The Polish men's national volleyball team completed a sweep of three victories at the Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial tournament in Krakow, giving head coach Nikola Grbic crucial answers ahead of the upcoming European Championship.
Poland secured wins against Slovenia by 3-2, the United States by 3-1, and France by 3-1 despite playing under severe physical fatigue following intensive training sessions in Zakopane.
Grbic expressed satisfaction with the team's patience and tactical discipline during the tournament as he worked to resolve key roster questions caused by injuries to senior players.
The squad followed a demanding routine in Krakow, lifting heavy weights in the gym each morning before taking to the court against top international opponents in the evening.
Outside hitter Kamil Semeniuk, currently in his fifth consecutive season under Grbic, said that the players arrived knowing they would have to scrape their knees on the floor due to physical exhaustion.
Semeniuk, who plays club volleyball for Sir Safety Perugia, remarked that the August training block in Zakopane always felt like being buried under weights, adding that freshness could currently only be found in shower gel.
Slovenia followed a similar heavy training program in Krakow, with all teams targeting medals at the continental tournament at the end of September currently dealing with heavy legs.
Libero Maksymilian Granieczny noted that the squad needed to perform regardless of how they felt, explaining that winning is easy when everything functions smoothly but tournament play requires competing under difficult conditions.
Training Errors and Match Tactics
Setter Marcin Komenda, serving his second consecutive year as Poland's first-choice setter, stated that not all errors in Krakow could be excused by heavy training loads.
Komenda added that elements failing one week could reach a completely different level the next, emphasizing that there was no reason to panic and expressing confidence that the squad would be optimally prepared for the European Championship.
Outside hitter Wilfredo Leon maintained complete composure throughout the memorial, while Grbic commended the team's ability to stay patient during difficult moments.
Grbic explained that the opening match against Slovenia was challenging because the players lacked rhythm after coming directly from workouts in Zakopane.
Reviewing the victory over France, Grbic said he instructed his players to wait for their opportunities against strong French serving, noting that maintaining such high intensity for two and a half hours is extremely difficult for any opponent.
Middle Blocker Rotation and Roster Strategy
Grbic is waiting to learn whether he can take a 15-player squad to the European Championship, even though official tournament rules limit registered rosters to 14 players.
Having utilized an expanded training squad at the previous European Championship with middle blocker Mateusz Poreba, Grbic wants two full six-player lineups available during practice sessions throughout the tournament.
Former middle blocker Jakub Majchrzak is expected to fill the extra training role unless injury issues force a change in plans.
Middle blocker Bartlomiej Lemanski suffered an ankle injury early in Friday's match against Slovenia at 5-7 in the opening set, though the injury was confirmed as minor and he is expected to resume training shortly.
The 30-year-old, who stands 2.17 metres tall and returned to the national team after a seven-year absence, noted that May training sessions in Spala were more physically demanding than the August workouts in Zakopane.
Lemanski has formed a middle blocking partnership with Szymon Jakubiszak this summer following health issues for core middle blockers Jakub Kochanowski and Mateusz Bieniek, as well as Norbert Huber's decision to resign from the national team prior to call-ups.
Kochanowski, an Olympic silver medallist in Paris and 2018 world champion who attended Saturday's match against the United States as a guest, said that the other middle blockers sensed an opportunity to fight for starting spots.
Among those contenders is 21-year-old Jakub Nowak, who debuted last year and delivered strong blocks in Sunday's victory over France while continuing to rebuild after an injury-plagued club season.
Nowak stated after the match that he feels better with every appearance and benefits greatly from gaining match time on the court.
Grbic praised Majchrzak's effectiveness, noting that although his technique is not the finest in the world, his execution at the net, block positioning, and serving provide strong contributions.
Opposite Hitters and Tactical Adjustments
Opposite hitter Kewin Sasak is also working his way back to form after an injury-interrupted club season, recording his best performance of the summer in Saturday's win over the United States.
Grbic noted that Sasak needs court time to regain top form and expressed hope that the attacker will continue to build on his performance during the upcoming championship.
Bartlomiej Boladz has established himself as Poland's main option at opposite hitter during the absence of Bartosz Kurek, maintaining strong form over recent months.
Boladz experienced his only minor setback during the Nations League final a month ago when Grbic shifted Leon to the opposite position, but Boladz faces his key test in four weeks when the European Championship reaches its final stage.
Squad Depth and Upcoming Schedule
Outside hitter Aleksander Sliwka, who assumed the captain's armband from Kurek, continues his recovery after suffering a severe foot injury in July last year that kept him out until February.
Semeniuk, a four-time Champions League winner, continues to start on the bench behind Leon and Tomasz Fornal despite his strong substitute appearances, including a key contribution against Slovenia.
Semeniuk remarked that while every player wants to start, he accepts his role, puts pride aside, and remains ready in the starting blocks whenever called upon to help the team win.
The Polish squad gathers in Spala on Tuesday for several days of training before relocating to Gdansk on Friday.
Poland will play a final warm-up match against Finland in Gdansk on Saturday before flying to Sofia for the European Championship.
