13 April 2013
　

Xu Xin and Yan An Reserve Final Places but Again Noshad Alamiyan Steals Show

China’s Xu Xin and Yan An duly progressed to the final of the Men’s event at the GAC GROUP Asian Cup in Hong Kong, following quarter and semi-final successes on Saturday 13th April 2013.

Xu Xin accounted for DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong (13-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-4) and Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan (11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3); whilst Yan An overcame Hong Kong’s Tang Peng (12-10, 18-16, 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7) and Noshad Alamiyan (11-5, 11-4, 10-12, 12-14, 11-7, 11-6).

However, neither was the star turn. The man to steal the show was Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan. The bare facts of a six games win for Yan An against Noshad Alamiyan do not relate the full story of the duel.

Exuberant Players
Both are young exuberant players, Yan An is 20 years old and currently stands at no.22 on the Men’s World Ranking list, Noshad Alamiyan is slightly older, he is 21 years of age and occupies the no.63 spot on the global order.

Youth is one factor they have in common, the other is they don’t seem to understand the table tennis technical term “block”.

The Antithesis
They are the total antithesis of Vladimir Samsonov or Oh Sangeun who excel in the art; in their semi-final duel in the splendours of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium they tried to blast each other out of the water.

Caution, safety, absorb the adversary’s attacks; not for Yan An and Noshad Alamayin; they pummelled each other with relentless hammer blows; a table tennis version of stock car racing.

The end result sheer was excitement, the 4,000 strong crowd revelled in the fare on offer, members of the Iran Table Tennis Federation stood to their feet in adulation.

More Compact
Yan An made the better start, he won the first two games and was the more compact, more consistent player.

In the third game he established a lead, at 10-8 he held two game points, win one of those points and surely the game was up for the Iranian.

Robbed by Highwayman
Not so, Noshad Alamiyan, the highwayman, stole the game, four points in a row; suddenly what appeared a one sided duel the contest was alight.

No quarter was asked, no quarter was given, both played without inhibition.

Noshad Alamiyan brought gasps of disbelief from the crowd, as when forced back from the table he changed hands, instead of using his left hand, as usual, he transferred to his right to return from the deep.

Semi-Finalist Again
Applause rang out, the Hong Kong crowd had a new hero but maintaining the heroics proved a step too far; Yan An seizing the initiative and secured victory.

Quite incredibly for the second consecutive year, Noshad Alamiyan had reached the semi-finals of the Men’s event at the GAC GROUP Asian Cup.

One year earlier in Guangzhou he had been beaten in the penultimate round by Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi having at the quarter-final stage caused an absolute sensation. He beat Chinese three times Men’s Singles World champion, Wang Liqin.

Quarter-Final Victim
Twelve months later, the quarter-final victim was Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An (11-8, 11-6, 15-13, 11-5).

Perhaps not quite of the pedigree of Wang Liqin but two weeks earlier Chen Chien-An had beaten Zhang Jike, the Olympic and World champion, at the Times Property World Team Classic!

The GAC GROUP Asian Cup is Noshad Alamiyan tournament.

Bright Note for Hong Kong
Thrilling table tennis and one match earlier Xu Xin had thrilled the crowds with his expansive forehand against a spirited Chuang Chih-Yuan; whilst for the home supporters the day ended on a very bright note.

Tang Peng, having beaten Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An (13-11, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-13, 5-11, 11-2), clinched fifth place by defeating Kim Hyok Bong (8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7); however, it was not such a positive ending to the day for his colleague, Jiang Tianyi who had started the day unbeaten.

Disappointing Day for Third Seed
The no.3 seed, having suffered a quarter-final defeat at the hands of Chuang Chih-Yuan (11-13, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3), he was beaten by Kim Hyok Bong (11-5, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8) and Chen Chien-An (11-9, 12-10, 11-13, 11-4, 11-4). He had to settle for eighth place.

Kim Hyok Bong finished in sixth spot with Chen Chien-An in seventh position.

Results
Men: Quarter-Finals
Xu Xin (CHN) v Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) 13-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-4
Chuang Chih-Yuan(TPE) v Jiang Tianyi (HKG) 11-13, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3
Noshad Alamiyan (IRI)v Chen Chien-An (TPE) 11-8, 11-6, 15-13, 11-5
Yan An (CHN)v Tang Peng (HKG) 12-10, 18-16, 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7

Men: Semi-Finals
Xu Xin (CHN) v Chuang Chih-Yuan(TPE) 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3
Yan An (CHN) v Noshad Alamiyan (IRI) 11-5, 11-4, 10-12, 12-14, 11-7, 11-6)

Men: Positions 5-8
Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) v Jiang Tianyi (SIN) 11-5, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8
Tang Peng (HKG) v Chen Chien-An (TPE) 13-11, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-13, 5-11, 11-2

Men: Positions 5-6
Tang Peng (HKG) v Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7)

Men: Positions 7-8
Chen Chien-An (TPE) v Jiang Tianyi (HKG) 11-9, 12-10, 11-13, 11-4, 11-4)
　

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall
　

Noshad Alamiyan (IRI)