World Ping Pong Championships: Maxim Shmyrev stays on course for a fourth title
Saturday 24 January 2015 21:45, UK
Defending champion Maxim Shmyrev reached the last 16 of the World Ping Pong Championship as he attempts to secure a fourth title at Alexandra Palace.
The 43-year-old Russian cruised to a 2-0 win over Sweden’s Mats Kaellberg in the knockout stages, setting up a meeting with Sule Olaleye of Luxembourg.
In the group stages, the man from Moscow was made to work for a 2-1 win over Poland’s Filip Syzmanski, but displayed his usual dominance against Kaellberg.
“I enjoy this competition, I enjoy the spectators, they always support me,” ‘Magic’ Maxim told Sky Sports.
“This is a really good challenge to participate here in London and I’m here with my daughter, it’s her first time in London. I enjoy every moment.
“It’s more difficult to win every match for me because everybody fights against me, because everybody knows who I am and it’s difficult.
“But I will fight for me and my daughter and for the good atmosphere here. I’ll do my best.”
There will be a strong British quartet on the concluding day, with last year's semi-finalist Andrew Rushton securing his place with a 2-0 win over Egle Adomelyte.
Scotland's Gavin Rumgay provided plenty of entertainment, ousting Syzmanski in the last 32, while English duo Christopher Doran and Andrew Baggaley joined him in the next stage.
But fourteen-year-old Vlad Farcas emerged as one of the tournament’s unlikely stars, battling through the group stages to capture the crowd’s support in the capital.
The pint-sized Romanian booked his place in the knockout stages with a 2-1 win over Hungarian Ferenc Turei, but bowed out to sympathetic cheers after a 2-0 defeat against Bulgarian Steve Bovenisty.
You can watch the final day of the World Ping Pong Championship on Sunday, starting at 12.30pm on Sky Sports 3.
