by Ian Marshall, Editor

All displayed the characteristics for which their country is renowned, athleticism, speed and technical excellence.

Listed at no.223 on the current Men’s World Rankings, Park Ganhyeon accounted for fellow qualifier, Hong Kong’s Su Zhi, named at no.281; a win as status advised. It was the same for Cho Seungmin, the no.5 seed; he beat Japan’s Takeru Kashikawa, like Park Ganghyeon, a player who had been required to compete in the preliminary stages. Impressively Cho Seungmin prevailed in four straight games (11-9, 11-5, 13-11, 11-8).

Wins according to ranking, for An Jaehyun it was a different scenario; also required to negotiate the preliminary rounds, he overcame Brazil’s Vitor Ishiy, the no.28 seed (11-3, 11-3, 11-9, 11-3).

Progress for Park Ganghyeon and An Jaehyun, it was the same for two more qualifiers in the guise of Germany’s Qiu Dang and Frenchman Leo de Nodrest. Qui Dang beat England’s Sam Walker, the no.15 seed (9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6); after losing the opening three games Leo de Nodrest performed a quite staggering recovery to end the hopes of Denmark’s Anders Lind, the no.21 seed (6-11, 6-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9).

Surprise outcomes, not for Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic, Japan’s Yukiya Uda, nor for the host nation’s Cédric Nuytinck, all emerged successful as ranking advised. Darko Jorgic beat Mexico’s Marcos Madrid, the no.16 seed (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6); Yukyia Uda ended the adventures of Chinese Taipei’s Li Hsin-Ying.

Meanwhile, Cédric Nuytinck prevailed in opposition to Germany’s Gerritt Engemann (13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3, 11-5). Notably, both Li Hsin-Yang and Gerritt Engemann had started their journey in the preliminary stage.

At the quarter-final stage Park Ganghyeon meets Darko Jorgic, Qiu Dang opposes Leo de Nodrest; in the opposite half of the draw, An Jaehyun confronts Cédric Nuytinck, Cho Seungmin plays Yukiya Uda.

The matches will be played later in the day.