The IWT Nussloch Open was played in the days following the World Doubles Championship in the newly renovated Racket Center Nussloch. As always, the hosts delivered a top-quality tournament with good playing conditions, good food and a great atmosphere. The Tour will be back in Nussloch again in August when the Champions League and traditional IWT German Open returns to Racket Center.
Jaksland Holds Off Wiessner’s Charge!
About a year since winning his first World Tour tournament, Morten Jaksland of Denmark got his second title. Morten did not spend much time on court to reach the final, where surprise of the tournament, the local Christian Wiessner, was awaiting.
Wiessner, a wild card for the tournament, comfortably swept aside both Luka Pentinnen (+12) and the world number 3, Dan Busby (+8) before edging out the world number 2, Kresten Hougaard by +2 in a very tight semi-final. The final saw the Bundesliga teammates fight out a close table tennis that could have gone either way with Wiessner having game ball at 20-19, but Morten nicking the set and the crucial 4-point swing. Wiessner struck back with a strong 21-14 badminton performance and therefore taking a 5-point lead into squash. Here Morten was victorious by 21-9 leaving him needing 15 points on the tennis court. With tennis being both player’s best sport, the quality was as high as you could hope to see on the Tour. Wiessner looked the stronger and raced to a 5-1-lead, but from 5-8 down Morten showed big strength taking 8 points in a row to go up 13-8 and eventually closing out the game and the match 15-11. Beni Hampl from Switzerland picked up the final podium place.
Seehofer in Imperious Form
On the Women’s side, Chrisi Seehofer (Austria) once again proved too strong for her opponents and never even got that close to losing any sport across all of her matches!. The World Champion and world number 1 showed no mercy in the final and did not need to play tennis against Belarusian, Anastasia Bruzgina. Nussloch Open also saw the comeback of Anna-Klara Ahlmer to international racketlon. The Swede had been out for two years following a nasty knee injury. A good tournament saw her finish 4th, and now she is aiming to become Swedish Champion next week.
Other Classes Dominated by the Home Nation
The lower open classes saw Germany take 3 of the 4 classes with Lisa Seidensticker winning Women B and father and son, Christian and Cornelius Reid winning Men C and Men D/E. Men B went to Austrian upcoming player, Bernhard Pilsz.
In the senior classes Germany had to settle for 2 of 6 with Volker Sach winning both the +50 and +55 class. Esther Dübendorfer, the organizer of the upcoming teams and singles World Champs in Switzerland, took the title in Women +40, David Ersil of Czech Republic the U16, Luka Penttinen of Finland the U21 and Richard Hobzik of Czech Republic the Men +40.
All results from all classes can be seen here
