Dickert-Kudicke? Schaub-Wall?
2007-07-08
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The full draws of the 2007 German Open can now be found on the tournament homepage (here is the direct link to the draws). Here is a closer look; Expected quarterfinals according to the seedings/world rankings:

MEN'S ELITE
Magnus Eliasson (SWE WR1) - Oliver Zwiers (GER WR16)
Oliver Kudicke (GER WR14) - Michael Dickert (AUT WR5)
Elmar Schaub (GER WR7) - Christian Wall (SWE WR15)
Alexander Köpf (GER WR9) - Marcel Weigl (AUT WR3)

(1) However, what could Czech squash specialist Petr Vesely do against Zwiers in the second round?

Vesely is among the best squash players in the Czech Republic, as shown by him reaching the quarterfinal of this year's Czech Squash Championships (see report). And in Racketlon, he is in fact one of the quickest risers on the world ranking at present; After his first tour event (last year's German Open), where he lost the B final against Marcel Kravek, he has advanced to no. 22 on the last version of the rankings.

He has taken part in no less than 4 world ranking events already this year and his last appearance was in Belgium in June, where he lost to Johan Nordstrand -2 (tt:18-21 ba:18-21 sq:21-5 te:9-21) in the first round - after which he recovered to win the plate, where he beat a long series of established names; Jacob de Vries, Gert Peersman and, in the final, Paul Twisterling +9 (tt:21-6 ba:3-21 sq:21-3 te:7-13).

(2) Watch out for Christian Wall in this tournament!

Wall, a former professional tennis player, showed his Racketlon class in November last year by winning Gothenburg Open but has then only taken part in one world ranking event - Swedish Open in January - where he lost to Roland Helle -22 (12-21, 23-21, 6-21, -) in the second round. Playing in few events have caused him to drop from position 5 on the world ranking in November last year to the present 15. At the moment rumour has it that he is in excellent shape in both badminton and squash; He became Club Champion in both disciplines earlier this summer in his home town Västerås...

The ladies' event has this year attracted 8 players, among them the top 2 women on the world ranking at present, challenged by world number 4, a home hope:

LADIES' ELITE
Expected Semifinals:
Susanna Lautala-Näykki (FIN WR1)-Nina Shulte (GER WR18)
Silke Altmann (GER WR4) - Martina Kakosova (CZE WR2)

/H

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