Last season’s surprising Champions League Men semifinalists, SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt, commenced this season’s journey with an impressive win in the opening leg of the Round of 16. In the Czech Republic, Austria’s team defeated TTC Ostrava 2016 in commanding style.
In the first match, Ivor BAN was forced to go the full distance against Piotr CYRNEK. Amirezza ABBASI MONJEZI needed one game less to overcome Jakub KLEPRLIK, and Frane KOJIC sealed the victory in straight games with a win over Adam KLAJBER.
“We came to Ostrava as favorites, but that status was only on paper. We arrived well-prepared to justify it, and we did. We knew what to expect and correctly anticipated their lineup,” said BAN. “I opened the match against Piotr CYRNEK, who, as I heard, is currently the best player in the Czech League with a record of 10-1. My chances were 50-50, but even early on, I had an opportunity to win the first game. I had a 9-8 lead but made a mistake on my service. That cost me my momentum, and I started poorly in the second game.”
BAN trailed 0-1 in games and was losing 0-5 in the second game before staging a remarkable comeback.
“That brought me back into the match. From that point, I knew everything was up to me, so I played without pressure. The fourth game was close; I missed a few chances. In the decisive game, I was determined. After the first point, I saw my opportunities and the direction the game was going. It was a long rally, but it was the key point,” BAN reflected on the tightest contest of the day.
Last season’s success for the Austrian club came as a surprise, but this year, SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt is on everyone’s radar.
“We will take it one match at a time. Our main focus is to give everything we have in each match. That approach pushed us forward last season. We weren’t favorites, not even to pass Stage 1, but we succeeded because we didn’t play under stress. Now we know the situation is different, and it will be much more difficult to reach the Final 4. But we will give our best again. What we experienced last season—playing in the Final 4—was one-of-a-kind. We enjoyed every moment, playing every point. It was special, and we hope to succeed again this year,” BAN added.
In Stage 1, TTC Ostrava 2016 finished second in their group behind Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier.
Champions League Men Round of 16
TTC Ostrava 2016 – SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt 0-3
- Piotr CYRNEK – Ivor BAN 2-3 (11-9, 10-12, 6-11, 11-8, 2-6)
- Jakub KLEPRLIK – Amirezza ABBASI MONJEZI 1-3 (6-11, 11-3, 8-11, 12-14)
- Adam KLAJBER – Frane KOJIC 0-3 (6-11, 9-11, 8-11)
