Belarus and Japan emerged victorious in the first round matches in the main draw of the men’s event at the Liebherr World Team Championships in Moscow on Thursday 27th May 2010 to book their places in the last eight.

Rejuvenated after their victories against Portugal and Hong Kong, one day earlier, Belarus overcame Poland whilst Japan defeated Austria.

At the quarter-final stage Belarus meets top seeds China whilst Japan confronts fourth seeds, Hong Kong.

Both are mouth watering matches.

The duel between Japan and Austria started with Werner Schlager versus Kaii Yoshida was very much the thinker against the man who wears his heart on his sleeve; the Austrian consistently directed his attacks towards the backhand of the Japanese penholder in an attempt to prevent the Asian star unleashing his mighty forehand.

Schlager enjoyed success he established a two games to one lead but it was an advantage on which was unable to capitalise.

Yoshida, heart and soul, trailed 6-9 in the fifth game; he reduced the arrears to 8-9; Austrian coach Ferenc Karsai called “Time Out”. The break worked but not for Werner Schlager.

Kaii Yoshida won the next two points and sank to his knees in emotion before saluting the Japanese supporters; Schlager walked away disconsolately.

Next into the arena came Chen Weixing and Jun Mizutani.

Surely, Mizutani after his two wins against Germany and also being left handed was the clear favourite?

He was able to direct his forehand across the diagonal into the backhand of the right handed defender Chen Weixing; however, Chen Weixing, vastly experienced had other ideas.

A defender? Well, he scampered about the court like a two year old, using his forehand topspin at every opportunity to win a mammoth first game 20-18!

He took the second 12-10 before Mizutani responded to level at two games all. Gradually, the momentum was swinging in favour of Japan but Chen Weixing, possibly playing in his last World Championships dare I suggest, gave his all.

At 6-all, the gladiators were level. However, Mizutani, the younger player had more reserves of energy, Chen Weixing was tiring from the effort made yet he defended with valour as Mizutani mounted a tirade of forehand topspins.

Jun Mizutani captured the fifth game, two close matches had been completed, both had gone in favour of Japan; the rising sun supporters celebrated.

The momentum was now very much with Japan with Seiya Kishikawa to face Robert Gardos; as always the Austrian gave his best but it was not to be.

Victory went to Japan, a quarter-final place was booked.

Against Austria, Kaii Yoshida had given Japan the perfect start, against Poland

Vladimir Samsonov gave Belarus the perfect start.

He beat 20 year old Patryk Chojnowski in three straight games; simply Vladimir Samsonov held all the answers and of course he is no stranger to the big stage; as for the young rising Polish star, he has experienced success at junior level but in Moscow it was very much into the lion’s den.

Do the simple thing well and keep things simple; that was the formula for Evgueni Chtchetinine against Daniel Gorak. Defending for his life, Evgueni Chtchetinine created a brick wall which gradually broke the heart of the Polish star.

The patience of Gorak was tested to the limit and in trying to penetrate the defensive shield, he made errors and lost confidence; conversely Evgueni Chtchetinine gained in confidence as he strove every sinew to effect returns using heavy backspin defensive techniques.

In three straight games he succeeded.

Belarus, who after their third series of matches had only one win to their credit having been soundly beaten by North Korea were now just one win away from a place in the quarter-finals.

There was a new found confidence in the Belarus camp.

Into the arena for Belarus came their relatively new found hero Pavel Platonov, he might not be the most attractive or dynamic of players with his rather upright style which might force many coaches to recommend a lower body position.

However, there is more than one way to play table tennis and above all, Platonov is an ice cool customer; he appears slow in his movements, long in traditional eastern European manner but like his compatriot Vladimir Samsonov, his control over a table tennis ball is of a high order.

Platonov ahead by two games to one, trailed 8-9 in the fourth game, the stage at which medical assistance had be called for Bartosz Such, who had seemingly turned over his ankle and was in distinct discomfort.

After a break of some 10 minutes Such returned, Platonov was not in a sympathetic frame of mind, serving from the centre of the table with the backhand in true Samsonov style to reduce the angles, Platonov secured the fourth game.

Belarus had secured a quarter-final place.