Caldas da Rainha, Portugal – A challenging week for Spanish badminton players Alejandro Gállego, Gonzalo Isábal and Natxo Cervelló of Club Bádminton Huesca La Magia came to an conclude at the 61st International Tournament of Portugal on Thursday. Simultaneously, Raúl Bergua’s run at the German Junior tournament in Lüdinghausen, Germany, also concluded.
The Portugal International Championships, a fixture on the European badminton calendar, saw the three Huesca La Magia players exit the competition after a series of unfortunate results. Gállego, Isábal, and Cervelló had entered the tournament hoping to make a strong showing, but faced tough competition from international rivals.
Gállego Reaches Round of 32 Before Falling to Argentinian Opponent
After Cervelló and Isábal suffered defeats on Wednesday, Alejandro Gállego carried the hopes of the team into the individual men’s draw. The Oscense player advanced to the round of 32 – the third stage of the competition – before ultimately losing to Argentina’s Nicolás Oliva in a closely contested match. Oliva secured the victory with scores of 19-21 and 21-23.
Doubles Play Ends in Defeat for Spanish Duo
In the doubles competition, the Spanish contingent faced immediate challenges in the qualifying rounds. Natxo Cervelló, partnering with Miguel Esteve, were defeated by Sweden’s Ekman and Reuterhall with a scoreline of 21-13, 12-21, and 15-21.
Isábal and Gállego also experienced a first-round exit, losing to the Dutch pairing of Feltes and Pauquet. The Oscenses lost with scores of 17-21, 21-8, and 19-21, bringing their participation in the Portuguese tournament to a close.
Bergua’s German Junior Run Ends After Initial Victory
Meanwhile, at the International Grand Prix-level German Junior tournament in Lüdinghausen, Raúl Bergua’s campaign also ended. After a promising start with a first-round win against Germany’s Frederik Volkert (21-18 and 21-8), Bergua was unable to replicate that success against Alif Akbar, falling in straight sets 21-16 and 21-16.
Huesca La Magia B Competes in Estella
Shifting focus back to domestic competition, the Huesca La Magia B team is currently competing in Estella, Navarre, at the second day of the National League of Clubs in the First Bronze division. The team began their second date of the league competition against A Estrada at 11:00 hours local time. They will continue with matches against Rinconada Sevilla B at 16:15 hours and Belmecher on Sunday at 09:30 hours.
In their opening day of league play, Huesca La Magia B secured a 7-0 victory over Arroyo Tejada, but suffered defeats against IES La Orden C (1-6) and San Fernando de Valencia (4-3).
These tournaments represent key opportunities for Spanish badminton players to gain international experience and improve their rankings. While this week didn’t yield the results the Huesca La Magia players hoped for, their continued participation in these events is crucial for the development of the sport in Spain.
The next confirmed action for the Huesca La Magia B team is their continued participation in the Liga Nacional de Clubes in Estella, Navarre, throughout the weekend. Fans can follow updates on the club’s official channels for the latest results and news.
