The Swedes won the World Championship rehearsal with 2–0 in sets against the Austrians Tim Berger and Timo Hammarberg.
Jacob Hölting Nilsson, 20, and Elmer Andersson, 19, have been in two finals on the World Tour earlier this year, but it was not until now, in the World Championship rehearsal, that they managed to win.
It's super fun that we can win the final after having come up short in two previous ones, says Hölting Nilsson.
It's what you want to do, win at the highest level and beat the best teams.
They have a tournament victory from a smaller competition on the Pro Tour, from Malmö in June.
Defense game a key
The Swedish pair, fifth in the world rankings, was top-seeded in Cape Town and in the final showed why. Hölting Nilsson and Andersson took the lead 5–1 and even though the Austrians almost caught up (5–6) the Swedes could then pull away and win the set 21–15. In the second, Berger and Hammarberg took the lead initially, but the Swedes immediately caught up to 6–6. It was even until 15–15. Then it went mostly Sweden's way. The second set was won 21–18.
The defense game was really good and Elmer had one of his best matches. With a good defense game, we can fight our way back, as we did in the second set.
In the semifinal, earlier on Sunday, the Norwegians Hendrik Mol and Mathias Berntsen were defeated 2–1 in sets (21–15, 19–21, 15–5).
"Nice to have in the back"
The World Championship is played in Adelaide, Australia, starting on November 13, which is the young Swedes' first World Championship at senior level.
It's nice to have this in the back to their first World Championship. But it will be tough, there are a lot of really good teams. Many were not here, says Hölting Nilsson.
The World Championship could become a real Swedish party. Until then, the world's third-ranked and Olympic gold medalists David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig hope they can return after Åhman has rehabilitated a knee.
