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2018 ITTF Challenge, Spanish Open

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Challenge Series

Upset seeded order in Bremen, An Jaehyun gives repeat performance in Guadalajara

30 Mar 2018

A semi-finalist the previous week at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Bremen when he caused surprise after surprise; in Guadalajara at the ITTF Challenge Spanish Open, once in the Under 21 Men’s Singles event, Korea’s An Jaehyun upset the order of merit.

Required to compete in the qualification tournament, as had been, the situation in Bremen, in the opening round of proceedings, he accounted for Germany’s Nils Hohmeier, the no.4 seed; in an intensely fought full distance five games encounter, the closest contest of the round, the 18 year old Korean emerged successful by the very minimal margin in the deciding game (11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9).

An Jaehyun caused a first round upset by beating Nils Hohmeier in the match of the round (Photo: Alvaro Diaz)

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Success once again contrary to the order of merit for An Jaehyun who in Germany had been in scintillating form. He beat Denmark’s Anders Lind, the no.13 seed (11-3, 14-12, 11-9), Kanak jha of the United States, the no.23 seed (4-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8) and Japan’s Mizuki Oikawa, the top seed (14-12, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9) to reach the penultimate round, where Sweden’s Truls Moregard, the no.15 seed, ended adventures (9-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6).

Repeat success for An Jaehyun; alas for Kanak Jha it was repeat disappointment. In Guadalajara, the no.13 seed, he was beaten in the opening round of the Under 21 Men’s Singles event by Italy’s Chen Shuainan (5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-9).

Two upsets and there were two more as the opening round progressed; in both instances Austria experiencing defeat. Maciej Kolodziejczyk, the no.10 seed, was beaten by Frenchman Rémi Menand (11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8), Narayan Kapolnek, the no.15 seed, lost to Spain’s Carlos Caballero (13-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7).

Defeats but with the exception of Nils Hohmeier, it was opening round success for the leading names and more success for Korea.

Cho Seungmin, the top seed, beat Chile’s David Valenzuela (11-4, 11-7, 11-5), Aliaksandr Khanin of Belarus, the no.2 seed, accounted for Canada’s Matthew Lehmann (11-4, 11-9, 11-3). Likewise, Japan’s Yuki Matsuyama, the no.3 seed, ended the hopes of Russia’s Maksim Kiselev (11-3, 11-2, 11-7).

The second round of the Under 21 Men’s Singles event will be played later in the day.

Challenge Series 2018 Spanish Open An Jaehyun

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