Damian Roman with perfect preparation for Kitzbühel despite out of the knockout round

Purpose fulfilled, the mission title defense in Kitzbühel can begin! That’s how rum…

Purpose fulfilled, the mission title defense in Kitzbühel can begin! Romania’s HTT superstar Damian Roman will make up his HTT comeback at the Flötzersteig Open 500. The former first in the rankings, who returned to the circuit last weekend for the first time since the Babolat Kitzbühel Trophy in 2017, made his season debut with two matches and a balanced win/loss record with flying colours, and got the necessary and hoped-for match practice for his next week’s performance in Chamois City. After three and a half hours of hard work against last year’s September HTT 500 winner Theo Berger, Romans HTT comeback ended with a 2:6, 4:6 in the round of 16 against HTT French Open semi-finalist Dominik Negrin. A report from C.L

“I’m here and I’m ready,” says the 3-time HTT US Open Champion and winner of 17 HTT tournaments the day after, looking back on his current situation before the Mission title defence at the HTT Generali Open tournament in Kitzbühel, which starts in a week’s time. Reason for optimism and hope for a successful trip to Gams-town, the 36-year-old draws from his disputed double at the premiere of the Flötzersteig Open 500 in Vienna-Penzing. There the most successful intrnational HTT player of the Open Era found a perfect draw to prepare himself in intensive matches with strong opponents for his sand court adventure in the Tyrolean mountains in the best possible way. In round 1 the Romanian, who fell back to position no. 69 in the HTT ranking, had to deal with young star Theo Berger of Altmannsdorfer TC, and he had to make use of his entire repertoire in order to secure a second match after three and a half hours of the most intensive tennis sport as part of his return to HTT. Berger had taken the first set in the tie-break from the former HTT industry premier, who seemed a bit rusty at the beginning, and put himself in position for a surprise.

The 17-year-old, seeded at No. 7, lacked a little courage in the second set to bring the sensation to an end before, in the third and all-decisive heat, shaken by cramps and overcoming them to deliver a heroic and gripping fight to the triple HTT-US-Open winner on the other side of the net. In the end after more than three and a half hours Berger had lost the match but won the sympathies and highest respect from his opponent. “Theo was absolute madness. A fighter before the Lord, who despite physical difficulties gave everything until the end. I’m thrilled with the boy. I think he has a great future at HTT. It’s the kind of players that win the big tournaments, not the talented ones that don’t make sacrifices. Somehow I saw myself in this match in Theo Beger,” praised the 17-time HTT title winner. The day after Roman was looking forward to a duel in the eighth finals with Dominik Negrin and a meeting with an old friend. Once a few years ago, the very young Dominik Negrin was a student of a then relatively young coach named Damian Roman. It was a successful work, as the 6:2, 6:4, success of the HTT-French-Open-Semifinalist proves. “I had a lot of fun in this match and it was the perfect preparation for Kitzbühel for me,” emphasized the Kitz title defender.