Lena Primus
One of the most striking and surprising athletes today was Lena Primus (AUT). The young Austrian already attracted attention last night with her eagerness to train. Today, when it got serious, she showed no nerves and convinced with a good performance in all three games. Yvonne Ullmann-Hybler (GER) was the first to go. Primus prevailed at the end of a hard-fought match with 7:5. The next victim of the young Austrian was Pia Filler (GER). The wife of the exceptional German player Joshua Filler did not have enough to offer Primus today and the match ended 7:5 in favour of Primus. In the qualifying round of the winners, Primus finally defeated Nathalie Rohmer (FRA) and booked her place in the single knockout of the last 16 women.
The draw did not go well for the two Polish friends. In a field of 40 women from over a dozen European nations, Monika Zabek and Ewa Bak (both POL) had the misfortune to meet directly in the first round. Of course, they have known each other for ages and train together regularly. Today they had to find out which of the two would go via the winners’ round and who would have to be sent to the left side of the roster. After a really intense match, Zabek won 7:6 against Bak. In the following match, the Pole met Diana Stateczny (GER). She was also victorious in the end and marched undeterred into the round of the last 16 women.
Another rather unknown player is Chantal Stadler (GER). She eliminated her compatriot Christine Steinlage clearly in the first round with 7:2. After that she won just as clearly with 7:3 against Vania Franco (POR). Her next opponent Lynn Pijpers (NED) made life a bit more difficult for her. Nevertheless, Stadler won 7:5 against Pijpers in the end and reached the round of the last 16 players.
