On the occasion of the anniversary of his Walter Lirsch memorial tournament, Harland’s chairman and tournament director Dietmar Sedletzky was able to look forward to a sensational starting field. Above all, the women’s field was top-class at the ÖTV tournament of the Bundesliga club TC Harland. “In the main competition all participants were among the best 70 in Austria,” says Sedletzky proudly. In the men’s race, Gregor Ramskogler and Jonas Gundacker were two of the top seeders, and serial winner Mario Haider-Maurer should finally compete for the title.
Local hero Sedletzky fails in the quarterfinals
As was to be expected in advance, the local heroes could not intervene in the fight for the title. The quarter-final of chairman’s son Markus Sedletzky against Niklas Rohrer from Vorarlberg came as a surprise in its clarity – 4: 6, 2: 6. Haider-Maurer clears his opponents up to the semifinals in less than an hour and the two top seeded win clearly.
Haider-Maurer throws Gundacker out
For men, the “semis” are clear. Ramskogler, who this year was promoted to the 1st Bundesliga with Anif, studied in Mississippi in the USA and plays college tennis for the Bulldogs, clearly wins against the Sedletzky conquerors 6: 0, 6: 2. And the Haider bricklayer who works in St. Pölten also makes short work of Gundacker during his lunch break. The Waidhofner seeded two has nothing to oppose the Haider-Maurer seeded only three this year – 6: 2, 6: 1!
Ramskogler manages to change the guard after all
In the final, the fans in third place actually see the changing of the guard. In a very balanced game in which Gregor Ramskogler can win the first set 6: 4, Haider-Maurer seems to be able to turn things around with his dreaded “psycho tricks”. He wins the second set 6-3. But in the third set Ramskogler comes back with youthful vigor and quickly leads 3-0. Haider-Maurer holds against it doggedly, in the last game he fends off a number of match points and has breakballs himself, but Ramskogler wins the set 6: 1 against Haider-Maurer who is 15 years older.
Pichler prevents the Ramskogler double
Nina Ramskogler also made it to the final. In the semifinals she beat Plihal from Carinthia sensationally 6: 2, 6: 1 and in the duel between the Viennese women Pichler has the lead against Sopkova. In the final, however, Pichler, who, like Ramskogler’s brother, studies in the USA and plays college tennis, dominates the 23-year-old Ramskogler with powerful strokes and strong service – 6: 2, 6: 4 victory!
More about the tournament in the print article.
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