Rav Rykowski and Arnaud Genin will play in the final of the Vienna Classics Men’s A after three of the four seeds were eliminated in their first match.
Genin is looking for his third straight World Tour title. For Rykowski, it is a first final since his 2017 European Championships trophy.
The Women’s A proceeded in a more predictable fashion with Christine Seehofer and Bettina Bugl set to meet again in the Vienna Classics final.
Dark Horses Reach Vienna Classics Final as Seeds Crash Out
Rykowski and Genin were expected to be dangerous as unseeded players and they proved to be just that. Rykowski defeated Nikola Mikac in round one before comfortably eliminated 3rd seed Luka Penttinen in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Genin found himself battling a pair of Presidents. First, he defeated former FIR President Marcel Weigl needing just two in tennis. He then eliminated 4th seed and current President Duncan Stahl comfortably in the quarter-finals.
Emanuel Schopf was the sole seed to reach the semi-finals after beating fellow Austrian Bernhard Pilsz by two points. Stephan Schmutzer, riding a wave after yesterday’s Men’s A Doubles title, pulled off the shock of the day as he knocked top-seed Kresten Hougaard out of the tournament.
Dreams of an all-Austrian final were quickly dashed. Rykowski made light work of Schmutzer while Genin saw off Schopf as the unseeded pair reached the final.
The fast-rising Frenchman goes into the final on a 10-match unbeaten streak which includes a victory over Rykowski. That was his closest match though, with Rykowski only losing by five points. The Pole will be looking for revenge as he tries to win his first title since the 2017 European Championships.
Christine Seehofer into Third Final of 2019 Vienna Classics
Unlike the Men’s A, the Women’s A went exactly to seeding as top two seeds Christine Seehofer and Bettina Bugl reached the final.
Christine Seehofer saw off fellow Austrians Irina Olsacher and Elisabeth Seehofer en route to the final. Meanwhile, Bugl defeated Zuzana Vancurikova and Virag Sakovics with neither player needing their tennis racket.
Seehofer is the clear favourite to retain the Vienna Classics title as she continues a singles winning streak that stretches back nearly three years. With no pressure on her, Bugl will look to cause a huge shock as she searches for a first Women’s A singles title since 2015.
Two categories were completed on Saturday as Georgi Yovchev won the Men’s D and Lukas Dvorak won the Men’s E.
Full results from the Vienna Classics can be found here.
Sam Barker / FIR Media Officer
