Deni Kozul: All you need to know about Sharath Kamal’s opponent in table tennis Round of 64 at Paris Olympics 2024
Born in Slovenia in 1997, Deni Kozul is currently ranked 126th in the ITTF World Rankings in the men’s singles category. Though he made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he suffered a first-round exit in both men's singles and doubles events.
Kozul will be up against Sharath Kamal, the Indian veteran table tennis player. Though Kamal’s experience will be the key in this encounter, Kozul would be aiming to turn the tables after suffering a defeat to the Indian paddler in WTT Feeder Budapest in 2022.
Kozul started playing table tennis when he was 8. He won multiple youth tournaments and played for multiple clubs outside Slovenia. His most recent achievement was propelling the men’s team to the Round of 16 in the World Team Championships in 2024.
Deni Kozul's medals and achievements
European Youth Championship 2015
Junior team: Bronze Medal
Junior Doubles: Gold Medal
European Championship 2016
Men’s team: Bronze Medal
European Membership Championship 2017
Men’s team: Bronze Medal
European U21 Championship 2017
Men’s Singles: Bronze Medal
Mediterranean Games 2018
Men’s team: Gold Medal
Mediterranean Games
Men’s team: Gold Medal
World Team Championships 2024
Men’s team: Round of 16
Deni Kozul's world rankings
Slovenia's 27-year-old paddler Deni Kozul has a World ranking of 126 in the latest ITTF Rankings. He has a year-to-date win-loss of 58 percent.
Deni Kozul vs Sharath Kamal: Head to Head
Deni Kozul competed with Achanta Sharath Kamal once in WTT Feeder Budapest in July 2022. However, the Indian veteran paddler came out on top by 4-1 (8-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9).
Deni Kozul's recent records
Deni Kozul was part of the men's singles and men's doubles events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, losing both events in the first round to South Korean paddlers.
Deni Kozul's Olympic qualification
Slovenia's men's team made the cut for the Paris Olympics 2024 via the Road to Paris ITTF World Rankings. Peter Hribar, Darko Jorgic, and Deni Kozul will represent Slovenia at the Games in Paris. This will be the second Olympic appearance after Tokyo 2020 for Kozul.
Deni Kozul vs Sharath Kamal match details
Deni Kozul will lock horns with Achanta Sharath Kamal in a Round of 64 encounter at the Paris Olympics 2024 at South Paris Arena 4 Table 4 on Sunday, July 28 at 3:00 PM IST.