POLISH OPEN 2014 – 4th straight Challenge title for Polish men

Adam Cwalina and Przemyslaw Wacha made their title defense at the 2014 Polish Open their fourth straight International Challenge victory, while Russia’s Nina Vislova completed yet another two-title performance.

Story and photos by Janusz Rudziński, Badzine Poland

As with last year’s Polish Open, in Warsaw on Sunday, Poland was hoping for glory in the men’s and mixed doubles.  As it turned out, though, the only title for the home team was won by Adam Cwalina and Przemyslaw Wacha (pictured top).  In the final, they had no problem against Russians Khakimov and Kuznetsov.

“We got into our stride,” said Wacha afterwards.  “I’ve had some health problems lately: we didn’t start in the German Open, then we played a good match against the Japanese pair at the All England and did very poorly in the Swiss Open. So now I see we are slowly going back on course.”

In the other matchup between Russia and Poland, Nina Vislova (pictured right with Anastasia Chervaykova) was seen picking up her first of two titles, a performance she had already pulled off recently in both Estonia and Switzerland.  The mixed victory came at the expense of defending champion Robert Mateusiak and his new partner Agnieszka Wojtkowska, who were unable to finish the match.  For Vislova, the victory versus the Japanese women’s pair was especially spectacular.

When recent Swiss Open winner Viktor Axelsen withdrew shortly before the start of the Yonex Polish Open – where he was the top seed- it was left to Brice Leverdez (pictured below) of France – the #2 seed – to find his way, logically, to win the title in men’s singles.  But the Frenchman was tired after his first day of the tournament when he had to play two matches in singles and one in doubles.

“I was able to manage all of my matches mostly, mentally.  I was working very hard mentally to keep my concentration,” Leverdez told Badzine after the final.

“My hardest match was against [Bjorn Seguin] because he had nothing to lose and for me it was a very stressful match because if I won this match, it would mean I would be seeded in the European Championships in a month, while if I had lost that match I would have had to reach at least the semi–finals next week at the French International to keep my seeding,” explained Leverdez.

“The French team chose this tournament because it is only two hours from France and it was in a good time for us to come here, one month before the European Championships, so all the best French players were here. And the team did O.K. It was not a really strong draw here. We still miss some really good players to win some tournaments in doubles but it’s getting better and better.

“Throughout the tournament, I was unable to play my best game but I think in the final, I really had all the game right and I could control my opponent so it was a very good final for me and a good tournament of course,” stressed Leverdez.

Yuka Kusunose of Japan (pictured right with coach Nunung Subandoro) reached the top of the podium in Poland for the first time.  It was her first international tournament victory since the Smiling Fish International Series in Thailand back in 2011, which was just a few weeks after her last final here in Poland.  However, both of those were long before she had her miracle run to the final of last year’s U.S. Open Grand Prix Gold.

“We are very happy,” said her Hokuto Bank team coach, Indonesian Nunung Subandoro.  “Yuka started in Białystok 3 years ago when in final she lost to Ukrainian Larisa Griga. But now this is a good, next step in the world rankings and also towards starts in Grand Prix or Grand Prix Gold and then in next year in Superseries events.”

Final results
XD: Vitalij Durkin / Nina Vislova (RUS) [2] beat Robert Mateusiak / Agnieszka Wojtkowska (POL) [1]   21-15, 16-7, Retired
MS: Brice Leverdez (FRA) [2] beat Rasmus Fladberg (DEN)    21-6, 21-16
MD: Adam Cwalina / Przemyslaw Wacha (POL) [1] beat Nikita Khakimov / Vasily Kuznetsov (RUS) [3]  21-10, 21-11
WD: Anastasia Chervaykova / Nina Vislova (RUS) [3] beat Ayane Kurihara / Naru Shinoya (JPN)  15-21, 21-17, 22-20
WS: Yuka Kusunose (JPN) [6] beat Chisato Hoshi (JPN)  21-13, 21-18

Click here for complete, detailed results