31/03/2021 14:30
‘Granisimo’ extends contract with BR Volleys until 2023
News from the clubs
Berlin, Germany, March 31, 2021. Sergey Grankin will continue to provide fans of the BERLIN Recycling Volleys and the German Bundesliga with Russian setting delicacies in the future. For a good two years now, the 2012 Olympic champion has been putting his stamp on the game of the team from the German capital city. He intends to continue doing so in the next two seasons as well. Grankin was able to prove what the 36-year-old exceptional player still has in his tank just recently in the play-off semi-final against Düren and wants to confirm that again in the final matches against VfB Friedrichshafen – with the eagerly anticipated championship series starting on April 8.
“Sergey was a stroke of luck for us two years ago. It was a good fit right from the start. The fact that he feels so comfortable in Germany and Berlin speaks for our work. The fact that we now want to keep him proves what a fine guy and great player he is,” says Kaweh Niroomand on the contract extension with the Russian setter until 2023. For the BR Volleys general manager, this is particularly about continuity in the Berlin squad: “After this period of coincidences, we want to create planning security early on for the coming season, which will hopefully bring some normality again. The extension of the contract with Sergey is a strong signal to the fans and for our partners.”
American opposite Benjamin Patch had already extended his contract by three years in February. He is not only a good friend of Grankin, but also one of those who always benefit from the pinpoint passes that once earned the Russian the nickname ‘Granisimo’ by his teammates (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/granisimo/). His stay in Berlin was not really up for debate in the past few months for the player who became the captain of the BR Volleys in the summer of 2020: “I have not seriously thought about a change. I love our team, the club and the city. I had intensive talks with Kaweh and ultimately we agreed on a two-year contract.”
In his first BR Volleys season, back in 2018/2019, Grankin joined the team in January, but played an immense part in winning the tenth German championship title from the day he arrived. Although the long-time Dinamo Moscow player was also able to celebrate an important triumph in the following year with the national Cup 2020, the coronavirus pandemic ended the domestic winning streak of his team. In the current season, the success story between the German club and the 2012 Olympic champion was also not without problems. First, the Russian had to do without the audience he usually sweeps from the stands with his extraordinary ball skills. After that, a torn muscle injury put him out of action from mid-November. “This injury was tough for him. After that, he acted somewhat cautiously. Since a few weeks and especially in the last two games against Düren, Sergey radiated his usual calmness and sovereignty again,” Kaweh Niroomand saw the captain regain his old strength.
After three seasons, none of which went perfect, the Russian hopes for “finally a year without incidents with fans and everything that goes with it”. So he will get at least two more chances at that in Berlin: “But before I think about the next few years, I really want to win the title that is still up for grabs with this team!”
Grankin & Co gained the self-confidence to achieve this goal in the playoffs: “We gained tremendous energy as a team in the semi-finals against Düren, also due to the opportunity to play in front of spectators. We feel ready for the final.” In two years, Grankin will be 38 years old, which in the life of a professional athlete inevitably raises the question of ending his career: “Yes, of course at my age you deal with the idea of quitting and enjoying family life at home. But Volleyball has always been my life and it will certainly remain so for a while.”
Play-off finals in Germany | VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN vs. BERLIN Recycling Volleys – Best-of-five series
Game 1 | 08.04.2021 | 18:00 CET | in Friedrichshafen
Game 2 | 11.04.2021 | 17:00 CET | in Berlin
Game 3 | 15.04.2021 | 18:00 CET | in Friedrichshafen
*Game 4 | 18.04.2021 | 17:00 CET | in Berlin
*Game 5 | 22.04.2021 | 17:30 CET | in Friedrichshafen
*if there is no winning team yet
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