31/05/2014 22:00
Fijalek and Prudel upset home heroes to win gold at Baden Masters
2014 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship - Baden Masters
Baden, Austria, May 31, 2014. Last year’s European bronze medalists Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel upset the local fans at Strandbad in Baden as they won the men’s final of the Baden Masters edging past home heroes Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst in straight sets (21-18, 21-14). 2013 European champions Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira of Spain had to be content with bronze in what was their last test on the way to the European Championship Final coming up next week in Cagliari where they will try to retain the title they won last August in Klagenfurt.
The final day of the men’s tournament offered the fans everything they could ask for: rain, hail, sunshine, but most of all great Beach Volleyball actions. In the end Prudel and Fijalek topped the podium completing a perfect run as they did not drop a set since the start of the tournament. “We are very happy with this title; the level of the competition here was very good and the atmosphere on the centre court just amazing,” said Grzegorz Fijalek. The final match with the Austrian heroes lasted for only 34 minutes. “They played just great today, and especially with their service they could pressure us a lot,” two-time European champion Clemens Doppler commented. “Though we have to be content with silver, it nevertheless was an amazing and very emotional tournament for us,” he added.
Doppler is back in action after last year he tore his ACL during a match of Pool play at the European Championship Final in Klagenfurt. After winning the semi-final match with Herrera and Gavira by 21-15, 21-19, Doppler could not hold back his tears while speaking to the media. His partner Alexander Horst said: “We are happy that we won silver and not too disappointed with losing the gold medal. As usual it was great to play before such crowd. It is always amazing here in Baden.”
In the bronze medal match the reigning European champions Herrera and Gavira managed to stop the march of Germany’s Tim Holler and Jonas Schröder, the real sensation of the Baden Masters.
The two guys from Germany had started their campaign on Thursday with the qualification round and simply did not have enough fuel left to stand an experienced and decorated team like Herrera and Gavira who powered past in two sets (21-17, 21-19) to win bronze. “I have to congratulate our opponents because we had to give everything we had to win this bronze medal,” Herrera said. “We are really happy with our result here.” Herrera and Gavira have medaled for the second time in Baden after winning gold back in 2009. As for Holler and Schröder, the fourth place they claimed is the best result in their still young career so far.
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