Killerspin’s 24 year old Mark Hazinski was the man in form at the U.S. National Trials held at the Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth on Thursday 4th and Friday 5th March 2010.

The powerful right hander showed no mercy on his opponents, winning the Men’s Singles event without ever being extended the full seven games distance.

It was a superb performance and it secures tall American, originally from Indiana but now resident in Texas, a place in the United States Men’s Team for the forthcoming Liebherr World Team Championships. to be staged in the Russian capital city of Moscow from Sunday 23rd to Sunday 30th May 2010.

At the penultimate stage he proved too strong for teenager Michael Landers securing a five games victory (11-4, 11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6), before recovering from an opening game deficit to beat Shao Yu by a similar margin (7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6).

Unknown Quantity

Michael Landers was very much the unknown quantity; at the Pan American Youth Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, held in the Central American country of El Salvador in early February, Landers failed by the very narrowest of margins the secure qualification for the prestigious tournament to be staged in Singapore in August.

Three single elimination tournaments with only the winner progressing, Landers was twice the runner up and twice the runner up in seven games; in the first instance it was at the hands of Ecuador’s Rodrigo Tapia in the second case against Argentina’s Pablo Saragovi.

Close to the Net

Against Pablo Tapia, the Ecuadorian was the superior player close to the net; a fact Mark Hazinski found to his advantage.

“I felt my short game was better than his, so I would use that to get the first attack and try to overpower him”, explained a delighted Mark Hazinski. “Yes, he was somewhat of an unknown quantity for me, it’s the first time I’d ever played him.”

Nevertheless, Hazinski had the edge in the experience stakes and it showed.

Familiar Foe

Furthermore, beating Landers comfortably, before facing an adversary against whom he was familiar, gave the Killerspin star an injection of confidence.

“When I played against Shao Yu I basically tried to stay away from his backhand because it is very strong and just attack his middle and forehand”, said Mark Hazinski. “I have played Shao many times before and I have never lost to him but we have had some very close matches.”

Convincing

Close matches in the past but not in Forth Worth; it was a convincing performance.

The Liebherr World Team Championships in the Olimpijsky Sports Complex, Luzhniki, Moscow awaits.