Waller and Pristauz Reach the Semifinals in Gstaad – Klinger Sisters Eliminated

ÖVV Duo Knocks Israel Out of the Tournament

With their advancement to the semifinals, Waller and Pristauz have taken the next step at the Beach Volleyball Pro Tour Elite16 tournament in Gstaad. "Philipp Waller und Moritz Pristauz haben beim Beach-Volleyball-Pro-Tour-Elite16-Turnier in Gstaad den Einzug ins Semifinale geschafft", it was said from the Austrian duo's camp. The appearance in the Bernese Alps is part of the highest category of the international beach volleyball series.

Tough Task in the Semifinals

The semifinal on Saturday evening will also be the biggest hurdle of the season so far for the Austrian duo. "Im Halbfinale am Samstagabend wartet die us-amerikanische Paarung Trevor Crabb/Corey Budinger", the organizers explained. Crabb and Budinger are among the most experienced teams on the international tour and are considered one of the most difficult possible opponents at this stage.

Should Waller and Pristauz win the match against the US duo, they would advance to the final on Sunday, where they would face the winner of the other semifinal matchup. The tournament in Gstaad is one of the most traditional sand events on the European calendar and regularly attracts the world's elite.

Significance of the Elite16 Format

For Dorina and Ronja Klinger, after the round-of-16 defeat, the coming weeks are about collecting new points for the world rankings. At their next joint appearance, they aim to improve on their respectable ninth place.

The Pro Tour Elite16 format is characterized by the participation of the best 16 teams per gender. Gstaad is one of the few stops in the mountains and, due to its altitude and the atmospheric ambiance in the village, is considered a popular stop on the series.

From an Austrian perspective, the weekend's balance sheet remains mixed: while the men made the jump to the penultimate round, the Klinger sisters' tournament was already over in the round of 16. Attention now turns fully to the semifinal on Saturday evening, in which Waller and Pristauz will face the USA.