European Championships | 17 Oct 2024

First Medalists Determined at the LIEBHERR European Championships in Linz

On the third day of play at the LIEBHERR European Championships in Linz, we now know the first medal winners. The Mixed Doubles event has reached the penultimate phase, with Simon GAUZY and Prithika PAVADE of France, Alvaro ROBLES and Maria XIAO of Spain, Robert GARDOS and Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria, and Patrick FRANZISKA and Annett KAUFMANN of Germany securing their places in the semifinals and a spot on the medal podium.

The TipsArena in Linz erupted today when POLCANOVA and GARDOS reached the mixed doubles semifinals. The Austrian pair played brilliantly against the Serbian duo Dimitrije LEVAJAC and Izabela LUPULESKU, winning the match convincingly 3-0. This guarantees them another European Championship medal, with the color to be decided on Friday. On the afternoon, they will face Germany’s Annett KAUFMANN and Patrick FRANZISKA, for a place in the final.

Robert GARDOS: "It was a massive effort; we’ve had to stay mentally strong for the last two days. The schedule is extremely tight, but we’ve handled it superbly. Our semifinal opponents FRANZISKA and KAUFMANN are very good; I think the chances are 50/50."

Sofia POLCANOVA: "I think I played better than yesterday. I was really nervous during our first match in the morning but managed to control it well. Physically, I feel fine. Competing in a European Championship is always different, especially with four matches in one day. A lot of it comes down to mental strength, so you have to stay tough."

Photo: Rémy Gros

Germany’s duo, FRANZISKA and KAUFMANN, prevailed in the Round of 16 against second seeds Ovidiu IONESCU and Bernadette SZOCS of Romania, runners-up in Munich two years ago.

Patrick FRANZISKA: "Winning the first game after trailing 5-9 was crucial. I noticed they were becoming frustrated and rushed. The fourth set was by far the best we’ve played together so far. Annett's powerful backhand is really impressive. I didn’t expect us to win by such a big margin. Now we’re focused on winning a medal against Hursey and Pitchford. I’ve already faced Pitchford in a medal match in Durban during doubles with Dima."

Annett KAUFMANN: "At the beginning, I couldn’t quite find my rhythm, but it improved as the match went on, and I felt better than yesterday. Now I have a doubles match with Nina, and then it's onto the quarterfinals."

In the quarterfinal, they defeated Liam PITCHFORD and Anna HURSEY.

Annett KAUFMANN: "The match went well for us; we were fully focused from the start and played with good tactics. We definitely stole the third set. POLCANOVA and GARDOS are strong, but so are we. It’s a left-right combination, which will make it a different type of game, but first, they have to beat us."

Patrick FRANZISKA: "It was a rollercoaster match, and unlike this morning, we didn’t feel like we were in control. Still, it was important that we closed out the first game. We stole the third game, but at 1-7, Annett said we could still take it. We played more aggressively, and some key shots, like Annett’s incredible banana shot at 3-9, made a big difference. Playing such a strong mixed doubles match again isn’t something we take for granted. We aimed for a medal but didn’t expect it. From the start, we knew we had good chemistry. I also have unfinished business with Sofia POLCANOVA from the 2018 European Championships, when Peti (SOLJA) and I lost to her and Stefan FEGERL. We’re looking forward to the match and the challenge of playing in front of the crowd."

In the upper half of the draw, GAUZY and PAVADE defeated top seeds Kristian KARLSSON and Christina KALLBERG of Sweden in the quarterfinals. They will face ROBLES and XIAO in the semifinals. The Spanish duo beat Andre BERTELSMEIER and Mia GRIESEL of Germany in the Round of 16 earlier this morning.

“We knew this young pair from Germany is one of the best in the U-19 category. I believe they are ranked second in the World Championship, if I'm not mistaken. So we knew it would be tough, and although we started the match well, they adapted quickly after the first set, and things got harder and harder. But we managed to adapt in the last set too,” stated Alvaro.

In the next round, they beat Ivor BAN and Hana ARAPOVIC of Croatia.

“I think the key was the preparation we did before the mixed doubles matches. Our coach, Alfredo, has been doing an excellent job. We were able to focus on the small details that led to our victory. We’ve played the Swedish pair twice, but we've never faced the French team,” commented XIAO.