.

“I’m happy to make the final again, where I will do my best to win my first TWS gold medal-ever, an item that is missing from my collection, and it is also satisfying that I managed to reach the gold medal game right after I went back to my former club, Phoenix. Since the WTCH 2024, I lost some weight and I definitely feel the advantage of it. Tomorrow I will need my service game to be in top shape to have a chance” - said Blazsovics after his semifinal.

On the upper bracket, Pokwap made it look easy against Mitro, just like Gyorgydeak did versus Csabi, so the Gobek teammates had to go to war against each other in the semifinal. Nobody was shocked that they were tied after two sets, and the third was also tied at 8, and it was the current World Ranking #1 managed to keep his calm and punched his ticket to the final.

The gold and silver medals are still up for grabs in each category as three matches remain from this year’s first TWS.

In the women’s singles, members of the World’s undisputed best tandem, Thais Jutatip Kuntatong and Suphawadi Wongkhamchan will face each other. Both of them won two golds in Ho Chi Minh City last year: the former in singles and alongside Wongkhamchan in doubles, and the latter in doubles in mixed doubles. They met only once in singles – on Friday in Group A, where Kuntatong won in straight sets.

Then come the men, where Blazsovics will try to end Gyorgydeak’s undefeated streak, which goes all the way back to the end of 2023 and is now at 68. Being two of the greatest players ever in this category, their history is quite long. They met 14 times in singles, with Gyorgydeak having a 9-5 edge.

Lastly, it will be the mixed doubles' turn where Wongkhamchan will return to the table with Dejaroen on her side as the two-time world champs will take on Gobek teammates Viorica Tonu/Pokwap (MDA/POL). It is going to be their first final in a major tournament and also their first battle against the Thai unit.

The program starts at 5 PM local time at SUNAC International Arena. Make sure you do not miss the finals and tune into TeqTV on YouTube!