SSŽ Cup 2008 – ITF Futures

SSŽ Cup 2008 – ITF Futures

The 13th year of the International Wheelchair Tennis Championship of the Czech Republic – SSŽ Cup 2008 was taking place from Friday 8th August to Sunday, the 10th in a picturesque sport area of Club Classic Brno. This tournament had an international status already for the sixth time. The tournament subsided with 1500 Euro took place under the common protection of Member of Parliament of the Czech Republic Mr Pavel Suchánek, the first deputy of the Governor of South Moravian District Milan Venclík and the mayor of Brno city Roman Onderka.

The tournament was expected to bring a very interesting and prestigious combat. The title was to be solicited by the ten-fold „tournament king" Miroslav Brychta (29th player of the IWTA ranking) and last two years winner of the tournament Steffen Sommerfeld from Germany (29th). Laszlo Farkas from Hungary, who was, thanks to his ranking position (21st), tournament’s number one, also belonged to the front-runners. Hungarian representative introduced himself to Brno spectators for the first time in 2004 and he took part in two finals then. Final one of the elite tournament quartet was Slovakian player Jozef Felix, currently 34th best player in the world. But also next four seeded players could noticeably affected the final placing – Michal Stefanu from Náchod (47th), Guido Nespethal from Germany (71st), Anatoly Polyatykin from Russia (119th) and Dalibor Potůček from Karviná (133rd). All the front-runners made their way through the first round. Farkas, Sommerfeld, Brychta, and Felix had a free draw and the others mastered their introductory matches with perfect brilliancy. The only one, who stumbled in the first round, was the seventh seeded Russian Polyatykin, who surprisingly didn’t keep up with Milos the Croat. Seven out of the eight brightest tournament’s stars dealt with their rivals also in the next round and they advanced to the quarter-final, which was where they met each other. The complete elite tournament’s foursome advanced to the semi-final, so that both the semi-final matches literally graced the Brno tournament. Courts of the sport area Club Classic Brno witnessed two real tennis battles, from which the more experienced players advanced. Miroslav Brychta met Laszlo Farkas, whom he beat in 2004 in the final of this tournament. Four years later Hungarian’s performance was more mature, so that local champion had to fight hard for every ball. Brychta made it by excellently played tie-break in the first set, which he gained 7/6(5). In the second set he took care of the Hungarian player and he deservedly won 7/6(5), 6/4. The spectators of Brno saw a dramatic three-set battle also in the second semi-final. It was a credit of Steffen Sommerfeld, defender of the trophy and Slovakian player Jozef Felix In the end the German player rejoiced the victory in this fair match, Slovakian number one was defeated by him 6/2, 4/6, 6/4. The participants of the final match were the same as last year. The course of the match was completely different though. Unlike the last year the winner did not make his through by playing only two average sets, he had to earn his victory in three very keen sets. It was, as well as last year and the year before last year, Steffen Sommerfeeld, but Miroslav Brychta doesn’t have to be ashamed of his final’s performance at all. Sommerfeeld won 6/3, 4/6, 6/4 and he could concentrate on the final in doubles.

The German player had only one reason to joy in Brno though. He didn’t repeat his single’s performance in doubles. He came out in doubles together with his representation colleague – Guido Nepsethal, but in the final they met the first seeded local pair Michal Stefanu – Miroslav Brychta. These two firstly defeated the Slovaks-Felix and Masaryk and in the semi-finals they beat the Hungarians - Farksz and Prohaszka. The Germans initially outplayed the Czech-Hungarian pair Kubát – Navratyil and subsequently ended Polyatykin’s and Potůček’s way through the tournament. The final of doubles was played in three keen “acts” again. The Germans obtained the first set and the local players captured with the second one with a great effort. As the whole competition in doubles was played in the two common sets because of the weather and in case of need the third set was replaced by the long tie-break in ten points, the final was played the same way. This fact suited better the Czech tennis players, who got as far as to the title in doubles after the victory 4/6, 7/5, 10(2).