Laura Ludwig is on the verge of a complete career end
Following her resignation announcement after the disappointing Olympic Games in Paris, Laura Ludwig also had to leave her last EM early: The Rio Olympic champion in beach volleyball was eliminated in the round of 16 with her partner Louisa Lippmann. Ludwig has only two more appearances.
Rio Olympic champion Laura Ludwig bid farewell to the EM stage with a defeat. The Hamburg native lost with her partner Louisa Lippmann against the two-time European champions Tina Graudina/Anastasija Samoilova from Latvia in the round of 16 with 0:2 (12:21, 18:21). Last year, the German beach volleyball duo secured bronze, but for Ludwig, it was already the end of the road in Arnheim this time around.
Ludwig, who will retire from her career after the season, made her EM debut 20 years ago. Since then, she has won ten medals at the continental championships, four of which were gold. On her farewell tour, the 38-year-old still plans to participate in the Elite16 tournament in Hamburg (21-25 August) and the German championships in Timmendorfer Strand (29 August-1 September).
Müller and Tillmann reach the quarter-finals
In contrast, the German champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann advanced to the quarter-finals with ease. The 2022 World Championship bronze medalists defeated Poland's Jagoda Sliwka and Aleksandra Wachowicz 2:0 (21:15, 21:14) in the round of 16, without dropping a set so far in the tournament. In the round of eight, the duo will face the round of 16 opponents of Ludwig/Lippmann. The Latvians Graudina/Samoilova had previously caused the round of 16 exit for Müller/Tillmann at the Olympic Games in Paris last week.
Margareta Kozuch, Ludwig's previous partner, also saw her EM journey come to an end. The 37-year-old lost with Sarah Schneider against the Swiss pair Esmee Böbner/Zoe Verge-Depre 1:2 (21:17, 16:21, 9:15). The Olympic silver medalists Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler will play their round of 16 match later in the evening.
Sports-focused sentences derived from the text:
Laura Ludwig, the Rio Olympic champion in beach volleyball, will participate in the Elite16 tournament in Hamburg as part of her farewell tour.
The German beach volleyball duo of Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann, 2022 World Championship bronze medalists, advanced to the quarter-finals at the EM with ease.
