Member Associations | 18 May 2023

Draw in the final: Wr. Neustadt champion thanks to point gap

In a pure drama in the final of the win2day Bundesliga in Wels, SolexConsult Wr. Neustadt, despite being down 1-3, managed to dethrone Felbermayr Wels with a thrilling 3-3 draw, securing the Championship title based on a better point difference of 219-201. It was a sweet revenge for Wr. NEUSTADT after their 2-4 defeat in Lower Austria last year.

The deciding game was won by Frane KOJIC, who delivered an outstanding performance with a flawless 3-0 victory over Nandor ECSEKI. Kojic should not have lost a game with such dominance. Prior to that, Kenji MATSUDAIRA, a two-time winner and the star player of the evening, brought the cup winner to a 2-3 scoreline with his impressive 3-1 triumph in the top match against Andreas LEVENKO.

Frane KOJIC’s resounding 3-0 win against Nandor ECSEKI in his former home arena sealed the crucial victory, resulting in a 3-3 tie (12-12 in games) and a point difference of 219-201, ultimately securing the second championship title for SolexConsult Wr. Neustadt after their previous victory in 2021. For the team from Lower Austria, it marked a historic double, having already won the Cup in January. Prior to KOJIC'S heroics, Kenji MATSUDAIRA had laid the foundation for their success with two individual victories. The Japanese star defeated the valiant ECSEKI, who unfortunately suffered two defeats, with a score of 3-2. MATSUDAIRA then emerged victorious in the highly anticipated top game against Andreas Levenko, winning 3-1 and narrowing the lead to 2-3.

During the match, the hosts briefly held a 3-1 lead thanks to LEVENKO'S 3-2 win against KOJIC and two victories by Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK. KOLODZIEJCZYK managed to defeat Ivor BAN 3-1 in singles and, alongside Nandor ECSEKI, secured a 3-0 win in doubles. However, the defending champions fell just short, as they needed one more set win to retain their title.

"After the doubles, I thought it was over. But then our team staged the most incredible comeback I have ever witnessed. MATSUDAIRA had LEVENKO under control, just as he did during the regular season, and Frane KOJIC knew he had to beat ECSEKI 3-0—and he did so with remarkable ease. Now we have achieved the double. We won the regular season and secured a spot in the Europe Cup quarter-finals. In the end, we are the deserving champions," stated Wr. Neustadt boss Franz GERNJAK.

Coach Martin DOPPLER maintained his undefeated record as a coach in Wels and remained untarnished with his pristine white vest.

Final, Men:

Felbermayr Wels – SolexConsult Wr. Neustadt 3:3 (12:12 games, 201:219 points)

Nandor Ecseki – Kenji Matsudaira 2:3

Andreas Levenko – Frane Kojic 3:2

Maciej Kolodziejczyk – Ivor Ban 3:1

Maciej Kolodziejczyk/Nandor Ecseki – Ivor Ban/Kenji Matsudaira 3:0

Andreas Levenko – Kenji Matsudaira 1:3

Nandor Ecseki – Frane Kojic 0:3