Title Secured in De Haan, Down to Earth for Nima Alamian in Berlin
2016 ITTF German Open
Courtesy of ITTF
Just over four months ago in the city of De Haan, Iran’s Nima Alamian stood proudly on the top step of the podium when play concluded at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Belgium Open; at current 2016 ITTF World Tour German Open in Berlin there will be no such repeat.
On the morning of the opening day of play, Wednesday January 27th, he was the biggest casualty as matters commenced in the preliminary round of the Men’s Singles event.
He was beaten in seven games (11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4) by the host nation’s Qiu Dang, listed at no.272 on the current Men’s World Rankings and one of the very few young players who keeps the penhold grip style of play alive. Nima Alamian is named at no.116 on the present Men’s World Rankings.
Notable Names Fall
Defeat for Nima Alamian; he was one of several notable names to stumble at the first hurdle.
Korea’s Park Ganghyeon, a player who was absent from the international scene for much of 2015 and thus has no current World ranking, accounted for Pavel Platonov of Belarus (10-12, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8, 11-9). Currently Pavel Platonov is named at no.120 on the Men’s World Rankings; the most recent position for Park Ganghyeon was no.245, last July.
Good Form
Good form from Park Ganghyeon, it was the very same from the Slovak Republic’s Alexander Valuch, Russia’s Krill Shvetc, Bulgaria’s Philipp Floritz and the host nation’s Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth; all beat higher rated adversaries.
Listed at no.362 on the Men’s World Rankings, Alexander Valuch accounted for Serbia’s Marko Jevtovic, named at no.140; Kirill Shvetv who stands at no.391, defeated Mexico’s Marcos Madrid, his name being recorded at no.191.
Absence from International Play
Likewise Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth overcame Frenchman Can Akkuzu (11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4), while Philipp Floritz ended the hopes of Italy’s Mario Rech-Daldosso (11-8, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9).
On the current Men’s World Rankings, Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth has no status having not competed internationally in recent times but he is a player of considerable note and abundant talent.
In February 2006, he reached no.36 on the Men’s World Rankings. In a reality the result against Can Akkuzu, ranked no.201, was no great shock.
Bulgarian on Home Soil
Arguably the success posted by Philipp Flortiz against Marco Rech-Daldosso was a great upset; not wearing the colors of Bulgaria as opposed to his native Germany, Philipp Floritz is named at no.229 on the Men’s World Rankings, Marco Rech-Daldosso at no.214.
Junior Success but Opening Round Defeat
Defeat against more experienced opposition, it was arguably the same for the host nation’s Dennis Klein. Last year had won the Boys’ Singles title at the Spanish Junior and Cadet Open before reaching the quarterfinal stage of the same event at the World Junior Championships.
He was beat by England’s Danny Reed; Dennis Klein is listed at no.223 on the Men’s World Rankings, Danny Reed at no.203.
Hungarian Winner Stamps Authority
The end of the road for one young man in form but not for another; Korea’s Lim Jonghoon, the winner four days ago of the Under 21 Men’s Singles title at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open, currently with no World Ranking, ended the hopes of Chase Bockoven of the United States, ranked no.867.
Lim Jonghoon won in four straight games (11-3, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3).
Narrow Margins
A comprehensive win but for two players competing against lower rated adversaries it was victory by narrow margins.
Standing at no.140 on the Men’s World Rankings, the Slovak Republic’s Peter Sereda needed the full seven games to beat Iran’s Seyed Pourya Omrani, named at no.406 (9-11, 10-12, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-8).
Similarly Singapore’s Chen Feng endured some nervous moments against Austria’s David Serdaroglu, he was extended the full distance (11-9, 7-11, 11-13, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7).
On the current Men’s World Rankings, Chen Feng is at no.174, David Serdaroglu at no.296.
