The first European International Challenge tournament of 2026, the Azerbaijan International, took place last week.

The event featured a strong level of European participation alongside a high-quality international field.

In the mixed doubles final, Mihaljo Tomic/Andjela Vitman faced India’s Sathwik Reddy Kanapuram/Radhika Sharma. After an extremely close opening game, which ended 24-22 in favour of the Indian pair, Tomic/Vitman responded impressively to take the second game 21-10. The deciding game followed a similar pattern to the opener, once again going down to the wire and finishing 24-22 to Kanapuram/Sharma, leaving Tomic/Vitman with a well-earned silver medal.

The men’s doubles final produced an all-European showdown, with the Grimley brothers taking on Alex Green/Zach Russ. It was a tightly contested encounter, with both pairs holding the lead at various stages throughout the match. Ultimately, it was the English pair who emerged victorious, raising their fists in celebration as they were crowned champions of the Azerbaijan International.

Attention now turns to the first major event of 2026, as the European Men’s and Women’s Team Championships take place from Wednesday the 11th to Sunday the 15th.