Five athletes from Club Deportivo Bádminton Albatros Cuenca secured two third-place finishes in doubles competition at the Máster n6 national ranking tournament, held on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Pabellón Municipal Jaime Alegre in Enguera, Valencia. The competition drew players across multiple age divisions and served as a rigorous test for the traveling delegation from Cuenca, which featured competitors stepping up to face older opponents alongside players making their debut in federated tournament play.

Doubles Success for Álvaro Soriano in Sub13 Play

Competing in the Sub13 division, Álvaro Soriano opened his tournament with a win and a loss during the individual men’s group stage, a record that kept him out of the main elimination draw. He found his strongest footing in the Sub13 mixed doubles tournament, partnering with Aitana Catalán of Bádminton Provenfray. The pair won their opening match before dropping a tight three-set battle in their second outing, securing a third-place finish overall.

Teammate Ángel Luis Escribano made his first appearance in a federated tournament at the Enguera venue. He recorded one victory and one defeat in the Sub13 men’s singles group stage, narrowly missing a spot in the knockout rounds. His younger brother, Santiago Escribano—who remains eligible for the Sub11 age bracket—played up in the Sub13 category and contested two singles matches against older competition, falling short of a victory despite a strong effort. The two brothers also paired up for Sub13 men’s doubles, dropping both group matches while gaining valuable court time against experienced pairings.

Daniela Rodríguez Falls Just Short of Sub17 Main Draw

Daniela Rodríguez delivered one of the standout performances of the weekend for the Albatros club. Playing in the Sub17 women’s singles division despite still belonging to the Sub15 age group, she claimed two victories in three group-stage matches to push to the brink of the main bracket. Her decisive match against Victoria Pérez of Bádminton Almería extended to three grueling sets, with Pérez ultimately prevailing 21-19, 20-22, 22-24.

In the Sub17 women’s doubles bracket, Rodríguez teamed up with Alicia Martínez of Bádminton Provenfray. The duo notched a win and a loss in group play, earning a third-place finish to match the club’s other podium result of the day.

Jaime Perona Gathers National Circuit Experience

Jaime Perona completed the five-player Albatros roster, also playing up from Sub15 into the Sub17 bracket. He secured one win across three matches in the Sub17 men’s singles group stage, which left him outside the elimination rounds. Perona also entered the Sub17 mixed doubles draw alongside Elena Haro of Bádminton Provenfray, another Sub15 competitor. The young partnership faced older opponents across three matches, dropping each contest as they absorbed high-level tournament experience.

Club leadership at Bádminton Albatros Cuenca emphasized the value of the national fixture for developing players, noting the specific challenges of entering older divisions and managing initial federated nerves. The organization acknowledged ongoing institutional backing from the Fundación Globalcaja Cuenca, the Ayuntamiento de Cuenca, the Diputación Provincial, the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, and the Federación de Bádminton de Castilla-La Mancha.