Athletic, totally committed to his country’s cause but even with the support of the crowd in the splendid Sajik Gymnasium in the Korean coastal city of Busan, it was defeat for the splendid Lee Sangsu in the second round of the Men’s Singles event at the Asian Championships on the evening of Thursday 4^th July 2013.

He was beaten by China’s Xu Xin, the World no.1 and thus the top seed in the Men’s Singles event.

Xu Xin won in five games (11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 11-5).

Lee Sangsu is one of the most exciting players on planet earth; becoming embroiled in rallies is his forte, it is in that scenario his high level of fitness shines.

The problem he faced against Xu Xin was becoming involved in rallies, establishing a rhythm to his play.

Recently in the Chinese Super League, Xu Xin was beaten by Germany’s Timo Boll, last September in the bronze medal match at the LIEBHERR Men’s World Cup in Liverpool; he suffered defeat at the hands of Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus.

The comment made by Vladimir Samsonov following his victory was that perhaps he had become more accustomed to the services of Xu Xin; he was able to return service better; but did not Vladimir Samsonov highlight one major reason why ever player outside the boundaries of China suffers nightmares when playing Xu Xin.

He is different from any other player on planet earth; the Chinese players can practise against him, the rest of the world cannot!

Left handed, pen-hold grip using both sides of the racket; he is not a second Wang Hao, Ma Lin or Liu Guoliang, he is Xu Xin.

Electric sideways movement, a lethal long arching forehand which combined with subtle services and exquisite returns of service makes him the unique.

It was the latter two talents that caused the defeat of Lee Sangsu.

Time and again, Xu Xin was able to serve and follow with a devastating forehand or backhand with heavy top spin; then a devastating forehand. Xu Xin returned service so effectively that Lee Sangsu was unable to seixe the initiative.

In the most important areas of table tennis – serve, receive, first attack – Xu Xin was supreme.

Success for the top seed; in the same half of the draw it was success for the other highly rated players.

Singapore’s Gao Ning, the no.6 seed, accounted for Kyrgyzstan’s Rislan Kultaev (11-3, 11-6, 11-3, 11-2), Japan’s Jun Mizutani, the no.4 seed, overcame Malaysia’s Muhd Shakirin Ibrahim (8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6); whilst Xu Xin’s colleague, Yan An, the no.5 seed, ended the hopes of Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting (9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11).

Success for the leading names in the top half of the draw, it was the same scenario for the principal names in the lower half.

Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan, the no.3 seed, overcame Iran’s Nima Alamian (11-8, 13-11, 11-7, 11-8) and Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi, the no.7 seed, defeated the host nation’s Seo Hyundeok (11-8, 11-6, 11-9, 14-16, 12-10).

Not to be left out, Japan’s Koki Niwa, the no.8 seed, ended the hopes of Vietnam’s Tran Tuan Quynh (11-4, 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6) and China’s Ma Long, the no.2 seeds, thwarted the dreams of Uzbekistan’s Zokhid Kenjaev (11-4, 11-5, 11-8, 11-2).

Article By: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo By: Xi Peng