Teqball competition officially got underway at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, with Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles taking centre stage on the opening day at the Higashi Sports Center. A large number of local fans turned out to follow the action, creating a fantastic atmosphere throughout the day. Athletes representing 11 nations competed in the singles event, while 12 nations entered the doubles competition, as the first matches determined the players and teams progressing towards the medal rounds.

 

Men’s Singles

 

The historic opening day began with the Men’s Singles competition, where players were divided into two groups. Both groups produced exciting encounters as the athletes battled for the best possible positions and a place in the next stage of the tournament.

 

In Group A, Iraq’s Ali Jalil Mezher Alelayawi (IRQ) delivered an impressive performance, finishing the group stage undefeated and securing first place with confidence.

 

Group B was topped by Jun Suk Lee (KOR), who also completed the group stage with a perfect record. Among those competing in the group was home favourite Akinori Wase (JPN), who enjoyed strong support from the local crowd and secured his progression after finishing third.

 

The results set up two exciting semifinals for Friday. Ali Jalil Mezher Alelayawi (IRQ) will face Saw Friday (MYA), while Zaid Eidan (KUW) will take on Jun Suk Lee (KOR), with places in the Asian Games final at stake.

 

For the remaining players, however, the medal dream is not over. With the introduction of the repechage system, two of the players who fell short in the quarterfinals are still in contention for bronze medals.

 

Men’s Doubles

 

The Men’s Doubles competition followed, with 12 teams divided into four groups of three.

 

Former world champion and reigning SEA Games and Asian Beach Games champion Sorrasak Thaosiri/Jirati Chanliang (THA) were among the headline teams taking to the table. The Thai pair lived up to expectations with a confident display to progress from their group.

 

Asian Beach Games finalists Abdulrahman Ahmed Radhi/Ali Jalil Mezher Alelayawi (IRQ) also impressed during the group stage, securing their place in the knockout phase with a strong performance.

 

Both Thailand and Iraq continued their impressive runs in the quarterfinals, setting up another highly anticipated meeting between the two teams in the semifinals. The encounter will be a rematch following their battle at the Asian Beach Games, this time with a place in the Asian Games gold-medal match on the line.

 

On the other side of the draw, Kuwait and Lebanon will go head-to-head in the second semifinal.

 

As in the singles competition, the repechage system offers another route to the podium, with two teams from the quarterfinal stage remaining in contention for bronze medals.

 

Three More Categories Take Centre Stage on Day Two

 

Following an action-packed opening day at the Higashi Sports Center, the Teqball competition at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games continues tomorrow with three more categories entering the spotlight.

 

Women’s Singles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles will all get underway as athletes from across Asia continue their pursuit of the historic first Teqball medals awarded at the Asian Games.