Russia’s Fedor Kuzmin, Sweden’s Jens Lundqvist, Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic and Germany’s Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth were the players in form in the lower half of the Men’s Singles second round draw at the Polish Open in Warsaw on Friday 28th November 2008.
All four recorded wins against higher ranked opponents in a tournament where hitherto matters had progressed very much according the status of players on the ITTF World Rankings. It was quite a different scenario.
Fedor Kuzmin recovered from a three games to nil deficit and the brink of defeat in the sixth game to overcame Japan’s Kaii Yoshida, Jens Lundqvist used his power to good effect to defeat Hong Kong’s Yang Zi whilst in the all-German duel, Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth ended the progress of Bastian Steger.
Not to be outdone, Aleksandar Karakasevic ended the hopes of Slovenia’s Bojan Tokic.
Fedor Kuzmin
Ranked no.63 on the current ITTF Men’s World Rankings and seeded no.21 in Poland; Fedor Kuzmin succeeded 4-11, 9-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-3, 17-15, 11-7 against the right handed penholder Kaii Yoshida, ranked no.39 and seeded no. 10 in Warsaw.
Jens Lundqvist
Similarly, Jens Lundqvist hit form.
Currently standing at no.48 on the ITTF Men’s World Rankings and seeded no.19 at the Polish Open, he ended the hopes of Singapore’s Yang Zi, ranked no.35 on the global list and seeded no.6 in Warsaw in very impressive style.
He won 11-8, 7-11, 11-2, 11-9, 12-10.
Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth
A fine performance from a man with one of the most powerful forehands in world table tennis whilst in the all-German duel, Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth exuded his talent.
He is a coach’s nightmare; undoubted talent, latent talent that has never been fully realised. The end of term report must read “Can do better”; in Warsaw he obeyed teacher’s instructions. He did better and he can do better still.
Seeded no. 30, currently occupying the no.100 berth in the ITTF Men’s World Rankings, he beat Bastian Steger, ranked no.43 and seeded no.14 at the Polish Open in five games.
Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth won 11-3, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3.
Aleksandar Karakasevic
Success for talent and success for the man with golden hands; Aleksandar Karakasevic, seeded no.17, defeated Bojan Tokic, seeded no.12 in six games, winning 11-8, 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9.
The Serbian is currently world ranked no.54 whilst Tokic is at no.38.
According to Plan
Four defeats for higher rated players but in the remaining matches, matters went to plan.
Hong Kong’s Cheung Yuk, seeded no.2, beat Japan’s Taku Takakiwa (12-10, 13-11, 10-12, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8; whilst the latter’s colleague, Kan Yo, seeded no.4 overcame Portugal’s João Monteiro. Kan Yo won 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7.
Michael Maze and Panagiotis Gionis
Meanwhile, in the remaining matches it was success for Denmark’s Michael Maze and Panagiotis Gionis of Greece.
Michael Maze, seeded no.5, defeated Germany’s Torben Wosik (11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-2) whilst Panagiotis gionis, seeded no.16 overcame the host nation’s Wang Zeng Yi (8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-8).
Polish Hopes Disappear
The defeat of Wang Yang Zi meant that Polish hopes of a Men’s Singles medal had disappeared; he was the last hope, Lucjan Blaszczyk and Daniel Gorak having exited earlier in the round.
Source: www.ittf.com
