Excitement is building ahead of the 96th Austrian National Championships, set to take place this weekend in Horn (Lower Austria). With defending champion Andreas LEVENKO withdrawing, the race for the men’s singles title is wide open.
Top seed Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK enters the tournament as the main favourite, aiming to claim his first national singles title. The 2024 European doubles bronze medallist is seeded in three events – singles, men’s doubles (with his brother Franci KOLODZIEJCZYK) and mixed doubles (with women’s top seed Karoline MISCHEK).
However, strong competition awaits. LIU Zhenlong, runner-up last year, has shown excellent form in the Bundesliga, while Simon PFEFFER, Alexander CHEN, and Julian RZIHAUSCHEK are all serious contenders. One thing is certain a new champion will be crowned.
In the women’s singles, the withdrawals of Sofia POLCANOVA and defending champion LIU Yuan have reshaped the draw. Karoline MISCHEK, runner-up last year, leads the field and is expected to face her club teammate Nina SKERBINZ in a potential final.
Young talent Mariia LYTVYN, bronze medallist at the U15 European Championships, could challenge the favourites. She is also among the top contenders in women’s doubles alongside Julia DÜR, and will defend her mixed doubles title with Christoph SIMONER.
