The first two tickets for Paris 2024 in Men’s Singles at the European Olympic Singles Qualification are booked by Panagiotis GIONIS of Greece and Milosz REDZIMSKI of Poland. For GIONIS it will be his sixth appearance at the Olympics while 17-year-old REDZIMSKI will experience his first.
In the Olympic ticket match 44-year-old GIONIS overcame Slovakia’s Yang WANG in straight games (12:10 11:5 11:8 14:12). Throughout the tournament he also beat Alexander GILLEN of Ireland Niagol STOYANOV of Italy and Martin ALEGRO of Belgium without losing a game. Cedric NUYTINICK of Belgium took one game from the Greek while only Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO of Ukraine forced him to go the full distance.
GIONIS played at the Olympics for the first time in Athens 2004.
“This one in sarajevo was the most difficult qualification tournament for me. Firstly because of my age and then because I had a very tough season behind me. Over the last two years I suffered from many injuries. I was forced to stop for four months then for five. I was out of the rankings and my chances of being at the Olympics were very slim. I tried with the tournaments but I couldn’t catch up ” explained GIONIS. “We had very stressful days here and I can say this was the most emotional tournament for me. However knowing that this was my only chance I prepared a good strategy with my coach Kostas VATSAKLIS. I spent some time in Düsseldorf training. Most of all experience taught me that you have to put stress away; otherwise playing seven matches in three days is a very hard mission.”
Holding the same flag that the team used at the European Championships in 2013 in Schwechat when Greece won silver GIONIS proudly talked about how much joy this victory brought him. “Maybe we are a little superstitious but it is always a great joy to see the Greek flag.”
Everyone expected a longer match between the two players with defensive styles but against WANG GIONIS showed no mercy.
“We were 50-50. However against ZHMUDENKO I faced a more challenging game. It was the third match of the day yesterday and before it I told my coach that I didn’t have the power anymore. Today I felt better and the final match for the tickets just wiped away all the tiredness.”
Seventeen-year-old Milosz REDZIMSKI of Poland will make his Olympic debut later this summer. At the tournament the Polish player showed no fear and displayed the maturity needed to secure his place in Paris. In the final match of the tournament he beat Alvaro ROBLES of Spain in five games (5:11 11:5 11:7 11:9 14:12).
“I was so stressed yesterday knowing what was coming but I managed to have a good sleep and come early to the venue to warm up. He beat me the last two times so I am happy that I managed to overturn my fortune. At the begining I played exactly the same like in those matches I lost. I forced myself to change the tactics eventually in order to win” said REDZIMSKI.
REDZIMSKI admitted that he did not have high hopes for the qualification tournament.
“Coming here I was sick for a week. I did not practice and was in bad shape. However I lifted myself.”
On his way to Paris 2024 REDZIMSKI overcame Loic STOLL of Switzerland Lubomir JANCARIK of Czechia Denislav KODJABASHEV of Bulgaria Lubomir PISTEJ of Slovakia and Eduard IONESCU of Romania before beating ROBLES.
The competition continues with Stage 3. Three more tickets in each event will be distributed tomorrow.
You can watch all the matches live on ettu.org and follow the results live here.
Pictures you can see here
