AYG Table Tennis: Invincible China end Singapore’s gallant run in mixed team semi-finals

Story by Chan Hui Mui/Red Sports. Pictures by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports.

Toa Payoh Sports Hall, Friday, July 3, 2009 – The Chinese paddlers filled up the huge shoes of their seniors on the juniors’ stage as they defeated hosts Singapore 2-0 in the Table Tennis Mixed Team semi-finals to march into the final.

China’s world-ranked No.1 Chen Meng took on Isabelle Li in the girls’ singles, and won in straight sets 11-9. 11-7, 11-8.

Chen took an early 2-0 lead in the first set before Isabelle fought back and led 4-3, her first lead of the game. The Singaporean widened her advantage to 9-6, but Chen staged a furious comeback to win the set 11-9.

In the second set, Chen took the lead from the first point and never gave Isabelle a hope of winning the set, which went 11-7 to the Chinese national.

Chen then built up a strong 8-3 lead in the third, and though Isabelle managed to return her opponent’s shots, she failed to prevent Chen from wrapping up the set 11-8.

In the boys’ singles, Singapore’s Clarence Chew was up against world number 3 Cheng Jing Qi. Despite taking the second set, Clarence failed to hold off Cheng, who took the game 11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6.

In the first set, Clarence answered Cheng’s early 3-0 lead with 3 straight points of his own, but this was the closest that Clarence could get, as his opponent finished strongly to take the set 11-8.

An 8-3 second set lead set Clarence up for an eventual 11-7 win, but the Singapore player could not find his way round Cheng’s aggressive attack, and he conceded the third and fourth sets 4-11, 6-11.

Singapore’s table tennis coach, Xu Xiang Dong, commented in Mandarin, “Singapore’s performance was satisfying and we had a good chance to win but they (the players) did not treasure the chance to win the match. They (China) were more experienced than our players.”

China will face North Korea in the final on Saturday, while Singapore and Chinese Taipei will share the bronze medal.