… maybe not in Tischtennis history, but for a very talented and amazing player from Werder Bremen, Hunor Szösz and finally for his Team, reaching the finals after the strongest season since a long time.
Q: Hunor, how did you get the contact to Marco?
A: My coach from Werder Bremen, Cristian Tamas and Thomas Milde, our team doctor recommended that I should work with Marco and followed me to the first meeting with him.
Q: What was the reason for you, to work with a mental coach at this point of your career?
A: The main reason was to improve my body language and the emotions during the practice and official games.
Q: How was your first impression when you met?
A: I had a really good impression at the first meeting. Right away I knew that I would like to work with him.
Q: What happened in the 1st meeting, what were talking about?
A: 1st meeting was more random. To get to know eachother, what are the goals that we should work on, to be on the same page.
Q: Was there something, that was new for your and was there something, that had an impact?
A: One of the first things that I learned is, that I should not worry about what other people think about my performance. I play for myself and as long as I am doing the best of me I should not worry about the score. I should be focused only on the actual game, on the next point.
Q: How did you perform after your meeting and your “new” mindset?.
A. My first match after we started working together was against a player playing for Muhlhusen that I have never beaten before. I played many times closed match with him but in the end I never won. This time was different. Marco was in the hall. I was focused just on the game, didn’t pop into my head 1 time what the people around me will think if I’m not playing good and it worked out perfect. I was playing smooth, everything was working out, every decision I took was the right decision and in the end I won the match 3-1.
Q: What are the most important things, you could realize for yourself until now?
A: Last year after I started working with Marco was the best season for our team. I reached the playoffs with Werder Bremen for the first time since I play here and I was bringing a big contribution for the team.
Q: Did it help you or your teammates in some situations allready?
A: For example we were playing a deciding double match at 2-2 against TTC Neu Ulm, I only played the doubles and my double partner played a single match before that he lost. When the double started he didn’t have enough confidence, he was not playing up to his level… which is normal in our sport. It is not easy to play again 1 hour after you lost a match. We were down 1-0 in sets and 7-3 in points. Instead of letting him feel the lack of confidence I was trying to find reasons to be positive, things that can relax him and not to think too much about his playing. I told him, “Come on..we fight, we ‘steal’ this set and after it is our match, we are the better double.” We managed to win the set 14-12 and after that was a totally different match. His confidence was back, we were both playing amazing and we won the double match 3-1 and the team match 3-2.
Q: What are your goals and wishes for the near future?
A: My wishes and goals are simple for the moment. First if all I am waiting for this difficult times to pass that everything to get back to normal and to start again the international tournaments. After that I’m hoping to get to top 50 in the World Ranking and of course to reach the playoffs again with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.
Thank you Hunor for this amazing inside view of a pro tischtennis player from Werder Bremen.