Asian Games: Singapore paddlers through to last 16
Singapore's Gao Ning in action at the 2018 Asian Games. (Photo: Amir Yusof)
JAKARTA: Singapore table tennis players Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu and Gao Ning have qualified on Thursday (Aug 30) for the last 16 in the singles event at the 2018 Asian Games.
The trio won their respective matches easily and now stand a chance to win Singapore's first table tennis medal at this edition of the Games.
Gao, 35, defeated 19-year-old Qatar national Mohammed Abdulhussein 4-0. He won in straight sets 11-7, 11-4, 11-9 and 11-6 in around 30 minutes.
He will play against China's Lin Gaoyua in the round of 16 on Friday at 1pm local time (2pm Singapore time).
Meanwhile, Singapore's Yu beat Malaysia's Alice Chang 4-1 at the Jakarta International Expo. Yu won 11-4, 11-2, 11-4, 7-11. 11-2.
Yu will meet Hong Kong's Doo Hoi Kem in the last 16 at noon local time (1pm Singapore time).
Feng, who is ranked 11 in the world, beat Pakistan's Aisha Iqbal Ansari in straight sets 11-5,11-2,11-2,11-5.
Speaking to media after her win, Feng said: "Today, the opponent was not very strong. So my performance was not bad. The match ended pretty quickly.
"I feel that it’s more important that I recover today to prepare for the match tomorrow. Tomorrow I play against someone I lost to in a team match, so me and her, the odds are half-half (50-50). I will give my best," Feng added.
Feng will face South Korea's Jeon Jihee on Friday morning at 10am local time. (11am Singapore time). Feng lost to Jeon in the women's team quarterfinals last Monday (Aug 27), when Singapore was eliminated by South Korea 3-1.
Commenting on her preparations, Feng said: "I feel, maybe, I will prepare more fully. Time was tight for the team matches, so our preparation was not so thorough ... This was my first time losing to her, I won all my matches against her before this. So I can’t view her in the same light anymore … now our gap is narrowed."
