In 2017 Slovenia secured their first-ever medal at the European Team Championships by defeating Sweden in the quarter-finals of the men’s event in Luxembourg. Now led by the top-ranked European player Darko JORGIC they are embarking on the same quest at the 2023 STUPA European Championships in Malmö scheduled from the 10th to the 17th of September.
Darko who became a father to a baby boy in July decided to take a break after an exhausting season following his quarterfinals appearance in the Singles event at the European Games just before his son’s birth.
“It was a very long season packed with numerous matches both for the Slovenian team and my club. I was mentally and physically drained. After the European Games I took a break and refrained from playing or even training. After so many matches my mind was cluttered and I needed to rekindle my motivation to return to the game. I decided to pause after my defeat against Marcos FREITAS in the quarterfinals. It was one of his fantastic performances this year. He went on to win a medal in Krakow. My goal was to achieve a higher position but stopping Marcos at that point was challenging ” explained JORGIC.
The break was taken up by Darko’s new family member. “Following Poland my coach Andrea and I agreed to have a complete break not even thinking about table tennis. This hiatus lasted until August 1st when we began preparations for the Europeans. We spent five days training with the Croatian team. It’s fantastic that we had the opportunity to collaborate.”
Darko is content with his current form looking ahead to the upcoming tournament in Kazakhstan. “I feel good after the break. My body is rejuvenated and my motivation is high. I planned to peak in late August just in time for Malmö.”
Slovenia is grouped with Denmark and Türkiye. “The competition is fierce; there are no easy groups. We all remember our defeat against Denmark in the first European Games when Bojan TOKIC was still on the team. That painful loss remains in our memory but we now understand better how to play against them. Türkiye is a potentially dangerous opponent as they have nothing to lose and will play freely against both Denmark and us.”
Regarding the team’s performance JORGIC stated that a lot will hinge on the current form of Deni KOZUL and himself. Aljaz GODEC and Peter HRIBAR are also part of the team making Slovenia one of the youngest teams in Sweden. “The responsibility is significant but I am pleased that the younger players have performed well during training. They are highly motivated to present themselves in the best possible light and seize their opportunities. At some point I was pleasantly surprised.”
Speaking about his new role as a parent Darko shared “Becoming a parent has given me an extra incentive to excel in competitions. Fortunately my spouse is also from the table tennis world so she understands the demands of being a player and the extensive training required. Nonetheless I always look forward to returning home spending time with the baby and giving my wife a chance to take a break. So far I have managed well when we are alone; I truly cherish every moment spent with the baby ” said JORGIC.
