Wheelchairtennis: Gerard bet after Vink also Peifer

For the first time the winner of the 20. International Panathlon Wheelchairtennis Tournament Salzburg Tappe Open is a Belgian: it's the 23-year old Joachim Gerard. At a final of the young generation he bet the two years younger French Nicolas Peifer 7:6 an 6:4. After winning against the topseeded Belgian Ronald Vink at the semifinal, everyone imagined him to get this title in Salzburg. But Peifer did really have bad luck today: At 1:1 in the first set his cross beam of the wheelchair broke, so he had to decide if he gives up or to repair it. It lasted 20 minutes to do an provisional arrangement and so Nicolas kept on playing. But since this time on he droves more smooth and carefully, bewaring of another broken thing. It was a huge problem for both of them in this situation, because Gerard wasn't able to get into the new kind of playing of Peifer. At the tiebreak in the first set the Belgian did a walkover and won it 7:2. In the pause of the first and second match Peifer had the pitch again with a blowout of his wheel. After that also the second set went with many troubles and mistakes on both sides. At the score of 4:4 Gerard did the essential Break and served out with three asses. "It was a bad match, I was really irritated of Nicos play, but of course I'm so happy about my success at this great tournament."

Surprising di Toro

With a surprise the final of the women ended. The as number one seeded Sabine Ellerbrock, who is number four in the world ranking, lost her game after more than one and a half hour against the Australian Daniela di Toro 6:4, 2:6 and 2:6. The first set the German could do with the help of a break at 4:4, but after it she couldn't do anything against the strong playing of her opponent. Ellerbrock looked like being really tired, mentally as physically, actually she had to take three physiotherapeutic time outs. Di Toro got for her victory a check of 1.023 Euro. "It had already been very tight in the last games, but today it worked, because I was really focused on the game", Daniela stated after the match.

Wheelchairtennis: Vink failed by Gerard

The men's semifinal of the 20. International Panathlon Wheelchairtennis Tournament Salzburg Tappe Open, dotated with 25.000 Euro, was won by Nicolas Peifer (FRA/2) and the Belgian Joachim Gerard (no. 4). Gerard surprised by winning against the dutchman Ronald Vink, who was seeded at number one of the tournament, with a score of 6:3, 2:6, 6:1. He suceeded against Vink for the first time within the past six matches. Beginning with the first set the belgian showed his great condition, followed by a good set of Vink. The last set of the match was finished very quick. Gerard managed to decide on a fast break to 2:0 and again to 4:0. The winner described the match as mentally very difficult and outlined that everything fits, the service, the returns, the whole thing. It's the second time Gerard is in th final of the Salzburg tournament. The first time he lost against Martin Legner (AUT). Loser Vink talked about being tired, mentally also as physically, but now he is already focusing the Paralympics. So in Salzburg it won’t be the expected final of the dutchmen Vink and Ammerlaan, like the year before. In an amazing match, lasting for more than two hours. The French Nicolas Peifer bet the Dutch Robin Ammerlaan 6:3, 5:7 and 7:6 (10:8). Both participants had already won this tournament in Salzburg. Peifer was dominating the first set, but Ammerlaan got better in the second set focusing on his strong slice. With the third set point he made it. At a score of 4:4 the thrilling match changed. Peifer achieved to get a break, but Ammerlaan followed fast by a tiebreak. The Dutchmen wasn't able to do his first two balls of the match and Peifer saved himself into the tiebreak. Two more matchpoints which Robin Ammerlaan couldn't use, so the French punished him with his own second matchpoint, which decided the match. At the eleventh match against Ammerlaan, Peifer could win the fourth time in a row.

"I know how to play against Robin and hence I could make important points", Peifer stated after the match. Ammerlaan, who was not unsatisfied with his match, declared, "Unfortunately, I smashed my last two matchballs out, because of using more pressure, but it didn't work!"

One of the most fascinating matches of the day, had the two Dutchmen Robin Ammerlaan and Ronald Vink at the men's doubles final. After two balanced sets, their opponents the Belgian Joachim Gerard and the French Nicolas Peifer looked like the better ones. But they couldn't hold their 4:1- leadership and finally lost 6:4, 5:7 and 6:4, after great balls on both sides.

The favourite is Ellerbrock

On Sunday the woman's final is going to be between the top seeded German Sabine Ellerbrock and the Australian Daniela di Toro (no. 4). Ellerbrock had a tough match against Annick Sevenans (no. 3), but won at the end as the better player 7:5, 6:3. It was her fourth victory of the last nine matches against the Belgian. This week it's the second time for Ellerbrock in a ITF-1-series-tournament, against Marjolein Buis she won in Namur. In Salzburg she is the favourite player against di Toro; the Australian bet the American Emmy Kaiser strongly with 6:2 and 6:0 at the semifinals. Her first title Ellerbrock already got at the doubles, with her partner from Germany Katharina Krüger, against di Toro and Janel Manns 6:0, 6:4.

Favourite's victory at the Quad competition

His role as the favourite player at the Quads did the southafrican Lucas Sithole very well. The number seven of the world ranking won the final against the Italian Giuseppe Polidori 6:2, 6:0. Sithole only lost six games the whole tournament. An italian success had the two guys Antonio Raffaele and Giuseppe Polidori at the Quad's doubles. They bet Lucas Sithole and his english partner Adam Field 6:3, 6:2.

Wheelchairtennis: Peifer with work, Buis w.o.

Also today at the quaterfinals of the 20. Int. Panathlon wheelchair tennis tournament "Salzburg Tappe Open" the favourite players would not tolerate a surprise and carried their points. At the men's draw only the French Nicolas Peifer (no. 2) struggled to beat the Australian Ben Weekes (no. 6) 6:3, 7:5. At the high-class match, Weeks was an equal competitor and lost at the second set a matchball 5:4 including much misfortune. Later on, Peifer was able to close up with the first matchball.

On Saturday at the semifinals Peifer is going to meet the Dutchman Robin Ammerlaan (no.3) who made the 6:1, 6:1 a quick work of his Swede opponent Peter Wikstroem (no. 7). As much like him the compatriot Ronald Vink (no.7) and the Belgian Joachim Gerard (no.4), who are supposed to contest the second semifinal, had no problems overmatching their competitors. Vink bet the Austrian Martin Legner 6:1, 6:1, Gerard the Italian Fabian Mazzei 6:1, 6:2.

Within Vink (winner of 2011), Peifer (winner of 2010), Ammerlaan (finalist in 2011) and Gerard (finalist in 2009) there are four players at the semifinals who all have already been at the final games in Salzburg.

Also at the men's doubles the favourites persuaded: Ammerlaan/Vink bet Legner/Wikstroem 6:3, 6:3 and Gerard/Peifer overmatched Kellerman/Weekes 6:0, 6:1.

The today's worst news hit the court by number two seeded Marjolein Buis cancelling her match against the American Emmy Kaiser and her double with the British Lucy Shuker.Buis weakness was an old shoulder injurie which she could not help to hurt and forseeing the Paralympics in London she doesn't want to run a risk and wants to rehabilitate. Therefore, Kaiser is going to compete the Australian Daniela di Toro (no.4), who was able to beat the strong Southkorean Ju-Yeon Park after a tough fight which went 3:6, 6:2 and 6:4. The second semifinal is going to be played by the German Sabine Ellerbrock, who was a last-years finalist, and Annick Sevenans, who has already won this tournament twice. Ellerbrock bet Shuker 6:1, 6:2, Sevenans overmatched the Russian Polina Shackirova 6:0, 6:0

The Italin Giuseppe Polidori (no.4) surprised with a smooth 6:3, 6:0-success against the number two seeded British Adam Field at the quad-singles. Polidori's final competitor is the number one seeded of the tournament, the Southafrican Lucas Sithole who eliminated the Italian Antonio Raffaele (no.3) 6:2, 6:0.

Wheelchairtennis: Vink against Legner at the quarterfinals

The second hot day of the 20. International Panathlon Wheelchairtennis Tournament Salzburg Tappe Open ran, as expected, without any big surprises. This day, at the male competition, only the Swede Peter Wikstroem had to play three sets against the Australien Adam Kellerman 6:7, 6:2 and 6:2. Wikstroem’s next competitor is going to be Robin Ammerlaan (NED/3), who overmatched the hungarian Laszlo Farkas 6:2, 6:1.

All the other seeded players ended their matches in two sets. Ronald Vink (NED/1) bet the German Sven Hiller 6:2, 6:2 and is going to meet the Austrian champion Martin Legner (no. 5) at the quarterfinals, who suceeded to beat thanks to his routine the ambitious Southafrican Eliphas Maripa 6:3, 6:3,. The second Southafrican at the main draw Sydwell Mathonsi couldn’t win a single game against Joachim Gerard (BEL/4). Gerard is going to meet the Italien Fabian Mazzei (no. 8) at the quarterfinals, who bet the Slovakian David Chabrecek 6:0, 6:3. The French Nicolas Peifer (no. 2) threw the German Steffen Sommerfeld out of the court by winning 6:1, 6:0. Now Peifer is going to play against the Australian Ben Weekes (no. 6) on Friday, who won against the Austrian Thomas Flax with the same result 6:1, 6:0.,

At the ladies also the seeded players got to the next round. Though the first set was very challenging for the Belgian Annick Sevenans, who has already won this tournament twice, she dominated the German Katharina Krueger in the next two sets 6:1, 6:1. Now she is going to meet the Russian Polina Shackirova. Furthermore the Englishwoman Lucy Shuker showed her very good condition at the 6:1/6:3-match against the Italien Marianna Lauro and is now defying the topseeded German Sabine Ellerbrock.

Also the seeded players of the quad-singles are finally compeeding each other. The Southafrican Lucas Sithole prooved his right to be the favourit number one player by overmatching the Russian Konstantin Donskoy 6:0, 6:2. His next opponent is the number three of the quads, the Italien Antonio Raffaele, who bet the French Thomas Huguenin 6:3, 6:2.

Wheelchairtennis: All seeded men to the next round

The 20. International Panathlon Wheelchairtennis Tournament Salzburg Tappe Open started on a beautiful sunny Wednesday with nearly 30 degrees. The eight seeded male players achieved to get on the second round without any problems. The topseeded Ronald Vink (NED/1) and Nicolas Peifer (FRA/2) didn't lose one game, Robin Ammerlaan (NED/3) and Joachim Gerard (BEL/4) had to give off two games, Martin Legner’s (AUT/5) opponent managed to get at least one game.

The Austrian Dan Kleckner was easily bet by Vink in exactly 40 minutes and just as easy was the walkover for Peifer against the Suisse Herbert Keller. Thomas Mossier (AUT) had no chance against Ammerlaan, as well as the Austrian Josef Riegler against Gerard. Legner showed a good condition with his 6:1 and 6:2 match against Daniel Pellegrina (SUI). Ben Weekes (AUS) had to struggle with his 6:3 and 7:5 against Piotr Jaroszewski (POL), Peter Vikstroem (SWE) bet Peter Seidl (GER) 6:1, 6:3, Fabian Mazzei overmastered Salzburg's local hero Wolfgang Stieg 6:1 and 6:3. It was Thomas Flax, the second of the Austrians, who got into the next round too, besides Martin Legner. He won the longest match of the day against the Korean Ji-Hwan Lee 6:7, 6:1 and 6:3.

At the ladies two of the seeded players had their games today. Marjolein Buis (NED/2) bet the succesfull Austrian Margrit Fink 6:2 and 6:0. Nicole Den Dulk (NED) wasn’t able to get one game against her strong opponent Daniela di Toro (AUS/4).

At the Quad-Singles only one of the seeded players had to play a match today: the Italien Giuseppe Polidori (nr. 4) won clearly against Werner Pramendorfer (AUT) 6:0, 6:0.