- Beach volleyball duo of Müller and Tillmann secure second position in Hamburg tournament
German volleyball duo Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann dropped the championship match in Hamburg's elite event. They succumbed to Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner from Switzerland, 1-2 (18-21, 21-18, 16-18). Previously, the Germans had defeated the Brazilian team Thamela/Victoria in the semis, 2-0 (21-17, 25-23).
During the crucial third set, the champs from Vienna had two game-winning opportunities, which the Swiss pair managed to ward off. With their second chance and a strong serve, Hüberli/Brunner clinched the triumph at the Hamburg Rothenbaum.
In the quarterfinals on Saturday, Müller/Tillmann signaled the end of Laura Ludwig's international career with a 2-0 victory. Ludwig, aged 38, expressed exhaustion but also joy, saying, "I'm tired, but also delighted that my final international tournament was here and we didn't exit with three defeats." Ludwig and her partner, Louisa Lippmann, finished fifth.
Ehlers/Wickler withdraw due to injury
The Olympic silver medalists Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler opted out of continuing in the tournament following their opening victory against the Swiss pair, Quentin Métral and Jonathan Jordan, on Thursday. During a defensive play, Ehlers, the blocking expert, sustained an injury. Ehlers/Wickler shared ninth place with the second German pair, Paul Henning/Maximilian Just, in the final rankings.**
Despite their withdrawal, the absence of Ehlers/Wickler created an opportunity for stronger competition among the remaining teams. The intense rivalry between Müller/Tillmann and Hüberli/Brunner in the German volleyball scene fuels their competitiveness in future matches.
