Russian wins Slovenian Open
First 2005 ITTF event
Sunday, January 16, 2005
ITTF Press Release
Succeeding in sport is often a question of seizing the opportunity when it arises; in the Red Hall in Velenje on Saturday 15 January 2005, the chance arose for Russia�s Fedor KUZMIN to win his first ever title at an ITTF Pro Tour tournament; he rose to the occasion seized the opportunity and in five games beat Hong Kong�s KO Lai Chak to be crowned champion.
Twenty-one years old, KUZMIN enjoyed an illustrious junior career. In 1996 he was the runner up in the Cadet Boys� Singles event at the European Youth Championships losing to Denmark�s Michael MAZE, whilst the following year he captured the title overcoming Romania�s Constantin CIOTI at the final hurdle. Three years later, in 2000, he won the European Junior Top Twelve finishing ahead of the Czech Republic�s Jiri VRABLIK and Romania�s Constantin CIOTI.
In the senior ranks he reached the quarter-final stage of the Men�s Singles event at an ITTF Pro Tour tournament for the first time in his career in 2002; when at the Polish Open, he lost 11-9 in the seventh game to the current World champion, Werner SCHLAGER. Meanwhile, in January 2004, at the Croatian Open, he made his first Men�s Singles semi-final appearance on the ITTF Pro Tour when once again it was Werner SCHLAGER who barred further progress.
Gradually, KUZMIN is asserting himself at senior level; following the Croatian Open he reached the quarter-final stage of the Men�s Singles on two further occasions in 2004; those occasions being in Egypt where he lost to Korea�s LEE Chul Seung and in Brazil where once again his nemesis was Werner SCHLAGER.
In Slovenia he was not to be denied. �I�ve felt good throughout the tournament, I believed I could do well�, KUZMIN explained. �I was good mentally this week.� Certainly, he had adopted a positive approach throughout the week and at the semi-final stage his resolve had been tested to the full in his seven game epic against Singapore�s GAO Ning. However, in the final against KO Lai Chak he was always in the ascendancy.
�I led from the start and he didn�t receive my service that well�, added KUZMIN whose powerful topspins had caused the Hong Kong player to make errors. �I attacked with heavy topspin whenever I could and I kept changing the direct of my strokes so that he could not settle into a rhythm; he has a good short game, he�s good over the table and he�s fast; so all the time you must concentrate on varying the spin on the ball.�
KUZMIN won the first two games, lost the third and was in danger of losing the fourth, the game that with the benefit of hindsight was to prove the watershed. �In the fourth I was down 10-7, I recovered and won 13-11�, explained a delighted KUZMIN. �I think that was the turning point.�
Undoubtedly it was the crucial part of the match, the close success gave KUZMIN confidence; he won the fifth game and the title. KO Lai Chak had missed the opportunity to level matters in the fourth game whereas KUZMIN has seized the opportunity and that�s the difference between victory and defeat.
Opportunity knocked for KUZMIN, he seized the moment and he was the champion.
Fedor KUZMIN (RUS) bt KO Lai Chak (HKG) 11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 13-11, 11-8