The 2014 FIVB Men’s World Championship is underway! A sumptuous opening ceremony at the Warsaw National Stadium gathered around 62 000 emphatic volleyball supporters and marked the beginning of the 18th men’s Mundial.

 

For the first time in the history of the planet’s most important volleyball tournament there was a ceremony worth following. The organizers of the Polish Volleyball Federation had promised a spectacular event all the way through long before the teams arrived in Poland. On behalf of most fans around the world, I shall say they kept their promise and did not disappoint. Watching the fully packed stadium in the capital and the enthusiasm among crowd and participants, one could not make a difference between the show on the TV screen tonight and what usually comes in terms of opening ceremonies at, let’s say, any Football World Cup. Acrobatic dancers, smiling faces, emotions, a packed stadium, colors and red-and-white flags were all just a piece of the whole picture Poland has managed to deliver. The long hours of preparation paid off and our favourite game finally received the recognition it deserves.

Actually, the ceremony itself might’ve been more interesting and fulfilling than the opening game of the 18th World Championship. The historic venue at the National Stadium was expected to offer more drama and actions, but instead the first match in the program turned out to be a one-sided affair.

Following the strategic and risky decision to leave home star Bartosz Kurek at home, the new national team head coach Stefane Antiga from France and his lads were thought to feel a lot of pressure from all these 62 000 local supporters. The shaky performance at this year’s World League, the disappointment of the 2013 European Championship, held in Poland and Denmark, and several squad rotations worried fans and management. On this opening day the organisers picked Serbia, probably the toughest rival in their Pool A, for their first opponent, which was going to make the night even more strained. Well, Poland did a fine job and are making their critics silent for the time being. Serbia was forded by 3-0.

Poland didn’t miss Bartosz Kurek yet. Besides, the experienced libero Krzysztof Ignaczak was also left out of the match 12, therefore Pawel Zatorski, a usually not so convincing receiver, had the honour to build the Polish reception. The “old dogs” Pawel Zagumny and Mariusz Wlazly didn’t take an active part during the World League, but showed once more that they can be fully trusted when it matters the most. Zagumny started the match with a few inaccuracies, but overall was impressive and outsmarted completely the Serbian block. Wlazly is surely not the same monster he used to be 6-7 years ago, but with him Antiga is assured he has a reliable opposite after the experiments in recent years with Bartman, Konarski and Bociek. The young Mateusz Mika was very stable in reception despite his height and could often kill balls against the Serbian double block. To sum up, Antiga enjoyed an evening he had never even dreamt he might have on Saturday. Now the question he has to answer is how long he can keep the momentum of his team. The most dangerous opposition until the second round was shattered, but there is more to come, especially when the tournament moves indoors as of tomorrow.

Igor Kolakovic looked very calm, regardless of the fiasco his side was experiencing from the first points on. This was surely the worst Serbian performance in years. There is not even a single element we can get our hands on. The bronze medalists of the 2013 European Championship and bronze medalists from the last World Championship in Italy four years ago looked lost, confused, unprepared and helpless against the fast Zagumny and the thirsty Polish players. Kolakovic tried all tactical variations and all outside hitters but Nemanja Petric, but there was nothing he could do to get close even in one of the sets. Three identical parts marked the total inability of Serbia to respond to what came from the other side of the net. The middle blocker Podrascanin and Lisinac, usually the strongest weapon of Serbia, made a lot of mistakes. The setters Nikola Jovovic and Vlado Petkovic both failed to find a good rhythm with the team. The reception was a disaster, Nikola Rosic seemed wandering about and even the tactical decision to start with the Milos Nikic, an otherwise reliable receiver, failed completely. Aleksandar Atanasijevic was at times the only threat, but this time he could not carry the whole team on his shoulders. One thins is certain – Serbia just cannot play worse! They will surely get through to the next round, but they need to quickly find their confidence before it gets too late.

My pick for the game’s MVP: Michal Winiarski (Poland)

Poland – Serbia 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18)

Poland: Zagumny 1, Winiarski 14, Nowakowski 7, Wlazly 12, Mika 11, Klos 7, Zatorski – libero, Konarski 1, Drzyzga
Serbia: Jovovic, N. Kovacevic 5, Podrascanin 4, Atanasijevic 11, Nikic 3, Lisinac 8, Rosic – libero, U. Kovacevic 1, Petkovic 1, Ivovic 4

Pictures: FIVB

For the first time in the history of the planet’s most important volleyball tournament there was a ceremony worth following. The organizers of the Polish Volleyball Federation had promised a spectacular event all the way through long before the teams arrived in Poland. On behalf of most fans around the world, I shall say they kept their promise and did not disappoint. Watching the fully packed stadium in the capital and the enthusiasm among crowd and participants, one could not make a difference between the show on the TV screen tonight and what usually comes in terms of opening ceremonies at, let’s say, any Football World Cup. Acrobatic dancers, smiling faces, emotions, a packed stadium, colors and red-and-white flags were all just a piece of the whole picture Poland has managed to deliver. The long hours of preparation paid off and our favourite game finally received the recognition it deserves.

Actually, the ceremony itself might’ve been more interesting and fulfilling than the opening game of the 18th World Championship. The historic venue at the National Stadium was expected to offer more drama and actions, but instead the first match in the program turned out to be a one-sided affair.

Following the strategic and risky decision to leave home star Bartosz Kurek at home, the new national team head coach Stefane Antiga from France and his lads were thought to feel a lot of pressure from all these 62 000 local supporters. The shaky performance at this year’s World League, the disappointment of the 2013 European Championship, held in Poland and Denmark, and several squad rotations worried fans and management. On this opening day the organisers picked Serbia, probably the toughest rival in their Pool A, for their first opponent, which was going to make the night even more strained. Well, Poland did a fine job and are making their critics silent for the time being. Serbia was forded by 3-0.

Poland didn’t miss Bartosz Kurek. Besides, the experienced libero Krzysztof Ignaczak was also left out of the match 12, therefore Pawel Zatorski, a usually not so convincing receiver, had the honour to build the Polish reception. The “old dogs” Pawel Zagumny and Mariusz Wlazly didn’t take and active part during the World League, but showed once more that they can be fully trusted when it matters the most. Zagumny started the match with a few inaccuracies, but overall was impressive and outsmarted completely the Serbian block. Wlazly is surely not the same monster he used to be 6-7 years ago, but with him Antiga is assured he has a reliable opposite after the experiments in recent years with Bartman, Konarski and Bociek. The young Mateusz Mika, despite his height, was very stable in reception and could often kill balls against the Serbian double block. To sum up, Antiga enjoyed an evening he had never even dreamt he might have on Saturday. Now the question he has to answer is how long he can keep the momentum of his team. The most dangerous opposition until the second round was shattered, but there is more to come, especially when the tournament moves indoors as of tomorrow.

Igor Kolakovic looked very calm, regardless of the fiasco his side was experiencing from the first points on. This was surely the worst Serbian performance in years. There is not even a single element we can get our hands on. The bronze medalists of the 2013 European Championship and bronze medalists from the last World Championship in Italy four years ago looked lost, confused, unprepared and helpless against the fast Zagumny and the thirsty Polish players. Kolakovic tried all tactical variations and all outside hitters but Nemanja Petric, but there was nothing he could do to get close even in one of the sets. Three identical parts marked the total inability of Serbia to respond to what came from the other side of the net. The middle blocker Podrascanin and Lisinac, usually the strongest weapon of Serbia, made a lot of mistakes. The setters Nikola Jovovic and Vlado Petkovic both failed to find a good rhythm with the team. The reception was a disaster, Nikola Rosic seemed wandering about and even the tactical decision to start with the Milos Nikic, an otherwise reliable receiver, failed completely. Aleksandar Atanasijevic was at times the only threat, but this time he could not carry the whole team on his shoulders. One thins is certain – Serbia just cannot play worse! They will surely get through to the next round, but they need to quickly find their confidence before it gets too late.

My pick for the game’s MVP: Michal Winiarski (Poland)

Poland – Serbia 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18)

Poland: Zagumny 1, Winiarski 14, Nowakowski 7, Wlazly 12, Mika 11, Klos 7, Zatorski – libero, Konarski 1, Drzyzga
Serbia: Jovovic, N. Kovacevic 5, Podrascanin 4, Atanasijevic 11, Nikic 3, Lisinac 8, Rosic – libero, U. Kovacevic 1, Petkovic 1, Ivovic 4

Pictures: FIVB