Table tennis: Singapore's Zeng Jian eliminated from Paris Olympics by India's Sreeja Akula
File photo of Zeng Jian at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: SNOC/Kong Chong Yew)
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PARIS: While she beaten India's Sreeja Akula just last year, it was a different ball game altogether at the Paris Olympics as world No 52 Zeng Jian faced her more fancied opponent.
At the South Paris Arena, Olympic debutant Zeng lost to the world No 25 11-9, 10-12, 4-11, 5-11,12-10, 10-12 in the women's singles round of 32.
This was the second head-to-head meeting between the pair.
"I feel that she has improved a lot and quickly over the past year," Zeng told reporters after her match. "She has also risen in the rankings."
Zeng, who was hoping to reach the round of 16, was eliminated from the Paris Olympics following the 51-minute loss.
"(As a result of the long pimple rubber she was using), I struggled with the short and long shots she played," she told reporters after the loss.
"I couldn't really adjust well until the fifth game."
The 27-year-old was Singapore's only table tennis representative left at the Paris Games, having beaten Croatia's Ivana Malobabic 4-3 in the previous round.
"Competing at the Games gave me a feeling I've never had before ... This is the kind of environment that will amplify your weaknesses," said Zeng.
"This Olympics has given me a lot of lessons to take away."
Singapore's two other table tennis players at the Paris Olympics were eliminated in the round of 64.
Men's singles player Izaac Quek lost to Slovenia's Darko Jorgic, while Zhou Jingyi was beaten by Romania's world No 10 Bernadette Szocs.
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