Reigning champion in both men's and mixed doubles, Mark Lamsfuss, has announced his heartbreaking withdrawal from the upcoming 2024 European Championships due to a persistent knee injury. Lamsfuss expresses deep disappointment, describing the situation as the "absolute worst-case scenario." In a statement on Instagram addressing his withdrawal, Lamsfuss reveals the extensive efforts made to overcome the injury.
"This really is the absolute worst-case scenario. We’ve tried everything over the last few weeks, we’ve canceled three tournaments to somehow get the knee fit, but it just doesn’t make sense," Lamsfuss lamentes.
The news comes as a significant blow to fans worldwide, particularly the home crowd in Germany, where the European Championships were set to take place. Lamsfuss expresses his disappointment at missing the opportunity to compete on home soil, especially after the anticipation built following the successful HYLO Open.
"It just hurts to miss this European Championships at home. Ever since the hosting city was announced, this tournament was marked in our calendar and the anticipation was huge, especially after the great atmosphere at the HYLO Open," says Lamsfuss.
The 2024 European Championships run from April 8th to 14th in Saarbrücken.