Utrecht – The Latvian team Plavins/Tocs has placed itself quite easy for the 8th final. In a unilateral match the Russian team Sivolap/Yarzutkin was beat twice with 21-14. Due to their victory a meeting with the Swiss team Beeler/Krattinger is on the programme for the Letts. That match will be played tomorrow in Utrecht.
It is not a surprise that the Letts won so easily. In the pool they ended second while the Russians had to struggle hardly to be placed for the following rounds. On the World’s Ranking List the Letts occupy sixty five places higher than their opponents.
While the clouds slowly, slowly made place for the sun on Neude and the gallery became fuller, it was taken into account that this would be a quick match. As of the first ball this forcast could become true. These men from Eastern-Europe took a quick advance of 5-1, noticed the Russians to come along, but the Letts stared to play a bit more careful and in particular the tall Tocs on the net made regularly the difference. Also attacking he was not to stop due to which a simple 21-14 was show on the scoreboard.. This image did nog change during the second set.
Losing the first set caused dark faces of the Russians and halfway the confidence in a good result faded away. This was at first due to the fact that Tocs on the net could not be passed and his attacking play remains good. Martin Plavins, the most experienced man and winner of the bronze medal in 2012, concluded that it all was good and he was satisfied afterwards: “We are satisfied with our play, the difference of today compared with yesterday was our good attacking play and we also are glad that we have left the ship and can sleep in a hotel,” he said with a smile.