Thursday, December 11, 2008

Yang claims No. 1 Year-End Ranking

Top seed Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) has won his first round match of the 2008 Orange Bowl to claim the year-end number one ranking spot after a gripping three set match against unseeded American Matthew Kandath. Yang made heavy work of his first round match, winning the first set in a closely fought tie-break before losing the second and then finding form in the third set to see off Kathman 76 46 62. This first round win now sees him secure his position as World Number one at the end of the year.

The upset of the day saw fourteenth seed Shuichi Sekiguchi of Japan fall to unseeded American and wildcard entrant Ryan Noble in three sets. Other seeds to have played include ninth seed Ryan Lipman (USA) and fourth seed Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) who both took three sets to overcome their opponents, whilst both eighth seed, Borut Puc (SLO), and seventh seed, Nikolaus Moser (AUT), enjoyed straight set victories to advance to the second round.


Ana Bogdan (ROU) began her quest to finish the year as world number one. Bogdan made light work of her opponent Magda Linette (POL), dispatching of her in straight sets to set up a second round match against Sachia Vickery (USA).

The girls’ event saw two seeds fall. Tenth seed Valeria Solovieva (RUS) lost in straight sets to American Julia Boserup, and seventh seed Richel Hogenkamp (NED) was defeated in three sets by Alison Riske (USA), a quarter-finalist at last year’s Orange Bowl.

Seeded players Yana Buchina (RUS), Silvia Njiric (CRO) and Zsofia Susanyi (HUN) all enjoyed straight set victories over their opponents to advance to the second round. However it was far from plain sailing for third and fifth seeds Mallory Burdette (USA) and Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) who took three sets to overcome their opponents both looking at one stage as if they might crash out in the first round.

The other seeds, including second seed Laura Robson, will take to the courts tomorrow as the girls' race for the number one spot continues.


  • Go to seed
  • Soft hardhat
  • EA: PC gaming is wrongly categorised
  • Original Grim Fandango design document released
  • Valve: No Portal 2 this year
  • 0 comments: