AVP Austin Open Re-crowns Champions

Olympic silver medalist April Ross repeated as the Austin Open women’s champion, this time with teammate Alix Klineman.  On the men’s side, Olympic gold medalist Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena repeat last year’s championship. 

Ross and Klineman faced No. 6 seed Lane Carico and Karolina Marciniak in the semifinal match, the duo in two sets 21-7 and15-13, to advance to the finals.  

Also advancing to the finals was the No. 7 seed Sarah Sponcil and Lauren Fendrick .  Sponcil and Fendrick defeated No. 9 Karissa Cook and Katie Spieler, 21-16,21-12, in one of the most exciting matches thus far in the tourney.  

That excitement was out-matched when Ross and Klineman took on Sponcil and Fendrick in the finals.  Ross and Klineman edged-out their opponents, winning in extended play 24-22,25-23.  

The win was Klineman’s first AVP victory and Ross’ 30th overall, two coming with Fendrick as her partner.  

After the match Ross told reporters “I think getting this first win for us on the AVP is really huge.  The competition is really fierce and that’s a really good team we played with Lauren (Fendrick) and Sarah (Sponcil), I think right up there with top International teams and so to battle like that and get the win is huge for us.”  

Klineman added, “It feels incredible. I think about what it would feel like to win an AVP event and I’ve just been focused on trying to get here and get in this position. Luckily, now I have the best partner in the world so I like our chances. We work hard, we compete hard, and it was a tough match, but we pulled it off and I’m really proud of our team.”

Dalhausser and Lucena won their semi-final match against No. 5 seed Stafford Slick and Casey Patterson 21-18 and 21-12.   Dalhausser and Lucena met No. 6 seed Tim Bomgren and Taylor Crabb in the finals.  Bomgren and Crabb defeated No. 7 seed Jeremy Casebeer and Reid Priddy in their semi-final match, 22-20,15-21, and15-13.   Dalhausser and Lucena decisively beat Bomgren and Crab in the finals 21-14 and 21-14.  

“Something about this town is pretty special to us because we won our first pro tournament here,” Dalhausser told reporters. “We always have those good feelings, that good mojo coming here, and I feel that’s a big reason why we’ve had success last year and this year.”  

“We play well here, I guess. We played some tough teams,” said Lucena.  “Phil is a difference maker. One of the best players in the world, so good to have him on your side.”