Umag, Croatia, June 22, 2013 – Two years ago they won bronze at the Youth World Championships in Umag, and this time Canada’s Grant O’Gorman and Aaron Nusbaum are eager to go better. On Saturday they reached the semifinals of the U21 World Championships in Umag after three wins in the elimination rounds.
“It was tough run. It had to be three in a row today”, Nusbaum said. “And two ended in a tiebreak.” The most memorable match was the elimination of Brazil’s top team Fabio and Saymon (19-21 21-15 15-10). “After going down in the first set we refocused and executed at the right time. But it was probably the hardest match we ever played.”
Short on blockers
O’Gorman and Nusbaum usually don’t play together, only in the age group events. They are both defenders. “We are short on blockers in Canada, we are lacking stall specimens, you know.”
It did not stop them from claiming a final four spot after their last win over German qualifiers Max Betzien and Max-Jonas Karpa, again in three sets (21-16 12-21 15-10). “We came down very smooth in this game, but lost the second. We just refocused and went back to what we were doing in the first.
In the semifinal they are up against Russia’s Viacheslav Kirienko and Dmitry Uraikin, last year’s bronze medallists at the Youth World Championships. “Tomorrow is a brand new day”, Nusbaum commented. “We are going to have a good rest, refocus and we will be back tomorrow.”
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