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Vladimir
Samsonov: Sportsmanship at the TopA note to all young players who aspire to become great table tennis players.
By Paul Kovac, International Umpire
At the recent U.S. Open/ITTF Pro Tour I umpired many good matches, but the one between Samsonov and Wosik was for me a memorable one. It was a quality match, but the reason it stood out was not because of its drama or the incredible shots the players made. I was the assistant umpire and I found the match very special, as it should have taught many players a lesson in true professionalism.
Samsonov, of course, was a clear favorite and therefore subject to more pressure than his opponent. Samsonov is a formidable opponent for every player, and when he lost the first game it looked like it would be a “no mercy” fierce fight. He then won a close second game, where he overcame Wosik’s initial lead.
In the third game, when Samsonov was winning 8-7, he made an exceptionally clever return and earned enthusiastic applause by the audience. Under the circumstances, the 9-7 lead would have most likely given him sufficient lead and momentum to win that game. As the assistant umpire, I adjusted the score on the score indicator and got ready to judge Wosik’s next service. Samsonov pointed to the score indicator suggesting that I should change the score because it was, in fact, Wosik’s point. I looked across the table, but the umpire was not helping. Wosik indicated that the 9-7 score was correct and was ready to serve, but Samsonov insisted that the score be changed.
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