It’s been a great two weeks with his family in Brazil, but the break is over. Hugo is now back in Germany and will be playing in the Bundesliga on Monday. TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen will take on TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt at the Burstenhalle at 20:00 local time, 16:00 Brasília time, streaming at YouTube. 

“After the Pan American Games, I had to go back to Germany to play in the quarter-finals of the German Cup. We qualified for the Finals, and then I returned to Brazil for two weeks of rest with my family. This break was very important because from now on the pace of competitions will be super intense until Paris. As well as playing in the Bundesliga, I’ll be spending the month preparing for the WTT Finals, which take place at the beginning of January in Doha,” says Hugo.

Monday’s opponents are in ninth place in the Bundesliga, while TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen are in sixth place with four wins from eight matches. Hugo’s team needs to win to get closer to the top four who qualify for the semi-finals.

After this match, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen will play again on Saturday against TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell, who are currently bottom of the table in the Bundesliga.

PREPARING FOR THE FINALS

Hugo’s priority over the next few days will be to prepare for the WTT Finals, which will take place in early 2024.

Although it takes place next year, the competition is the last of the 2023 season and Hugo wants another great result to cap off a season full of achievements. He has won three WTT Contender titles, in Durban, South Africa, Doha, Qatar, and Muscat, Oman, as well as third places in the WTT Grand Smash Singapore and the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana, Slovenia. He was also Pan American champion and won three medals, two gold and one silver, at the Pan American Games.

The finals of the world circuit will take place from January 3 to 5 in Doha, Qatar, and will bring together the 16 best-placed players in the world singles rankings and the eight best-ranked doubles teams.

Hugo won’t be staying in Ochsenhausen for the end of the year celebrations because of his preparations for the tournament. As his club mates are going home for Christmas, he’s going to Dusseldorf, where he can continue his preparations with the Borussia team, the current Bundesliga runners-up. The trip to Doha is scheduled for December 31st.

MARATHON IN JANUARY

After the event in Doha, Hugo will rush back to Germany to compete in the German Cup Final Four on January 7. He then heads back to Qatar to play in the Star Contender, scheduled to take place between January 8 and 13 in the Qatari capital.

The marathon continues with another long trip. Hugo leaves Qatar for the United States to participate in the Pan American Cup between January 19 and 21 in Corpus Christi, Texas.