The World Teqball Championships 2025 started with the men’s & women’s singles on Wednesday, and most of the medal hopefuls punched their tickets to the knockout phase.

Reigning world champion, Apor Gyorgydeak (ROU), confidently secured his spot in the Round of 16, and the Danish Mathias Landen Jeppesen followed him from Group A. The 2023 ‘King of Teqball’, Adrian Duszak, returned to the table with promising form and advanced easily to the knockout stage. Kirill Zemskow (RTA) finished second after two tight wins. 

Last year’s runner-up, the three-time world champion Nikola Mitro (SRB), did not give up on his dream of being crowned in men’s singles and qualified for the next phase. The second athlete from Group C is Dmytro Shevchuk (UKR).  Multiple WTCH bronze medallist Hugo Rabeux (FRA) used his experience to win Group D, beating Baptiste Berna in three sets. With this result, the Portuguese athlete ended the first stage in second place. 

Teqball’s first Youth European champion, Milan Csabi (HUN), showed the field why he represents the most decorated nation in Odorheiu Secuiesc. Without any lost set, he finished at the top while the Thai Uthen Kukheaw nearly clinched the KO stage after the triumph over Maximilian Hunfeld (GER) with 14:12 in the third set. African Beach Games winner, Yassine Sahli (TUN), is surely tough mentally.  Although the African athlete won Group F, all his victories came in three sets. He became the only representative of the ‘Mother Continent”. Aaron Servin (MEX) followed him. Ali Jalil Mezher Alelayawi (IRQ) topped Group G with Stoycho Zhekov (BUL) behind him. From the last quintet, the rising Austrian, Alexander Hamm, finished in first place in front of the world championship silver medallist Matheus Ferraz, who secured his ticket against Li Liberman(ISR) in three sets as the last matchup of Day 1.

Title holder, Jutatip Kuntatong (THA), left no question unanswered and advanced confidently to the next stage, while Mire Faeno Dahlmann (DEN) finished second. The local star, Kinga Barabasi (ROM) showed her opponents, she is ready to gather shinier medals in the WTCH than her bronzes. Laura Catalina Gomez Bulla took the second qualifying spot from Group B. Amelia Julian (FRA) and Quimcy Dsouza (IND) advanced as expected. However, in Group D, Kindall Kaufmann (USA) was not able to beat Yuina Sakamoto (JPN) and Anna Izsak (HUN), and the world champs have ended for her. 

World championship bronze medallist in Ho Chi Minh City, Paulina Lezak (POL), topped her quarter, and Aidana Otorbaeva (KGZ) can also prepare for the KO stage. Viorica Tonu (MDA), Adriana Kecerova (SVK) from Group F, while Daytona Hansen (GER) and Kamar Dandal (LBN) book their slots in the Round of 16. Silvia Ferrer Garcia (ESP) hardly beat the current youth European champion, Angelina Atanasova (BUL), in their decider for the first position. However, in three sets, the world championship fifth came out as the winner.

 

For both categories, the knockout stage will take place on the third day of the World Teqball Championships 2025.

Today, women’s & men’s doubles will fill up the courts. Csaba Banyik/Balazs Katz (HUN) will face rising prodigies, Goncalo Reis/Martim Vasques (POR), in a unique matchup in the group stage. Although most of the groups seem to be easily guessed, in the quartet of F, anything can happen. 

In WD, the favourites (THA, HUN, BRA) stand out from the groups, but huge clashes for the second positions are guaranteed. In Group D, as the only group with five teams - Germany, Poland, Romania, Italy and Qatar – it surely brings nail-biting moments.

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