Ester Viana Mendes stayed unbeaten in LA
Teqball’s brightest stars have returned to Los Angeles for the fifth time in 2023. This time, 85 players from 17 countries competed in three different categories. Every final featured at least one Brazilian and one Hungarian, but Romanian Apor Gyorgydeak was also able to reach the top.
Women’s doubles
The favourites faced no trouble during the group stage, however, Carolyn Greco and Zsanett Janicsek needed some time to develop chemistry with their new partners, Kimberly Baker and Anna Gomez I Vila, respectively. The other contenders, Brazilians Vania Moraes da Cruz&Ester Viana Mendes, and the Hungarian team of Gabriella Kota&Krisztina Acs made it through without losing a set. For them, it also applied to the quarterfinals, however, Janicsek’s (who recently won the women’s doubles European Championship with Lea Vasas) and Gomez I Vila’s journey came to an end after losing 2-0 to Marina Leal&Fiorella Pellegrini Boaglio. In the semis, the Brazilians defeated the home team of Greco&Baker in three sets, and the Hungarians dominated the South American duo. Later, Greco and Baker claimed the bronze and provided a reason for the fans to celebrate.
The final proved to be as tight as expected. Moraes da Cruz and Viana Mendes took a 1-0 lead by winning the first set 12-10, but Kota&Acs replied with a similar one on their own end. However, the Brazilians shifted gears in the deciding set and closed out the Hungarians 12-5 and captured the title.
Vania Moraes da Cruz/Ester Viana Mendes (BRA) – Gabriella Kota/Krisztina Acs (HUN) 2:1 (-10, 10-, -5)
Ester Viana Mendes from Brasil.
"It was a great tournament overall. The group stages were very difficult but we played well and as the tough conditions tested and helped us improve we gained extra energy. This is the first time I won at the Pier, so I am very happy and I love Teqball. We return to Brazil and prepare for the Rio event and we would like to qualify for the world championships." - said Ester from the winner's duo.
Men’s doubles
The group phase of the competition did not bring the level of excitement that everybody hoped for, as 27 of the 30 games ended with a 2:0 result. The Round of 16 went similarly, but eventually, it all turned out to be the calm before the storm. European Champions Csaba Banyik and Balazs Katz blazed through the group, the R16 and the quarterfinals, but in the semis, they met Luka Pilic and Griffin Freeman from the USA, who took away their perfect record, but were not able to pull off the upset. On the other side of the bracket, defending LA champions Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida&Leonardo Santana played an amazing match against Adam Blazsovics and Martin Csereklye and successfully completed the comeback. It was also the case for the singles European and World Champion, Apor Gyorgydeak and his partner, Szabolcs Ilyes, who came from behind versus Joao Barreto and Pedro Henrique Lube Valladao. A round later in the semis, Lindoso de Almeida and Santana took vengeance for their countrymen, thus sending the Romanians to the bronze medal game, which they eventually won against Pilic and Freeman.
Once again, a Hungarian and a Brazilian unit faced off in the final, but this time the result was different. The previous kings of the City of Angels could not hold off the EG winners, whose undefeated streak now stands at almost 11 months.
Balazs Katz/Csaba Banyik (HUN) – Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida/Leonardo Santana (BRA) 2:0 (-10, -7)
Even with superb finishes, the Brazilian duo cannot stop the power couple, Banyik/Katz.
"It was our first time competing on the Santa Monica Pier, thus it was very special for us. It is an amazing opportunity for us and we feel so
happy to win again and beat the best Brazilian duo of all time. We continue to train very hard. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for international
competitions, so we make sure that we are prepared therefore we do not waste an opportunity like this. Our next goal is to win the world championships however, until then we want to continue our streak." - highlighted two-time world and one-time European champion Banyik.
Mixed doubles
There were no shockers during the group stage in the mixed doubles, but the excitement picked up for the elimination phase. Gabriella Kota and Balazs Katz had to play against fellow Hungarians in the quarterfinals (2-0 against Krisztina Acs&Csaba Banyik) and in the semifinals, too, however, they came up short there versus Zsanett Janicsek&Adam Blazsovics despite winning the opening set. Their consolation prize was the bronze medal which they won by defeating the defending LA champions, Leonardo Lindoso de Almeida and Vania Moraes da Cruz who were previously dethroned in the semifinals by another Brazilian and her Romanian teammate (Ester Viana Mendes and Apor Gyorgydeak).
So this competition featured the only player not coming from Brazil or Hungary, Apor Gyorgydeak from Romania. The World’s best single player proved that he is a force to be reckoned with in doubles, too, and with Viana Mendes (who swept LA with two gold medals), he reached the top for the first time since 2021.
Ester Viana Mendes/Apor Gyorgydeak (BRA, ROU) – Zsanett Janicsek/Adam Blazsovics (HUN) 2:0 (-7, -7)
"I was a lot more confident in this tournament because I had extra motivation after the lost final last time and I was very sad to go home empty-handed. A month later, I am just so happy to be leaving with both trophies, because that is the goal in every tournament I play in." - finished Viana Mendes.