Bitter news

Poisoning! Beach volleyball ace missing on the final day

Mathias Seiser (right) was knocked out in Wolfurt.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Bad news for fans of the beach volleyball duo Seiser/Grössig! According to the organizers of the Wolfurt Trophy, Vienna's Mathis Seiser is suffering from food poisoning and was unable to play in the semi-finals on Sunday. 

The first set of the semi-final match between Reiter/Waller and Pascariuc/Leitner was in progress when Laurenc Grössig came into the stands in "civilian clothes". The man from Salzburg should have already been serving with his partner Mathias Seiser at this point. So what had happened?

"Mathias is struggling with gastrointestinal problems and is in hospital," the 22-year-old revealed when asked by Krone. "I can't reach him now, I don't think it will work out." An assumption that was quickly confirmed. According to the organizers, the 29-year-old Seiser is suffering from food poisoning.

The end for Jakob Reiter and Phil Waller(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

Jakob Reiter only found out about Mathias Seiser's food poisoning after the match.(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

Despite the sweltering heat in the beach arena on the Ach, local hero Jakob Reiter would have liked to play another match.(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

As a result, Seiser/Grössig had to drop out of the semi-final against Maxi Trummer and Chris Dressler and will also not be able to play the third-place match against local heroes Jakob Reiter and Phil Waller scheduled for 1 p.m. "That's a shame, of course, and our bronze medal has a bit of a sour aftertaste," said Reiter, mourning the opportunity to play another match in front of the frenetic Wolfurt crowd.

Final matches set
Pascariuc/Leitner will now face Trummer/Dressler in the final, the match is scheduled for 4 pm. Lilli Hohenauer/Lia Berger will face Kathi Holzer/Magdalena Rabitsch for the women's title at 2.30 pm.