Singapore tops group after win over Holland at World Team Table Tennis Championships
The Singapore women's team topped Group C at the World Team Table Tennis Championships at the Malawati Stadium after beating Holland in their final group stage tie on Wednesday (March 2).
World No. 8 Feng Tianwei lost her first match of the tournament after she fell 12-10, 4-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7 to Li Jiao in the first singles. Feng owned a 7-2 head-to-head record against Li previously.
Yu Mengyu then put up a masterful performance against chopper Li Jie in the second singles, and won 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 to bring the Republic level at 1-1.
Isabelle Li faced Britt Eerland in the third singles, the same opponent she lost 3-2 at the same competition in 2014. The 21-year-old Singaporean had a sizeable lead in the first game but lost the set 11-9. Li eventually lost the match 11-9, 11-7, 12-10.
Feng, 29, returned to the table in the fourth singles against Li Jie, who she had a 9-0 record against. The Singaporean made no mistake with a 11-7, 11-3, 11-9 win to bring the Republic back on level terms again.
Yu then beat Li Jiao 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 in the rubber match to clinch the tie 3-2 for Singapore.
A tearful Feng said after the match: "I was affected after losing the first match, but told myself that I must fight in the fourth match to give (Yu) Mengyu a fighting chance in the fifth match to win it for us."
With their placing, Singapore will receive a bye to the last eight, with the draw to be conducted later tonight.
Get the full story in our print edition (March 3).
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