Asian Championships - Star Names Progress but Second Round Witnesses Thrilling Duels

Created on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 13:21

The leading names all made untroubled starts to their campaigns in the Men’s Singles event at the Asian Championships in Macau on Monday 26th February 2012. China’s Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Wang Hao, Xu Xin and Ma Lin, the respective top five seeds all enjoyed second round successes. The leading players not being required to compete in the opening round of a tournament that sees all individual events being conducted on the knock-out basis.

There is no group qualification stage for the Men’s and Women’s Singles events.

Next Three in Form
Success for the top five and also for next three in the pecking order; Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Seiya Kishikawa plus Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan all enjoyed comfortable victories.

It was a situation as anticipated; in the word of table tennis Asia is virtually two nations; the world class and the developing, the middle class is minimal.

Notable Duels
However, 16 seeds and then a free draw, with the proviso to keep players from the same country apart, there were five contests in particular in the second round of the Men’s Singles event that attracted the attention.

Gao Ning Recovers
Singapore’s Gao Ning, the no.9 seed, was tested by India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta; the latter won the first two games but the Singaporean responded. 

The eventual scenario was that a seventh game beckoned, a game in which Gao Ning raced into an early lead and when the players changed ends, the scoreboard showed five points for Singapore, zero for India.

Gao Ning won 8-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6.

More Disappointment for India
A close defeat for Sharath Kamal Achanta and it was the same scenario for compatriot Subhajit Saha, the player he had partnered to a shock second round Men’s Doubles win over Ma Lin and Zhang Jike earlier in the day.

Subhajit Saha was beaten by Tang Peng, the no.15 seed, in a close six games duel; Tang Peng won 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 14-12, 14-12.

Closest of All
However, neither duels were the closest of the round; that distinction belonged to Chinese Taipei’s Wu Chih-Chi and Singapore’s Yang Zi.

The eventual decision went in favour of Yang Zi by the very narrowest of margins; he secured victory in a thrilling seven games duel (6-11, 14-12, 11-13, 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10).

Upset
Three contests to attract the attention and there were two more; both involving rise stars of world table tennis with one being somewhat of an upset.

Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira beat Korea’s Kim Min Seok (11-4, 13-11, 11-7, 11-6); an upset, Kenta Matsudaira currently stands at no.45 on the Men’s World Rankings whilst Kim Min Seok is at no.30.

Furthermore, Kim Min Seok was the no.14 seed in the Men’s Singles event and the only one of the top 16 to fall at the second hurdle.

Habit of Causing Upsets
The one other contest to catch the eye was not such a surprise but in recent weeks Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan has been in the habit of causing upsets.

Currently listed at no.116 on the Men’s World Ranking, but surely when the list is published for March 2012 in the top 100 if not the top 90, Noshad Alamiyan faced Korea’s Seo Hyun Deok in the battle of two talented left handers.

Status Prevailed
There was no surprise, status prevailed; Seo Hyun Deok, listed at no.28 on the current Men’s World Ranking and the no.13 seed in the Men’s Singles event posted a six games victory.

He won 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6

Source: http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=27091&Competition_ID=2130&

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