The Peña Vitoriana tennis team secured promotion to the Segunda División of the Campeonato de España de Tenis por equipos earlier this month, advancing among the 24 best club squads in the country, El Correo reported.
Operating in a sport largely defined by individual competition, the Vitoria-Gasteiz squad achieved its historic breakthrough during its debut appearance in the third-tier tournament. The competition operates under a format similar to the Davis Cup, featuring five singles matches followed by two doubles encounters.
“It is the reward for a Vitoria team, for kids who have known each other all our lives,” said team captain Iñigo Madariaga.
The team began its tournament campaign in September with group-stage sweeps against CT Jaume Comas of Mallorca, AD Aljarafe XXI of Sevilla, and CT Alcorcón of Madrid. In the quarterfinals, the squad faced TC Talent Team of Madrid, a club that competed in the top flight two seasons ago and featured three players with active or previous ATP ranking points.
“We knew it was very tough, but everything went well for us. We won 3-2 in singles and then we took both doubles,” Madariaga told El Correo, recounting an evening that stretched past 11 p.m. due to weather delays.
Following that victory, Peña Vitoriana defeated a team in Sabadell 4-1 in the semifinals to clinch promotion mathematically. The club finances its campaign independently, with players covering their own travel expenses and utilizing vacation days to compete on alternate Sundays across a two-and-a-half-month schedule.
Peña Vitoriana faces Higuerón Tennis Center of Fuengirola in the third-tier championship final at noon on Sunday at the club’s home venue in Vitoria-Gasteiz, with free admission for spectators. The team enters the title match with a roster comprising Carlos Divar, Pablo Riva, Markel Garay, Miguel Rodríguez, Ander Alonso, Unai Arija, and Miguel Pérez alongside Madariaga.
“We have doubts about whether they will come with all their best players. They have a couple of ATP players,” Madariaga said of the Costa del Sol opponent.
Looking ahead to next season in the second division, the team is seeking sponsorships to cover fundamental travel and lodging costs. Madariaga said 2,000 to 3,000 euros in financial backing would help university-aged players on the roster.
“We knew we could get promoted and we are very happy to be among the 24 best teams. It’s awesome,” Madariaga said.
Worth a look
