With 48 athletes from 9 countries in four categories, the GOBEK Teqball Tournament – Szekelyudvarhely in Odorheiu Secuiesc, the newest international Teqball competition, debuted in front of the energetic home crowd.  

The two main favourites in women’s singles, the three-time world bronze medallist and European champion, Kinga Barabasi (ROU), and Amelie Julian, had already met in the group stage when Barabasi got her ninth win against the Frenchwoman. Unsurprisingly, Anna Izsak (HUN) and Viorica Tonu (MDA) also reached the semifinals; however, while the Romanian athlete confidently beat her clubmate to -3, -7, Julian and Izsak needed a third set to decide who would reach the gold game. With 14-12 to the world and European medallist, the 174 cm tall athlete advanced. In the final, the first set was Julian’s, then Barabasi fought back in the second, thus another third set came. The MVP of Dezhou started with sharp, powerful smashes and quickly built a 4-0 lead. Although the 24-year-old athlete fought back and cut the deficit to one, the final word was Barabasi’s, and she won the first GOBEK Teqball Tournament – Szekelyudvarhely.

After a quiet group stage, the higher-seeded athletes of men’s singles geared up and dropped zero sets in the Round of 16. While the two-time world champion Apor Gyorgydeak (ROU) had a journey through next-generation talents, Boldizsar Levik (HUN) and Stefan Orlowsky (POL) on the road to the final, the other branch showed how unpredictable Teqball sometimes can be. A fellow Romanian, Arnold Szilagyi, first beat Abel Hegedus (HUN), then advanced in three in the Quarterfinals against Peter Gergely (ROU), then the runner-up from Teqball World Series – Dezhou in men’s doubles, Soma Cseri (HUN) could not stop him in a three-setter thriller. Szilagyi has never reached the finals in international Teqball events. The bronze medal means historical steps for both Orlovsky and Cseri as they never reached the podium at Tier IV. or higher categorised Teqball events. Gyorgydeak did not feel the pressure at home court and won the trophy in two straight sets.

It was quite obvious that in mixed doubles, the three highest-seeded doubles would reach the semi-finals, but the fourth was tougher to predict. Noah Dahlmann (DEN) and Boglarka Simo (ROU) became the duo; however, Franczuk/Tonu gave them no chances, and they finished with bronze medals. In the other bracket, Barabasi/Marek Pokwap (POL) faced Julian/Nikola Mitro (SRB) and secured victory in two sets. In the final, the winners of Dezhou started on fire. Both Barabasi and Pokwap served aces and quickly took the beginning period. Then, with multiple great rallies, Franczuk/Tonu tied the match. Another nail-biting set arrived when Pokwap was just too powerful, just too quick, and they won by 2-1.  

In men’s doubles, on home turf, the two GOBEK Teqball Team members, Gyorgydeak and Pokwap, were destined to reach the finals; however, in the semi-finals, Benjamin Patrik Toth and Levik nearly caught them by surprise when they won the second set. The unbeaten favourites quickly recovered from this temporary shock and took the final set by 12-3. The much-anticipated final featuring the newly formed duo of Cseri and three-time world champion Mitro materialised after they first defeated the Kratochvils, Petr and David (CZE) 2-0. Meanwhile, Orlowski and Bartlomiej Franczuk secured bronze after the Polish pair was unable to withstand the unfamiliar force of Cseri and Mitro. In the first set, Cseri quickly showed why the two-time world champion, Adam Bako, thinks that he is currently one of the best attackers among men. Although he and Mitro led by 8:4, Gyorgydeak/Pokwap came back after multiple unforced errors by the opponent and won 12:11. Cseri/Mitro stunned the home twosome and quickly developed an eight-point lead by 10:2. Team GOBEK stopped the bleeding and scored seven points in a row until the challengers finally scored one point. However, Gyorgydeak/Pokwap took the momentum and again won again by 12:11.  

The next stop of the international Teqball events is the Challenger Teqball League in Monaco from June 27 to 29.