1956–1998
York Cemetery
Section 28 Lot 1145
Born in Yugoslavia, Zoran “Zoki” Kosanović was already a rising star in table tennis before immigrating to Canada in the late 1970s. As a member of the Yugoslavian national team, he helped secure a silver medal at the 1975 World Championships and a gold medal at the 1976 European Championships. Between 1975 and 1979, he was a five-time Yugoslavian singles champion, reaching a career-high world ranking of #7.
After moving to Toronto in 1979, Kosanović quickly became a force in Canadian and North American table tennis. He was five-time Canadian champion, multiple-time North American champion and famously won the 1982 U.S. Open, defeating Swedish star Mikael Appelgren in a thrilling five-set final despite severe back pain. At the 1981 and 1983 Commonwealth Games, he earned three silver medals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Zoki’s passion for the sport extended to coaching. In the early 1980s, he led Ontario’s table tennis team to a US Open title and later coached the Ontario Table Tennis Association and the Canadian Maccabiah team, earning multiple medals. From 1994 to 1998, he ran soccer and table tennis programs at Upper Canada College, inspiring young athletes with his dedication and skill.
Sources:
• Mount Pleasant Group – Zoran Kosanovic
• Wikipedia – Zoran Kosanović
• Find a Grave - Zoran Kosanovic
Photo: Find a Grave
