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Outstanding at the LIEBHERR World Championships in Paris six weeks earlier, Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira was back to his best on Sunday 7th July 2013 at the Asian Championships in the Korean city of Busan.
At the quarter-final stage of the Men’s Singles event, seeded no.9, he beat the rising Chinese star, 16 year old Fan Zhendong, the no.11 seed, in six games (8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3) and thus prevented a clean last sweep of last eight successes by China.
Earlier Xu, Xin, the no.1 seed had beaten Hong Kong’s Tang Peng, the no.12 seed, the Hong Kong player being forced to withdraw through injury after losing the first game 11-4.
Later Yan An, the no.5 seed and Ma Long, the no.2 seed, booked semi-final places.
China versus Hong Kong was the first contest; the other three duels were China versus Japan.
Yan An overcame Jun Mizutani, the no.4 seed, in a titanic struggle; thus reversing the decision of earlier in the year when beaten by the Japanese star at the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open in February.
It was a duel that went the full distance with matters in the deciding seventh game appearing to be moving in favour of Japan.
Jun Mizutani won the first four points but Yan An levelled, then seized control, he afforded the Japanese star only three more points (11-9, 6-11, 14-12, 11-5, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7).
A contest of exciting rallies, it was one that enthralled the crowd and one that kept Liu Guoliang, the Head Coach of the Chinese Men’s Team, sitting courtside advising Yan An on the edge of his seat; his right foot never stopped tapping the floor, one hundred beats to the minute.
Defeat for Japan but as the contest was concluding, on the opposite table, Kenta Matsudaira was in top gear against Fan Zhendong.
At the LIEBHERR World Championships when he beat both China’s Ma Lin and Vladimir Samsonov, the key to his success was the high level of his blocking skills.
In Busan, the blocking skills were again evident but the backhand top spin attacking strokes were from a different planet.
Neither Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal could have executed with more power, the style was reminiscent of the Rockhampton Rocket, Rod Laver, arguably the greatest tennis star of all.
“Actually before the match I didn’t feel that confident”, reminisced Kenta Matsudaira. “As soon as the match started, I felt good, a good feeling for the ball; I was able to block and then counter top spin; yes the backhand was good!”
Good; that was the understatement of the year.
Also, the trademark service was different; in the past the squat serving technique has seen Kenta Matsudaira contact the ball with the backhand side of the racket. In Busan it has always been with the forehand side.
“I feel I have more control over the service”, concluded Kenta Matsudaira. “I found it effective to serve short to the forehand using that style.”
Success for Kenta Matsudaira but as the quarter-finals of the Men’s Singles event concluded, it was defeat.
One year earlier at the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Hong Kong, Koki Niwa had beaten Ma Long; in Busan, Ma Long extracted revenge. He beat Koki Niwa in six games (11-1, 8-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6).
At the semi-final stage, Xu Xin plays Yan An, Kenta Matsudaira opposes Ma Long.
Article By: ITTF- Ian Marshall
Photo By: Xi Peng
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