The fans who filled the hall in Radom almost to the last place on Saturday watched the long match. The Ukrainians set difficult conditions in the first set and took the lead. The world champions had mastered the situation and were close to winning 3: 1, but ultimately they needed a tie-break to win.
What was the impact of the fatigue of Polish volleyball players on this course of the match? Even before the meeting with the Polish camp, one could hear voices saying that the last training sessions of the staff were very hard. Grbić admitted it after the match, vividly describing the condition of his players.
– We trained for seven days in a row. Usually there is a break after three days, but recently we only skipped the morning classes and then added loads in the afternoon classes. So the volleyball players are exhausted – says Grbić.
Poland – Ukraine 3: 2. Game highlights. VIDEO (Polsat Sport)/Polsat Sport/Polsat Sport
This is not the time for top form? “We don’t cheat organisms”
This is why the Serbian trainer replaced the entire squad during the meeting with Ukraine. The game was started by the top six with Bartosz Kurek or Kamil Semeniuk. From the third party to the end of the game, however, the substitutes played, incl. Tomasz Fornal and Karol Kłos. Only Semeniuk i Alexander Śliwka they were entering point changes – to strengthen the service and increase the block.
– When it comes to the meeting, adrenaline gives you extra “power”, but we can’t fool the organisms. This is not the time to jump one meter up. It will come with time in the next meetings – emphasizes Semeniuk, who greatly helped his colleagues from the second six with strong websites. The world champions, however, did not justify fatigue. For example, Kurek, the captain of the team, emphasized that the Ukrainians played a very good match on Saturday.
Two days off for Polish volleyball players. They were almost “on the edge”
Grbić is aware of the form of their volleyball players and that they need rest. After the meeting with Ukraine, he gave the team two days off, most of the volleyball players went straight from Radom to meet their relatives.
– The last week was long and difficult, we brought the volleyball players almost to the edge. But step by step we see an improvement, especially in defense. And this is extremely important to us. Everyone is trying, they give their best. Anyone can still improve a bit in service, defense, attack. A lot of details remained – describes Grbić.
Sunday and Monday are the last such loose days of volleyball players before the World Cup. The team will meet in Krakow, where the Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial will start on Thursday with a match against Iran. Three days after the end of the “white and red” tournament, there is still a sparring match with Argentina in Katowice, where On August 26, they will start the game to defend the gold medal from four and eight years ago.