April 30, 2009
Croatian Recovers from Precipice to Break English Hearts
 Zoran Primorac, fighting, fighting, fighting. Photo By: Mariann Domonkos |
Croatia's Zoran Primorac, who will celebrate his 40th birthday four days after the curtain has been drawn on the H.I.S. World Championships in Yokohama, performed the recovery of the morning on the third day of play, Thursday April 30, 2009. |
Trailing England’s 19-year-old Paul Drinkhall by three games to nil, the vast experience of the Croatian, guided him to victory in a contest where by his own admission, the final result could have gone either way. In the deciding seventh game, Primorac saved one match point before winning three in a row to secure victory.
Primorac won 4-11, 11-13, 1-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8, 13-11.
Outstanding Start
“Paul played outstanding well at the start of the match, he was aggressive, every ball went on the table”, reflected Primorac. “In the second game I had a chance to level but I made a mistake playing a short ball, Paul got an edge and I was two-nil down, I was very disappointed at that stage.”
The next game was totally dominated by the Englishman and Primorac was on the precipice of an early exit.
Experience
“Experience saw me home, I just kept, fighting, fighting, fighting”, said the totally nationalistic Croatian. “In the first three game Paul had played at a very, very high level; I felt he couldn’t keep that level throughout the match; I think in the last four games his level went down slightly and mine remained the same.”
Unquestionably, either player could have won, the seventh game was on a knife-edge but if there was a difference it was when rallies developed.
Counter Topspin
Primorac looked more secure in the counter topspin department, an area of table tennis where for over two decades he has been one of the very best in the world.
If Drinkhall was to win he had to win the points quickly; he gave his all but it was not to be and it was not to be for England.
Second Close Defeat
It was the second match of the morning when one of their aspiring players had lost a close seven games duel.
Kelly Sibley, who just over one week earlier had celebrated her 20th birthday, was beaten by the Czech Republic’s Renata Strbikova.
Strbikova won 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 4-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7.
Another 40 year old in 2009
Two close defeats for England but two close wins for those who will celebrate their 40th birthdays in 2009 and have reputations for fighting, fighting, fighting.
In addition to Zoran Primorac, Belgium's Jean-Michel Saive had dig deep into the bag of experience.
Full Distance
He was extended the full seven games distance by Egypt’s Ahmed Ali Saleh.
Saive won 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 13-11, 11-8.
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