3rd Mallorca Open - Preview
2 articles
Pictures from last year!
Here we go again! 2nd and 3rd March 2024!
ADJECTIVE START - description of the crowd, sun setting…
For the third time in a row, the roundnet season kicks off with a Mallorca Open, featuring the best European and also North American players across all divisions. Mallorca Open is the icing on the cake of the FRESH training camp, after which players can put the newly learned skill on full display.
RUTHLESS MENTION
Tournament Twists: Familiar Format Gets a Fun 3v3 Sidekick
This year´s tournament´s structure is similar to last year’s, with Saturday being reserved for Open/Women´s and Sunday for Mixed division. Additionally, Sunday will host a 3v3 two-net tournament, which enables players who did not find a mixed partner to hone their skills and stay active. However, the 3v3 event is just “Robin” to the mixed “Batman” 😉. Sign up here.
Without any Spikeball Tour Series Major in Europe this year, the 3rd Mallorca Open has the potential of being the most prominent tournament in terms of player quality of the year, only second to the World Championship. Is it an audacious statement? Judge for yourself.
Open Pro Division
Who can beat the North Americans?
In the first thrilling final, which was decided in the extras of game 3, the young German duo, Kopfmann/Spitznagel, beat the American star B, Hammon, and his French teammate C.Rey in 2022 to keep the trophy in Europe.
However, redemption was sweet, as B. Hammon, this time with another American star, R. Kandula, won 2023 against a US/French duo of World Champion C. Marshall and European vice-champion R. Florinda from France.
This year, Mallorca open stars five World Champions (fifth being K. Pierson in women´s) and a runner-up of World Championship and STS 23´ Championship Vinny Mathieu from Critical Hit/Canada. So, what are the prominent contenders?
Favourites #1
(Mathieu/Marshall) Canada/US. Arguably the best setter in the game, C. Marshall is pairing up with one of the world´s best servers, V. Mathieu from Canada. Mathieu is capable of going on a serving spree at any point of the game, making 5-6 points easily, especially if provoked. Just ask the Hustling Brothers in Gent ´22 or Vandaele/Ameziane at ETS Stockholm. However, Mathieu, who is also one of the coaches at the FRESH 24 training camp, was not able to win any of the three tournaments he played in Europe in 2023. Can he break the curse?
Favourites #2
Fred/Max (Hinkle/Model M.) are an American duo and World Champions. Hinkle is a household name worldwide, growing in popularity in Europe, especially since he made three trips to Europe last season, winning ETS Vienna with Bürkle (Germany), while completely jetlagged, since he flew from Dallas to Vienna just for about 30 hours.
Hinkle/Model did not reach a podium at their last tournament together - USAR Nationals, so, they shall be hungry for the title.
Max Model from Finocci/Model and formerly Hilltop Spike had a disappointing European campaign last year, as Hilltop lost in R16 against Rainbow Warriors at STS Major in Toulouse.
Favourites #3
Slipping in last minute, we have the Swede California (pronounced “sweet” - all naming rights reserved to Jakub) couple of B. Hammon and E. Ekman. Ekman known for his serves, won a prestigious European Indoor Masters in Prague on December 23 with J. Stachiewicz (Never Cold), as he showcased an amazing all-around game as well. Hammon´s playing IQ and defensive skills combined with Ekman´s serve pressure can go a long way.
European Hope - can Europeans defend their castle?
Continental Defense: Can Europe Hold the Line on Home Soil?
German unorthodox duo called Rainbow Warriors (Claus/Lauterbach) might be Europe´s biggest hope. Their team chemistry is unparalleled and they have an arsenal of weapons, which will catch opponents off guard, especially if you are playing against them the first time - just ask Hilltop Spike at STS Major in Toulouse. It will be the first time the world will see this team wearing matching jerseys, which is a reason enough to watch the stream!😆
Moreover, if you mash up a team consisting of Europe´s best server (L. Vandaele - Belgium) and European Champion L. Eisenträger (E/S, Germany), only magic can happen. But can they cast the right spells at the right time?
Lastly, spectators will have an opportunity to experience a match made in roundnet heaven, a French-German mash-up team of Florinda/Krehle. Krehle is coming off a meteoric 2023 season, winning multiple tournaments, crowned by the European Squad Championship with team Germany. However, he has never made it to the top 4 at the ETS event, something that cannot be further from the truth about R. Florinda. Big serves, amazing defense and plenty of fair play are more than guaranteed when watching this team!
Dark Horses
Future Combat Boys (Anderle/Dziruni) are two long-time friends from Graz Austria. Known for their defense and players’ IQ, this team can shock any of the favorites.
Blue Horse (Ameziane/Vandaele Y. - France/Belgium) is another combination of successful seasoned veterans of the European roundnet. They may have their best years behind them but it would be foolish to write them off.
All in all, the 3rd Mallorca Open is promising to be an amazing contest. You can follow the event on the tournament page and live on Tops Roundnet Twitch channel - for a detailed schedule, please check Instagram @future_roundnet as we come closer to the event.
Who do you think should have been on our list? Let us know in this form and also vote for your winners and podium!
We will cover women's and mixed in separate articles since they deserve a lot of attention!
VOTE GOOGLE DOC who is gonna win
02-03.24
Open/Women
Favourites:
Clark/Vinny (Mathieu/Marshall)
Fred/Max (Hinkle/Model)
Buddy/Esaja (Ekman/Hammon)
Levi/Lukas (Eisenträger/Vandaele L.)
Robin/Julian (Florinda/Krehle)
Never Cold (Cabala/Stachiewicz)
Rainbow Warriors (Claus/Lauterbach)
Future Combat Boys (Anderle/Dziruni)
Coniglio (Borsotti/Stoisser)
RDO Flix & Fertig (Christiani/Schartmann)
Tapken/Cejka (Tapken/Cejka)
Blue Horse (Ameziane/Vandaele Y.)
Notable “missing”
Paul Siemer (world travel)
RCB Drü
Benny Bachler
It is that time of the year again!
The tradition continues.
Only a handful of roundnet events are …
Women:
Laura/Ines
Lou/ronja
Tiramisu
Pierson/Marquert (Caro great results this year so far)
Can Daniela Kadlec get a three-peat?
Lebron James, Steph Curry
Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Olivia&Ali Jenki
In the world of uncertainty,
Controversies - Women´s division, Pro spots
No Requalification, no points for sanctioned event
Only few names reached it… Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or Olivia&Ali Jenki… The mystical three-peat… Daniala Kadlec from Roundnet Tiramisu… Could a third Mallorca triumph immortalize her in Roundnet's history?
However, she might face her biggest challenge yet.
Roundnet Tiramisu, the “FRESH” (pun intended) women´s European Champion 2023 will be aiming to set a tone for the upcoming season. Last year at the tournament, Kadlec teamed up with her rival, Laura Kunzelmann, to achieve a landslide victory in the women´s division. In 2022, Tiramisu controlled the tournament and won rather comfortably.
Usually, at the beginning of the season, spectators have a chance to see multiple high-quality mash-up teams, who are testing different partners for the upcoming season. This year is no different.
Who can challenge Tiramisu?
If you are a roundnet fan, the name Laura Kunzelmann must have suddenly popped in your head. Regarded as the individual best roundnet player worldwide., Kunzelamnn´s stats speak for herself. In 2023 alone, she participated in 42 tournaments across all divisions
For 3rd Mallorca Open, Kunzelmann is teaming up with incredible Ines Paysan from France as “Nova”. Paysan has proved herself countless times as a podium-calibre player with her regular partner, Natacha Alt as Puces & Dives. Unfortunately, she and her team were never able to climb to the top of the women´s roundnet, which had been occupied by Kunzelmann or Tiramisu. With Kunzelmann winning mentality and experience, she could unleash even more potential and talent in Paysan, especially since they have been living in the same city, Basel, for a while now.
Are Ines and Natacha still a team?
Next challengers is a new star studded team - “NAME” . Lorenz, a former partner of Kunzelmann, has often been underestimated by the roundnet public, since people tend to perceive aces and fancy hits more (Kunzelmann) than consistency.
Having said that, consistency and stability are some traits that prevented Lou Washburn from reaching the absolute pinnacle
Interestingly enough, Lorenz´s new partner,
Last season, ambidextrous Washburn often struggled with inconsistencies and lack of mental focus - traits, that Lorenz excels in. Washburn, who went all in after moving to Europe early 2023, attended an incredible number of roundnet tournaments - NUMBER in 2023 alone.
This German-Danish combo has the potential to become one of the best, if not the best women´s team in world. It may not work out at their first tournament, but with time, anything is possible.
Dark horses
Curly Fries (Austria) - the European Squad Championship runner ups with team Austria, Kornok/Teskey