The My Hills International Trade Center Asia-Europe All Stars Challenge 2016

The My Hills International Trade Center Asia-Europe All Stars Challenge 2016

ETTU President Ronald KRAMER and Deputy Major of Dongguang YU Lijun

The first leg of the My Hills International Trade Center Asia-Europe All Stars Challenge 2016 was played today in the Chinese city of Dongguan. After five matches Asia is in the lead 4:1. The second leg is on the program tomorow.

Hong Kong’s WONG Chun Ting faced Russia’s Alexander SHIBAEV in the opening match. The Europe’s representative no. 21 at the World rankings had a better start against World’s no 8 . He took a early led in the opening game – 6:4 moved to 9:7 and eventually sealed the game at 11:9.

WONG Chun Ting responded promptly – 4:3 in the opening moments of the second game and he kept the safe difference until the end of the game 11:8.

WONG continued in the same pace in the third game but after 5:4 SHIBAEV leveled at 6:6 and both failed to make a breakthrough – 7:7 9:9 12:12…WONG had net-edge ball but SHIBAEV eventually broke the tie to win by 14:12.

SHIBAEV moved to another gear in the fourth game. He reached the match point at 10:4 but with four points in the row WONG recovered. Once again the game was to be decided by the narrowest of margins. It was 11:11 12:12 and at 13:12 WONG made his first advantage in the game. They kept the spectators at the edge of their seats until SHIBAEV finally sealed the match at 21:19.

In the second match of the proceedings Korea’s JOO Saehyuk currently ranked at the position no. 13 in the World rankings played against Croatia’s Andrej GACINA placed seven positions below. GACINA lost the first game 11:4 in express way but after opening game the pace have been become slower; 6:6 7:7 before JOO made a narrow gap at 7:9. GACINA improved his game and he showed more patience against the defensive skills of his adversary. However JOO showed no mercy – 11:9 11:4.

World’s no. two the best ranked players in Asia’s team China’s FAN Zhendong and World’s no 17 Portugal’s Tiago APOLONIA met at the half point of the match. The match went as the rankings predicted. FAN won the opening game 11:7 and moved forward in driving seat to seal the second game. The players exchanged good rallies spectators enjoyed thrilling exchanges but APOLONIA failed to put FAN under severe pressure. FAN played table tennis from another World to win the next two games 11:4 11:6.

The best ranked player in the Europe’s team World’s no 9 Belarus Vladimir SAMSONOV faced Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan ranked at the position no. 7 in the World in the fourth match of the contest. Vladi had a better start and after 5:1 sealed the opening game at 11:7. The pendulum swung and in the next game CHUANG Chih-Yuan regain the control – 6:4 11:5. SAMSONOV got back on track with 5:0 in third game. Soon it was 7:2 and after 9:4 former European champion withstood CHUANG’s come back at 9:6 to win 11:7 in style.

SAMSONOV faced 3:8 against him before managed to narrow the gap at 8:5 but CHUANG was back in match to force the decisive game. Taipei’s player made an early lead and in fantastic style won the fifth game 11:5.

Austria’s CHEN Weixing no. 49 had a good start against Singapore’s GAO Ning World’s no. 31 in the opening game of the final contest of the opening leg – 11:9. Both players failed to make wider gap in the second game they played point for point until the closing stages when CHEN took off from 9:7 to win the set 11:8. In the same style the match progressed in the third game. It was 2:2 3:3 but after that GAO made a little break at 6:4 to 5:7 and turned the course of the duel. After 5:10 CHEN saved four game points GAO called for time out and it was well spent break. He won 11:9. CHEN had 9:7 at 9:8 he called for time out but GAO leveled and won a set point. CHEN saved two set points but GAO pushed to the decider 12:10. In the fifth game both players failed to secure safe gap the advantage moved from one side to another. One edge ball and another net ball gave GAO a little slight push forward and he won eventually 11:7.

Asia – Europe4:1

WONG Chun Ting (HKG) – Alexander SHIBAEV (RUS) 1:3 (9:11 11:8 12:14 19:21)

JOO Saehyuk (KOR) – Andrej GACINA (CRO) 3:0 (11:4 11:9 11:4)

FAN Zhendong (CHN) – Tiago APOLONIA (POR) 3:0 (11:7 11:4 11:6)

CHUANG Chih-Yuan – (TPE) – Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR) 3:2 (7:11 11:5 7:11 11:7 11:5)

GAO Ning (SIN) – CHEN Weixing (AUT) 3:2 (9:11 8:11 11:9 12:10 11:7)