News : Beach volleyball World Cup in Hamburg: Off for Laura Ludwig

Defending champion Laura Ludwig and her new partner Margareta Kozuch retired in the first knockout round of the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Hamburg. Against the US-Americans Summer Ross and Sara Hughes the duo was without a big chance and lost in front of about 10 000 spectators clearly in two sets (15:21, 12:21).

"It hurts in any case, we made it too easy for ourselves and too many mistakes," said Ludwig. Her partner Kozuch said: "We would have liked to play some more games, but they played better and deserved to win."

After the injury-related career end of her Olympic and World Cup victory partner Kira Walkenhorst Ludwig had found a new partner in Kozuch since the beginning of the year. In the group phase of the World Cup, they had shown fluctuating performances. Pressured by the Americans from the beginning. Kozuch had to be treated for medical treatment in the second sentence. Thus, the duo missed the first knockout clearly.

Black day for the German Volleyball Federation

Overall, the day was disappointing for the German beach volleyball players. With Karla Borger and Julia Sude managed only one team in the second round. They won the German-German duel against Kim Behrens and Cinja Tillmann. However, the favorites had trouble and won in three sets 2: 1 (19:21, 21:17, 15:13). Borger and Sude meet strong Brazilians Barbara and Fernanda in the next round.

The young duo Leonie Körtzinger and Sarah Schneider were defeated by Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verge-Depre from Switzerland. Sandra Ittlinger and Chantal Laboureur also underwent a US team with Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil. Victoria Bieneck and Isabel Schneider had no chance against Joy Stubbe and Marleen van Iersel from the Netherlands.