Bammer exits Hertogenbosch event in second round

Sybille Bammer has been knocked out in the second round of the 220,000 US dollar WTA tournament of Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands today (Weds).The Upper Austrian lost against Kristina Barrois in three sets (6-3, 2-6, 3-6). The defeat was a bittersweet affair for Bammer, 29, since she has teamed up with German Barrois in double competitions on the world tour.Bammer nevertheless made some progress recently as she managed to enter the world’s top 50 on Monday after several injury-stricken months of absence.Patricia Mayr meanwhile confirmed she was in top form as the Tyrolean won her second tournament this year at the weekend. The 23-year-old defeated Italian Corinna Dentoni in straight sets (6-1, 6-2) in Sunday’s final of the ITF event in the Czech city of Zlín.Jürgen Melzer, Austria’s number one men’s tennis player, suffered a bitter defeat in the ATP tournament in Halle, Germany, last Thursday. The 29-year-old Lower Austrian was crushed by German Michael Zverev – only number 145 in the world – in the round of the best 16.Melzer reached an all-time career high earlier this month by being listed 16th in the world after reaching the semi final in this year’s French Open.Thomas Muster – who was number one in the world in 1996 – is the only Austrian to have ever done better in the ATP ranking.The Styrian revealed today he planned to compete in a few ATP Challenger tournaments this year. Muster, 42, said his first appearance in profesional tennis in nine years will in the Nord LB Open in Braunschweig, Germany, later this month.Clay court specialist Muster won 45 ATP tournaments including the 1995 French Open.