11/5/2006

Zoran Primorac ended the host nation’s hopes of gold at the semi-final stage of the Men’s Singles event at the Eurosib Russian Open in St Petersburg on Sunday 5th November 2006 when he beat Igor Rubtsov in six games to secure a passage to the final. The Croatian won 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 11-8.

It was the first time the pair had met in a World Ranking event and for Zoran Primorac it was his first semi-final appearance on the ITTF Pro Tour in twelve months.

The last appearance for Primorac at the penultimate stage on the ITTF Pro Tour was at the Eurosib Russian Open in 2005 when he lost to the eventual winner, Vladimir Samsonov.

Better Start
It was Igor Rubtsov who made the better start; the confident manner in which had played in the third round and in the quarter-finals one day previously continued. Attacking powerfully from both backhand and forehand he dominated the opening exchanges to the delight of the St Petersburg crowd.

He flew into a 10-3 lead. Could he believe what was happening? Perhaps he had some doubts? Zoran Primorac recovered, the one vital point was proving elusive, the Croatian reduced the arrears to 10-8 but then Igor Rubtsov won the point he so wanted in order to renew his self-belief.

The man from Moscow was one game to the good.

Trademark Style
In trademark style, Zoran Primorac served with his backhand from the middle of the table, he attacked from both backhand and forehand; experience was on his side and he clinched the second game to bring matters back to parity.

The second game duly secured, the Croatian star won the third game. Igor Rubtsov made errors in his efforts to be the first to attack. Zoran Primorac attacked the Russian’s backhand at every opportunity and when the latter attacked, he controlled the play by guiding his returns into that side of the table.

Spectacular End
In the third game Zoran Primorac led 10-8, Igor Rubtsov attacked and, the twice winner of the Men’s World Cup, was forced into desperate defence. He lobbed with topspin from the far reaches of the court with Igor Rubtsov eventually erring with a forehand smash. Zoran Primorac yelled and turned to the crowd, raising his left arm with fist clenched.

He was ahead.

Crucial
A blow for the man from the host nation but he is a player with a stoic character and in the fourth game he moved into a 5-3 lead. Throughout the match he served with forehand, using his favoured reverse service time and again.

Primorac responded and at 8-all it was parity; perhaps Rubtsov was trying that might too aggressive. The next two points were shared; it was a crucial stage of the match. The Croatian serving with the backhand won the next point when Rubtsov returned into the net, then the best point of the match; forehand topspin exchanges with each player seemingly trying to prove that they were the better at the art.

The point went to the Russian who excels in forehand to forehand topspin play; again at 10-11 down he saved game point before thrilling the crowd by winning the next three points to bring the match score level.

Errors
Playing the big strokes, the exciting strokes, the thrilling rallies, Igor Rubtsov was in his element but in the short game, the delicate touch play he made mistakes in the early stages of the fifth game and found himself trailing 2-5. He reduced the deficit to 6-5 but could never gain parity. Primorac went ahead 8-6, then by attacking the Rubtsov backhand moved into a 9-6 lead.

Serving and trying to attack strongly, he made errors. Rubtsov recovered to 9-8 prompting Primorac to take `Time Out’. The pause worked, Primorac won the game finishing with a fast backhand drive wide to the Rubtsov forehand to move into a three games to two lead.

Victory for Primorac
Again at the start of the sixth game Rubtsov made errors over the table. Primorac won the first three points prompting a Russian `Time Out’. Primorac took the very next point but then Rubtsov moved up a gear, he went ahead 5-4 before the Croatian star levelled.

At 6-all the scores were level, Rubtsov erred with backhand topspin; then Primorac played a fast backhand winner wide to Russian’s forehand. He was 8-6 ahead, he had breathing space and playing confidently moved ahead 10-6.

Four match points, the gallant Russian saved two but not a third and Primorac was in the final.