13 April 2013
　

All’s Well That Ends Well for Yan An, First Place Secured
　

Defeat in the opening match of the day at the GAC GROUP Asian Cup in Hong Kong but at the conclusion of proceedings on Friday 12th April 2013, it was first place in the group and a passport to the main draw for China’s Yan An.

He concluded the day with an impressive win over DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong (11-7, 11-4, 11-13, 11-3, 11-8), having earlier in the day suffered defeat at the hands of Japan’s Yuto Muramatsu (13-11, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9), before recovering to overcome Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan, the second seed (4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5).

Success for Yan An in his concluding match in the first phase of proceedings and it was the same for Chuang Chih-Yuan.

He overcame Yuto Muramatsu, the Japanese teenager being forced to withdraw from the contest at the end of the fourth game (11-8, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-0), owing to a shoulder injury.

The effect of the concluding matches in the group meant that Yan An and Chuang Chih-Yuan each had two wins; for Kim Hyok Bong and Yuto Muramatsu it was one win each.

In such instances, it is the contest between the players in question that determines the final positions.

Thus, as Yan An who had beaten Chuang Chih-Yuan, gained first place whilst Kim Hyok Bong, having beaten Yuto Muramatsu (8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 11-2) was in third spot; for the 16 year old Japanese defender who had started the day so brightly it was fourth place in the group and the end of his adventures.

Disappointment Yuto Muramatsu but if there is one player for whom the heart bleeds it is Korea’s Jung Young Sik; three matches, three defeats and all in seven games.

He played a total of 21 games, more than any other player in the tournament and finished in fourth place in his group.

Having lost to Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi (11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-7) and Singapore’s Yan Zi (4-11, 12-14, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 13-11); he was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8).

First place in the group went to Jiang Tianyi to the delight of the crowd; in the concluding group match he accounted for Yang Zi (5-11, 11-9, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8).

Chen Chien-An finished in second place with Yang Zi, thanks to the efforts of Chen Chien-An in third place.

Sadness for Korea and there was more sadness, Seo Hyundeok who had started the day by extending China’s Xu Xin, the top seed, to seven games (6-11, 11-6, 12-10, 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6), finished the day without a win to his name.

In his concluding group match he was beaten by Hong Kong’s Tang Peng (11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 12-10, 15-13) the win for the latter securing third place.

Xu Xin topped the group finishing in first place ahead of Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan; in the adjacent concluding group contest, Xu Xin beat Noshad Alamiyan in four straight games (11-8, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2).

Meanwhile in the group involving the players from Mid Asia, South Asia and South East Asia, it was first place for India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta but he was severely tested.

He needed six games to beat Vietnam’s Tran Tuan Quynh (13-11, 11-9, 13-15, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7) secure first place.

Men’s First Stage

Group A

Xu Xin (CHN) bt Seo Hyundeok (KOR) 6-11, 11-6, 12-10, 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6

Noshad Alamiyan (IRI) bt Tang Peng (HKG) 11-5, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-4

Xu Xin (CHN) bt Tang Peng (HKG) 11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7

Noshad Alamiyan (IRI) bt Seo Hyundeok (KOR) 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7

Xu Xin (CHN) bt Noshad Alamiyan (IRI) 11-8, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2

Tang Peng (HKG) bt Seo Hyundeok (KOR) 11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 12-10, 15-13

Final Positions: 1. Xu Xin (CHN) 2. Noshad Alamiyan (IRI) 3. Tang Peng (HKG) 4. Seo Hyundeok (KOR)

Group B

Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) bt Kim Hyok Bong (HKG) 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6

Yuto Muramatsu (JPN) bt Yan An (CHN) 15-13, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9

Yan An (CHN) bt Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) 4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5

Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) bt Yuto Muramatsu (JPN) 8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 11-2

Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) bt Yuto Muramatsu (JPN) 11-8, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-0

Yan An (CHN) bt Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) 11-7, 11-4, 11-13, 11-3, 11-8

Final Positions: 1. Yan An (CHN) 2. Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) 3. Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) 4. Yuto Muramatsu (JPN)

Group C

Jiang Tianyi (HKG) bt Jung Youngsik (KOR) 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-7

Chen Chien-An (TPE) bt Yang Zi (SIN) 11-9, 3-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7

Jiang Tianyi (HKG) bt Chen Chien-An (TPE) 11-13, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7, 11-4

Yang Zi (SIN) bt Jung Youngsik (KOR) 4-11, 12-14, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 13-11

Jiang Tianyi (HKG) bt Yang Zi (SIN) 5-11, 11-9, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8

Chen Chien-An (TPE) bt Jung Youngsik (KOR) 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8

Final Positions: 1. Jiang Tianyi (HKG) 2. Chen Chien-An (TPE) 3. Yang Zi (SIN) 4. Jung Youngsik (KOR)

Group D

Tran Tuan Quynh (VIE) bt Nima Alamian (IRI) 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7

Sharath Kamal Achanta (IND) bt Nima Alamian (IRI) 11-4, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6

Sharath Kamal Achanta (IND) bt Tran Tuan Quynh (VIE) 13-11, 11-9, 13-15, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7

Final Positions: 1. Sharath Kamal Achanta (IND) 2. Tran Tuan Quynh (VIE) 3. Nima Alamian (IRI)

Challenge Round

Yang Zi (SIN) v Kim Hyok Bong (PRK)

Sharath Kamal Achanta (IND) v Tang Peng (HKG)

Article by: Ian Marshall