AN Jaehyun booked his place from Men’s Singles – Semifinal – Match 1 with a 3-1 victory over CHEN Yuanyu, completing the win with an 11-8 finish in Game 4. After dropping the opening game 7-11, AN turned the match around by taking a tight second game 12-10, then pulling away in Game 3 (11-4) before managing the closing stages of the fourth.
The result was decided by AN’s ability to recover from the early deficit and then convert late chances in the final game, where he created three match points before sealing the match.
Game-by-game: AN recovers after Game 1 to take control
CHEN Yuanyu struck first by taking Game 1, 11-7, putting AN Jaehyun under immediate pressure in this semifinal. The match then pivoted in Game 2, which went beyond 10-10 and featured a timeout requested by CHEN during the closing stretch.
From the official commentary sequence in Game 2, CHEN held a late advantage at 10-8, but AN reeled off the points needed to level and then move ahead. AN won points to close the gap from 8-10 to 10-10, then took the next two points to win the game 12-10 and square the match at one game apiece.
With the contest tied 1-1, AN delivered his most decisive stretch in Game 3. The official progression shows AN moving in front early and continuing to add points as service changed hands, eventually reaching 10-4 and then 11-4 to take a 2-1 lead in games. The 11-4 scoreline gave AN a clear cushion heading into the fourth, shifting the pressure back onto CHEN.
Game 4 began with CHEN taking the first point for a 1-0 lead, but AN responded quickly to level at 1-1 and then build momentum. The scoring sequence in the official commentary shows AN repeatedly extending his advantage through the middle of the game, including moving ahead to 4-1 and later to 6-3 and 7-4 as the game developed.
CHEN stayed within reach, trimming the margin at points such as 4-2 and 4-3, and later reaching 6-4. However, AN continued to answer, pushing the score to 8-4 and then 9-4. CHEN again reduced the deficit to 9-5 and 9-6, prompting a timeout request from AN Jaehyun during the late phase of the game.
Closing sequence: three match points before AN finishes 11-8
The final game’s decisive moments came as AN approached the finish line. After the timeout sequence involving AN, the official commentary shows the score moving to 10-6 in Game 4, creating AN’s first match point with the match score at 2-1 in games. AN won the point at 10-6 to hold match point, but CHEN responded by saving it.
AN then created a second match point at 10-7, again with the match score at 2-1. CHEN saved that one as well, narrowing the game to 10-8. AN still had a third match point at 10-8, and this time he converted to close Game 4 at 11-8 and confirm the 3-1 match win.
Across the match, the official record also noted 37 service changes, reflecting frequent shifts in serve as the games progressed and the scorelines tightened, particularly in the second and fourth games where the key turning points arrived.
Final score: AN Jaehyun def. CHEN Yuanyu 3-1 (7-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8) in Men’s Singles – Semifinal – Match 1.