Marcos Freitas

Two matches completed, two wins and both full distance nail-biting successes. It is for Portugal dreamland at the Liebherr World Team Championships in Moscow, Russia, when the young Portugal’s team won yesterday North Korea and today Austria’s team, both with 3:2. On the first day of play Marcos Freitas beat North Korea’s Jang Song Man to secure victory for Portugal; he won in three straight games with the margins of 11-7, 11-6, 11-9.

One day later on Monday 24th May 2010, he was in exactly the same position and once again he responded; only this time he kept the whole crowd in the Olimpijsky Sports Complex on tenterhooks. In the contest against Austria, he recovered from a two-games to one deficit against Robert Gardos to secure victory on his fifth match point, 15-13 in the crucial fifth game. Portugal celebrated, Austria sat dumfounded. Marcos Freitas was once again the hero but the whole of the Iberian Peninsula must take their hats off to the splendid Tiago Apolónia. Against North Korea he remained unbeaten, he won both his matches; in opposition to Austria, he did exactly the same. The three wins for Portugal all came in five games duels whilst for Austria their wins were more comfortable. Werner Schlager beat Marcos Freitas in straight games whilst in one game more Chen Weixing defeated João Monteiro. The happy delighted coach Ricardo Faria, is the Portuguese Men’s team head coach, it was an understatement, his smile stretched from Funchal to Lisbon across the Atlantic Ocean. Tiago and Marcos are in good shape and João is recovering from injury. Today he lost to Chen Weixing but that was a really hard match for him, lots of long rallies against defence. Not having played that much he is really tired but he fought, he gave his best playing and he gave his best cheering Marcos Freitas to victory. In the fifth game when Marcos was playing with Robert Gardos he was leading 9-8 Marcos Freitas remained calm and he took a risk. He served long, Robert Gardos reacted and levelled at 9-all before the Portuguese star had his first match point at 10-9. It was saved and three more were saved by Gardos and one by Freitas before the contest ended. A tremendous duel was at an end, it was the match of the tournament to date; the heart bled for Robert Gardos, the tears welled for Portugal, tears of unbridled joy. Portugal currently share top place in their group alongside Hong Kong who recorded a three-nil win over North Korea with Li Ching, Tang Peng and Cheung Yuk overcoming the trio of Kim Hyok Bong, Ri Chol Guk and Kim Nam Chol by three matches to nil.

Tomorrow the three Portuguese players will have a very difficult duel since they will defeat Hong Kong’s at 4:30 am (GMT +3).

Photo: by courtesy of ITTF