Over the weekend of March 23rd and 24th 2024 the Grünfeld Sports Center in Rapperswil-Jona hosted the 90th Swiss Championships. In the spotlight were 114 of the country’s most talented players offering spectators a top-notch spectacle where passion and athletic excellence took center stage.
Once again this year the final saw an electrifying duel between Barish MOULLET and Elias HARDMEIER. MOULLET was determined to reclaim the title from his rival but his path to the final was not without obstacles: in epic encounters against Elia SCHMID in the quarterfinals which ended 4-3 (11-9 11-5 8-11 11-5 8-11 4-11 11-7) and in the semifinals against Yanick TAFFÉ which also ended 4-3 (9-11 11-9 5-11 16-14 11-8 9-11 11-3) MOULLET had to repeatedly prove his endurance. However even more intense was the rematch in the final against Elias HARDMEIER.
Almost the entire course of last year’s edition was repeated: Barish MOULLET quickly took the lead and won the first three sets convincingly (11-3 11-6 11-9). However Elias HARDMEIER showed extraordinary resilience and responded to every challenge with unwavering determination even saving match points. He won the next games (16-14 11-8 11-8) and forced the match into a decisive seventh game.
In the final game the two protagonists delivered an intensely breathtaking spectacle and a showdown that matched their exceptional level. After over an hour of play and with the score at 7-10 against him Barish MOULLET finally managed to turn the tide and claim the title of Swiss Singles Champion for the second time in his career. The final score was thus 4-3 (11-3 11-6 11-9 14-16 8-11 8-11 13-11).
In the women’s competition all eyes were on Rachel MORET who was expected to secure her tenth title. However reality had a surprise in store this year.
Until the final MORET sailed smoothly through the main draw without dropping a single set. But when she faced Fanny DOUTAZ in the final things took an unexpected turn. DOUTAZ brilliantly took the first game and continued to play strongly ultimately leading 3-1 in sets. However MORET managed to capitalize on the opportunities and took the game to the decisive seventh and final set.
When Fanny DOUTAZ trailed by two points her coach Michel MARTINEZ called a timeout – this turned out to be a stroke of luck as DOUTAZ subsequently managed to turn the situation around and once again take the lead. In this thrilling situation Rachel MORET also decided to take her timeout to strategically prepare for the final few rallies.
The final rallies were back and forth and to the surprise of most Fanny DOUTAZ ultimately won the last rally crowning herself Swiss champion with a final score of 4-3 (11-8 6-11 13-11 11-5 1-11 6-11 11-8). Thus DOUTAZ broke MORET’S dominance who had secured the title since 2016 (with the exception of 2022 due to her participation in the WTT Smash).
The dynamic duo of TTC Rio-Star Muttenz consisting of Cédric TSCHANZ and Pedro OSIRO who clinched the first place last year faced the pair of Barish MOULLET/Gaël VENDÉ the 2020 champions in the final. It goes without saying that the encounter of these top pairs captivated the attention of all spectators. The Neuchâtel duo finally won 3-2 (11-7 4-11 11-6 11-13 11-6) with the tension reaching its peak in the final game.
The relentless duo of DOUTAZ/MORET crushed all competition in this event. Even in the final opponents TULLII/MAURER could not withstand enough resistance despite winning the first set. The game ended with a 3-1 victory (6-11 11-8 11-8 11-5). There is no doubt that the pairing of Rachel MORET and Fanny DOUTAZ will remain unbeatable for a long time to come.
The defending champions Rachel MORET and Nicolas CHAMPOD aimed to mark their names on the tournament’s winner’s list for the fifth time. They faced the Geneva duo of Fanny DOUTAZ and Yoan REBETEZ. Despite their experience and merits MORET and CHAMPOD were challenged by tough opponents who cleverly seized their chances to secure victory. The game ended with a narrow score of 3-0 (11-8 11-9 11-9) in favor of DOUTAZ/REBETEZ sealing Fanny DOUTAZ’S hat-trick in this edition – a remarkable achievement that will go down in the history of the Swiss Championships.
