Upsets in Dusseldorf Masters VII quarter finals
At the seventh Dusseldorf Masters two talented players from the German U23 support squad turned the list of seedings upside down in the quarter-finals. Cologne-based Tobias HIPPLER and Gerrit ENGEMANN (HAMM) brought down the favourites – World No. 38 and 77 Omar ASSAR (Egypt) and Alberto Mino (Ecuador). ENGEMANN will now challenge his established national team colleague DANG Qiu on Sunday at the ARAG CenterCourt at 10 am Hippler 45 minutes later the Swede Anton KALLBERG.
Even more surprising than ENGEMANN’S second win over Mino was the coup of left-hander Tobias HIPPLER against top seeded Omar ASSAR. Lower Saxony who will play for 1 FC Cologne in the 2nd Bundesliga next season unexpectedly won 4-2 against the multiple African champion who had already reached the final in two Masters tournaments. After a 2-1 lead the former European youth champion in doubles was not disturbed by the world-class player’s game equalization or by two match points missed in the sixth game.
The 21-year-old HIPPLER was pleased: “I played quite well yesterday but today I am of course particularly pleased with the match. Because Omar does not play so hard on the first balls I got into my game well. I felt very comfortable in the rallies with him.”
Veteran ASSAR proved to be a fair loser and congratulated: “Tobias played very well today. It was very difficult for me to play against him. I wish Tobias good luck for tomorrow.”
After his win Gerrit ENGEMANN clenched his fist with satisfaction. Like HIPPLER the 2019 U21 European Championship Runner-up reached the semi-finals of the Duesseldorf Masters for the first time. And more than deserved it. The second division player of TTC GW Bad Hamm remarkably defeated the fourth seeded Ecuadorian Alberto MINO without losing a game. For the 20-year-old ENGEMANN it was already the second success over the number 77 in the world after he had already tripped Mino in the round of sixteen of the second Masters in June.
However Engemann himself was surprised at the clarity of his victory: “As I had already won against him before I went into the game with confidence. I just concentrated from point to point. But I didn’t think it would end so clearly.”
MINO said after his defeat: “I played well but I made some easy mistakes. That’s why Gerrit could clearly beat me.”
Only Dang QIU and Anton KALLBERG justified their favourite roles today. QIU had a lively exchange with Cedric MEISSNER. The winner of the Portugal Open was never in serious danger but MEISSNER (Mainz) who has been a 20 year old participant in the Youth Olympic Games for a few days won two games with courage and a good portion of chutzpah.
The three years older Grünwettersbacher praised MEISSNER after the match: ” Cedric played very well. He was much more aggressive than in the last games and made good decisions in tight situations. I came in a bit worse myself. In the semi-finals I have to be very concentrated. Against Gerrit I won the last two games clearly but he is in good form and will be very motivated.”
Anton KALLBERG as number 57 of the ITTF ranking five places behind Dang QIU ended Kilian ORT’S hopes for a semi-final appearance today. The 24-year-old from Bad Königshofen competed in the Masters for the first time since the German Championships in Chemnitz four and a half months ago and lost Sweden’s former European Youth Champion in five games.
Winner KALLBERG was satisfied with his performance today: “Kilian started very well. In the second game I got better into the serve-return game and scored a few more easy points. Of course I’d like to go to the final but first I’ve got to win against Tobias Hippler who plays very dangerously.”
Dusseldorf Masters 7th tournament (17-19 July)
Final July 19th
1 p.m.
Semifinal 19 July
Dang Qiu GER – Gerrit Engemann GER 10 a.m.
Tobias Hippler GER – Anton Kaellberg SWE immediately following but not before 10.45 a.m.
Quarterfinal 18 July
Omar Assar EGY – Tobias Hippler GER 2:4 (11 -7 -6 6 -2 -9)
Anton Kaellberg SWE – Kilian Ort GER 4:1 (-7 4 7 6 9)
Alberto Mino ECU – Gerrit Engemann GER 0:4 (-7 -8 -8 -11)
Dang Qiu GER – Cedric Meisser GER 4:2 (6 10 -8 3 -11 3)
