After an action-packed week at the European Mixed Team Championships,some of the continents top players are heading to Austria for the second event in the International Challenge from the 20th to 23rd February.
The Austrian Open is the second of ten events in the International Challenge with a number of events taking place in the coming months before wrapping up with the Spanish International in June.
This year’s series began in Iran, just a few weeks ago with no Europeans able to claim the top honors, but will be hoping to bounce back this week inside Vienna’s Österreichischer Badminton Verband.
Redemption in the Women’s Doubles
The Turkish pair of Bengisu Ercetin and Nazlican Inci will be out to make amends in the International Challenge this week.
The number two seeds for the competition were the only Europeans to make it to the final in Iran but were beaten by the Indonesian pair of Nita Violina Marwah and Putri Syaikah in the final.
They’ll be desperate to go one step further this time around but the World number 42 pair will face some tough competition once again in their quest for the title.
Austrian Hopes
The main hope for the host nation in this one will come in the form of Luka Wraber. The Austrian comes into the event seeded 6th in the Men’s Singles and will be desperate to give the home fans something to cheer.
The World number 87 has not played much so far in 2019 and only reached the last 16 in the first International Challenge event of the year in Iran after a 21-13, 21-19 defeat to Michal Rogalski (Poland).
Wraber will open up the competition on Thursday where he will take on one of the eight qualifiers in the Men’s Singles category.
Elsewhere, fellow Austrians Philip Birker and Dominik Stipsits will be looking to make an impact in the Men’s Doubles. The World number 94 pair come into this one knowing they will also face a qualification pair in the opening round so will be hoping to go far in the competition.
See the full draw and results here