Experience counted as 37 year old Petr Korbel of the Czech Republic caused the major surprise in the third round of proceedings in the Men’s Singles event at the Polish Open in Warsaw on Saturday 29th November 2008.
Seeded no.15, he beat Russia’s Alexei Smirnov, seeded no.8, in a hard fought seven games encounter.
Petr Korbel won 11-9, 5-11, 1-11, 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 11-3.
Leading Force
The Czech Republic has been the country’s leading force for almost two decades, a different style but the successor to the fluent Milan Orlowski.
Winner of the Boys’ Singles title in Nîmes at the Belgian Junior Open in 1989, when he beat Vladimir Mihocko in the final, Petr Korbel has seen many changes, not only in table tennis but also in politics.
Dissolution
On the occasion of his victory in Belgium, Petr Korbel was a compatriot of Vladimir Mihocko; on 1st January 2003, the two countries separated in what must have been the most amicable dissolution of a country in world history.
ITTF Pro Tour
Winner of the Boys’ Singles title in Belgium 19 years ago but not Men’s Singles crown has ever come his way on the ITTF Pro Tour; the best being a semi-final place at the French Open in Toulouse in 2000, in Aarhus at the Danish Open three years later and in Doha at the Liebherr Qatar Open in 2006.
Since his efforts in Doha, times have been lean; the best being quarter-final places in Chile and Germany in 2006 and in Chinese Taipei one year later.
However, the good form has returned and his victory over Alexei Smirnov was hard earned but well merited.
The victory recorded by Petr Kiorbel was the one surprise of the round.
Close Call for Cheung Yuk
Top seed, Germany’s Timo Boll beat Austria’s Robert Gardos (11-1, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7) in style but for second seed, Hong Kong’s Cheung Yuk, it was a much different affair.
He experienced a host of problems against Timo Boll’s compatriot, Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth.
Cheung Yuk won in seven games, succeeding 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9.
Winning Ways
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi ended the progress of the rapidly improving Croatian Andrej Gacina (11-5, 14-12, 11-6, 11-7) whilst third seed, Singapore’s Gao Ning and fourth seed Japan’s Kan Yo both experienced success.
Gao Ning defeated Germany’s Christian Suss (11-8, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6) whilst Kan Yo overcame Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic (12-10, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6).
Fedor Kuzmin & Michael Maze
In the two remaining matches it was success for Russia’s Fedor Kuzmin and Denmark’s Michael Maze.
Fedor Kuzmin defeated Sweden’s Jens Lundqvist (8-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 13-11) whilst Michael Maze overcame Panagiotis Gionis of Greec (11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6).
Source: www.ittf.com
