In the fifth match of the second half of the Italian men's volleyball league Serie A, 11th-placed Padova, where Takahashi Ai plays, played against 10th-placed Taranto at home on Sunday, January 22nd local time, and won 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20).
After the match, Padova's Takahashi Ai gave us a comment.
-How do you feel looking back on today's game?
Takahashi: Today's match started with my serve, and I was really happy that I was able to serve well from the very first serve, or rather, that I was in good condition. As a team, we started well, and I was able to play with momentum from the very beginning of the match. That contributed to the team's victory, and it was the catalyst for creating rhythm, so that gave me a lot of confidence. Anyway, I think Padova's good points were well displayed in today's match, and everyone was able to stay focused.
--Today you started off with two consecutive service aces, and then towards the end of the second set you had five consecutive breaks, including three aces. What was the factor that enabled you to perform so well in such crucial situations today?
Takahashi: That's a difficult question (laughs). Well, of course, my own feeling today, or rather, the fact that I was in good condition, is connected to this. I think that being able to show my strength at the crucial moment is something that I will continue to strive for in the future, and that I have always sought. When I needed one point, I was able to serve well and score a point, contributing to the team's victory. I think that this is because I was always conscious of what I want to do and was able to work with that mindset on a daily basis, and that this led to the result.
- Regarding attacks, I got the impression that tip shots (soft hits using the fingertips) were effective in today's match.
Takahashi: That's right. Throughout this season, I've been thinking about my spikes, or rather my characteristics, and of course, being able to hit the ball and score every time is very important as a spiker, but I've also felt throughout this season that spiking isn't just about hitting the ball. How can you calmly score when you need that one point? I put a lot of effort into the end, but I think it's very important to relax a little more and find the opponent's block or a weakness and hit a good spike. I'll be a reliable presence on the team, and I think the issues and necessary parts that have become apparent throughout this season are connected to that kind of tip.
- In the third set, Takahashi had a series of serve errors and seemed to slow down a bit, but OP Guzzo, who came on midway through the set, stood out. What do you think about his performance?
Takahashi: I call Guzzo Tommy, and he's one year younger than me. There are a lot of players like him in Italy, not just in Italy but all over the world, so I'm really inspired by him. I think it will be a great encouragement for Tommy to come on in the middle of the game today and contribute to the team. Tommy really helped us a lot today, so I feel like he really saved us as a team.
-Today, last place Siena won...
Takahashi: Did Siena win today?!
- I won. Didn't you know?
Takahashi: I didn't know that. They said they were playing Cisterna with the score at 1-1. Did they win?
--I didn't know that. I thought that since Siena won today, you were under even more pressure not to lose, but that wasn't the case.
Takahashi: No. When I checked, the score was 1-1, so I thought that Cisterna would win, but... Next, they have no choice but to beat Siena.
-How will you plan to play against Siena, who are on a winning streak and in good form?
Takahashi: We have no choice but to overpower them. We won today and are in great condition, so we want to keep that feeling and start strong again at our next match in Siena. Although it will be an away game, we want to create an atmosphere as if it were our home.
Photo: Author
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Match report here ↓
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