New kids on the block in Austrian snooker

Of course, top-ranked Richard McHugh from Ireland was not allowed to take part in the Österreichische Meisterschaft last weekend at the ISC and KÖÖ7 clubs in Vienna. So, who was favourite to win it? Probably last-year's winner Bernhard Müllner? Or five-time champion Hans Nirnberger? Maybe Garry Balter, who had recently won two ASL Grand Prix? And what about Ebrahim Baghi, who had already claimed this year's senior title? But none of these usual suspects will lift the trophy in 2007. The final, which is to be played on the closing day of the Austria Snooker Open next Sunday in Wels, will feature Sebastian Hainzl from Vienna and Felix Pleschek from Graz. Both players will strive for their first national title.

...Here at different tables, but not so on Sunday when they play the final: Sebastian Hainzl and, in the background, Felix Pleschek...

Seventh-ranked Hainzl from Vienna's 15Reds knows what it means to become national champion as he won the doubles title last season alongside Robert Trinbacher. In his round-robin group, Hainzl defeated Richard Mulle and Christian Scherber [both 3-1], but lost to... Pleschek! In a tight match, Hainzl lost the first frame despite a 47 break, went 2-1 up anyway, but finally got beaten, 2-3. This match was so close, that it is hard to predict a winner when both players will meet again in next Sunday's final. Hainzl qualified for the KO-stages, where he first met reigning champion and top-seeded Müllner. The match was leveled at 1-1, but from then on, Hainzl scored 126 points against 31 for Bernie to secure his quarter-final spot. There, against Alexander Pichler, he went 0-2 behind, but turned the match around completely by winning four frames in a row, 4-2. In the semi-final waited his biggest challenge so far: in-form Nirnberger. Jack had won all his matches and hit a superb 97 in his group match against Alexander Trinkl, by far the highest break of the tournament. Hainzl got 2-0 ahead, but Nirnberger leveled the scoreline. Hainzl got his nose in front again thanks to a 34 clearance when he was 33 behind, 3-2. Nirnberger equalled the score once again in a black ball decider, but then Hainzl took the concluding frame to enter this year's final.

His opponent on Sunday is Pleschek, chairman of Top Snooker Graz, who ended the season as number 12 on the rankings. Pleschek won all his round-robin group matches, including the 3-2 victory over Hainzl, and entered the quarter-finals at the cost of Graeme Fish. Pleschek then met youngster Paul Schopf, who had defeated Balter 3-2 in the previous round. Schopf took the lead, but Pleschek hit back by winning four consecutive frames, 4-1. In the semis, Trinkl was his opponent. The Viennese player had defeated Baghi 4-1 coming back from 0-1 behind in the quarter-finals. He gave Pleschek a tough match, but the player from Graz recorded a 4-2 win over the 16^th-ranked Trinkl. So, Pleschek gets a change not only to win his first national title, but also to become the first Austrian champion who lives outside Vienna. Since 1991, all Österreichische Meister have come from the capital of Austria. Besides record holder Hans Nirnberger [5 titles], previous winners include Gerfried Kotzinger [1], Robert Burda [3], Thomas Müllner [1], Garry Balter [2], Robert Bütof [2], and Bernhard Müllner [2]. So, it will be Felix Pleschek's chance to break with this Viennese tradition. But Sebastian Hainzl would love to continue it for at least another year.

[ U P D A T E ]  SEVEN TIMES LUCKY FOR FELIX PLESCHEK

For years, you could have called him the Jimmy White of Austrian snooker. But not so anymore. After losing six finals, Felix Pleschek has finally won the national championships to become Österreichischer Meister for the first time in his career. Pleschek beat Sebastian Hainzl of Vienna 5-3 in the final at the Boschhalle in Wels on the closing day of this year's Austria Snooker Open. The player from Top Snooker Graz in the province of Styria is the first national snooker champion who doesn't live in the Vienna region.

...Gotcha! Being a six-times runner-up, Felix Pleschek has finally become Austria's national snooker champion...

OESTERREICHISCHE MEISTERSCHAFT 2007
[Vienna, 12/05 - 13/05; Wels, 20/05]

Results:

quarter-finals:
Felix Pleschek - Paul Schopf 4-1
Alexander Trinkl - Ebrahim Baghi 4-1
Sebastian Hainzl - Alexander Pichler 4-2
Hans Nirnberger - Clausdieter Franschitz 4-2

semi-finals:
Pleschek - Trinkl 4-2
Hainzl - Nirnberger 4-3

final:
Pleschek - Hainzl 5-3

Break list:

- 97, 76, 65 Hans Nirnberger
- 63 Nirnberger, Paul Schopf
- 58 Garry Balter
- 49 Schopf
- 48 Graeme Fish
- 47 Ebrahim Baghi, Sebastian Hainzl
- 46 Nirnberger
- 45 Baghi, Felix Pleschek
- 44 Nirnberger

Click here for full tournament results.

© text: Eric Willemsen [Vienna]  /  pictures: Peter Mann [http://www.pthm.at/] & Top Snooker Graz