Por CBTM
Seventeen year old Sanja PAUKOVIC made a very promising start to her campaign in the Women's Singles event at Liebherr Croatian Open on Tuesday 24th January 2006.
In the opening round, in her hometown of
A fine performance and one which must give her confidence when she plays Australia's MIAO Miao in the match to determine the group winner on Wednesday 25th January 2006.
Sanja PAUKOVIC is a player who has undoubtedly benefited from playing on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in 2005. She is a fearsome attacking player with a particularly strong forehand and at the World Junior Circuit Finals in the Dominican Republic in late October 2005 she was one of the most impressive players on duty.
She finished the year in seventh place on the ITTF World Junior Circuit Girls' Singles Standings, her best tournament of the year being the Morocco Junior Open when she was in blistering form. She won the Girls' Singles title beating Egypt's Reem EL-SHOUBARY in the quarters, Brazil's Mariany NONAKA in the semis and her Croatian colleague Suncica VUGRINEC in the final. The latter also had been very impressive by overcoming Egypt's Sara ABDUL-AZIZ in the quarters and Jordan's Zeina SHABAN in the semis.
However, just as the sun shone brightly in Santo Domingo, so Sanja PAUKOVIC shone in the Pabellón de Tenis de Mesa, the venue for the ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals. She started the first stage of the tournament ranked number four in Group B, she finished the first stage ranked number one. Positive from the very first point in each game, totally focused, she beat the Dominican Republic's Lucia FRANCISCO, Sweden's Madeleine MELCHER, Canada's ZHANG Mo, Romania's Elizabeta SAMARA (the eventual champion) and Spain's Sara RAMÍREZ.
It was a tremendous performance and ensured her a semi-final place where defeat at the hands of an in form Sara RAMÍREZ was to end her progress and thus the bronze medal was to be her lot.
"It was my best tournament ever", said Sanja PAUKOVIC. "It was a strong tournament, the best Europeans were there, also there was Zeina SHABAN from Jordan and Yuri YAMANASHI of Japan; they are all really good players." The matches were hard fought but watching Sanja PAUKOVIC play was a delight; granted she made mistakes but more often than not those errors came from being positive and as she improves I'm sure those mistakes will be lessened. It was her attitude, her positive attitude than shone through.
"She works hard in training and she has improved", added Croatian Women's Team coach, Neven CEGNAR. "In some ways she's similar to Tamara BOROS, one hundred per cent concentration, total commitment, every ball she plays is one hundred per cent, the signs for the future are very good."
High praise and well deserved praise, she is a player any coach would be pleased to have in their team. "Last year, playing on the World Junior Circuit helped, every tournament helps", explained Sanja PAUKOVIC. "I think my first topspin is now much better and certainly I'm stronger mentally."
Sanja PAUKOVIC plays for the Taes Table Tennis Club in Zagreb and at the moment she is the lady with the best playing average in the league; when not training at her club she is with the national team and then has the opportunity to train with Tamara BOROS. "She always helps me", said Sanja PAUKOVIC. "It's always good to practise with her and her experience is invaluable."
Practising with someone as dedicated as Tamara BOROS must benefit any aspiring young player, BOROS is one of the most dedicated of dedicated players and simply being in such company must have positive effects.
On Tuesday 4th January 2006 Sanja PAUKOVIC was once again in impressive form and she gained in confidence as the contest progressed. "The first match in a tournament is never easy", she said. "Trying to settle down and just play took a little time, the first two games were close but after that I was more relaxed."
The immediate target for Sanja PAUKOVIC is the Europe Junior Top Twelve. "This year will be the first time I've ever played in the European Junior Top Tweve," she said. "I hope I can do well but it will be very difficult with people like Elizabeta SAMARA and Szandra PERGEL playing."
Succeeding at junior level may be the immediate goal for the charming and extremely well mannered Sanja PAUKOVIC and that's quite understandable but she shows the qualities to succeed in a higher stratosphere. Surely she is a player with an exciting senior career ahead.
Furthermore, perhaps there is a good sign for senior success; Austria's LIU Jia is the reigning European Women's Singles champion and she has one fact in common with Sanja PAUKOVIC; they share the same birthday, is that an omen for the future?
Source: www.ittf.com
