Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, September 20, 2008 -- Powerhouses Australia, China, Korea and Japan outclassed their respective rivals for convincing wins on the opening day of the 1st Asian Men’s Cup Volleyball Championship here on Saturday.

In the curtain-raisers of the one-week, group round-robin tournament at The Mall Nakhon Ratchasima’s MCC Hall, the Doha Asian Games champions and world number 19 Korea pulled off a terrific come-from-behind 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-22) victory over world number 24 Iran in a grueling 90-minute battle.

In the later match, the Asian winners and world number 13 Australia also proved their class to open their account with two points with their first victory over smaller-built Chinese Taipei. The Aussies on Saturday utilized their height and power advantage over the net to mercilessly crush the unfancied rivals, whose world ranking is 27 lower than them, in a comfortable one-sided battle 25-12, 25-18, 25-14.

In what turned out to be a disappointing day for the host side, Thailand could not stop the relentless onslaught of the much stronger China, the only Asian team making it to the quarter-finals in the recent Beijing Olympic Games, to go down in straight sets.

The Thai team, whose best performance in the Asian Championship was the fifth place in the 13th edition in Suphan Buri, trailed the powerful Chinese all the way in the first set before hard-hitter Cui Jianjun methodically pierced into the Thai defence with sharp spikes to help the visitor win the comfortable set 25-17.

In the second set, China, whose height average is 197cm against the home side’s 187cm, continued their devastation led by tall and towering Bian Hongmin, 210cm, the tournament’s tallest player.

However, as the visitors commandingly led 24-17 and needed only one more point to take the set, Thailand gradually pulled their game together to save four set points ahead of a 21-25 let down.

To revive their fortune in the last set, the home side replaced their best players with many substitutions to find the right formula in a determined effort of matching the unchallenged might of China, current world number 10 and silver medalists at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. Still, they proved no match against the deadly terminators to go down fighting 16-25 and the effortless tussle.

“Most of my players are young and inexperienced. Against China, I think our blocking and first-ball reception were still far from impressive. We have to improve a lot,” Thai head coach Monchai Supajirakul commented.

“My team played nervously, allowing the Chinese the relentless counter-attacking. We next take on Iran. To beat the Iranians is not an easy mission. They have greater experience than us.”

The last match of the day saw the 2005 Asian champions Japan, whose players are inexperienced young guns and did not compete in the Beijing Olympic Games, struggle to hit form as the world number 11 lost the close first set 24-26 to the South East Asian Games winners Indonesia, coached by Chinese Yu Huxin, to win the remaining three sets 25-20, 25-19 ,25-23.

On Sunday, Korea take on China in a rematch of the 2006 Doha Asian Games final showdown, while Indonesia go up against Australia, Thailand face Iran in a bid of seeking their first win, and Japan play Chinese Taipei.