Result: Germany-Egypt 3-1 (25-14, 26-24, 17-25, 25-19)
Christian Fromm played as an outside hitter from the second set to the end of the match.
Toshiki: How do you feel looking back on today's game?
Fromm: Of course I was happy to play and happy to win again, but I think we could have played better. Especially in the third set, we gave them a chance to take control. They were taking more risks and we had the quality as a team to counter that and not let the match go. But we lost steam a little bit and didn't take as many risks as they did. So they started scoring and we had to come back, but in the end we proved that we were the better team and I'm very happy about that.
Toshiki: What do you think you gained from this tournament?
Fromm: First of all, we can play against the best teams. We had a chance to beat Poland, the number one team in the world (Germany lost 2-3 to Poland in this tournament). That's where we are. We have a great team. If we just believe in ourselves and give it our all on the day of the game, anything is possible.
Toshiki: Germany and Japan will be playing in the opening match of the Paris Olympics. What do you think about that?
Fromm: I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a great match. The Japanese team is very strong and very good. And I think we're ready for this match. We've already proven that we can compete with Japan, and it was a tough match with a full set in Japan. I believe we can beat Japan. But we'll have to play our best volleyball to do that, and it'll be a tough match because it starts at 9am. I think the team that is more awake and wants to win will have a better chance of winning.
TOSHIKI: During the VNL Fukuoka tournament, it seemed like you and Nishida Yushi had built a really good relationship.
Fromm: Yes, it's great. Unfortunately we only played together for three months (Nishida and Fromm were teammates at Vibo Valentia in Italy in the 2021/22 season), but we had a lot of fun every day at practice and so on. He's a really nice guy, not only on the court but also off the court. I'm very happy to have met him and I look forward to seeing him again in Paris. He's a great player and a great person.
Toshiki: What did you talk about with Nishida in Fukuoka?
Fromm: We talked about the tournament, how it was run, where we went, how we were doing, etc. We also talked about how little time we each have off (laughs). He has a wife now, and we talked about how much we miss our families. We also talked about normal things, not just volleyball. He's fun and always positive, so I really love him.
Toshiki: You spent time in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture during the Nations League and then in Shiwa, Iwate Prefecture for a training camp. What was Japan like?
Fromm: It was great. I can't think of anything that wasn't great. The people were very friendly and nice, and everything was well organized. It was a great two weeks. I definitely want to come back. It's a great country, great people, and I'd love to come back for a normal vacation, even if it wasn't for volleyball. It's a shame I haven't been able to come to Japan much so far, but I've had a great time every day this year. I really want to come back.
Photo: Author
[PR] "ALL for DREAM -Footsteps to Glory- Japan Volleyball National Team Nations League 2024" will be available on U-NEXT from July 27th (Sat.)
A documentary program that closely follows the unknown behind-the-scenes of the "Volleyball Nations League 2024" and traces the fierce battles will be streamed on U-NEXT.
[Distribution date and time]
July 27th (Saturday) 5pm Boys #1 Boys #2
August 3rd (Saturday) 5pm Women's #1
Saturday, August 10th 5pm Women's #2
Saturday, August 24th 5pm Men's #3
Saturday, August 31st 5pm Women's #3
September 7th (Saturday) 5pm Men's #4
Saturday, September 14th 5pm Women's #4
(Quoted from TBS TV release)
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