Olympics: Singapore paddler Feng Tianwei knocked out in last 16 by Germany's Han Ying

Feng Tianwei in action during the women's singles last 16 table tennis event, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO - Singapore's top paddler Feng Tianwei saw her Tokyo 2020 women's singles campaign come to an end in the round of 16 when she was beaten 4-1 (13-11, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8) by Germany's world No. 22 Han Ying at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Tuesday (July 27).

The world No. 9, a women's team silver medallist at Beijing 2008 and winner of a women's singles and team bronze at London 2012, had never beaten the 22nd-ranked German in all four of their previous international encounters but could have pinched the first game for a good start.

However, after coming back from 9-6 down to lead 10-6, Feng squandered two game points to lose 13-11, and continued to struggle with the defensive chopper. In the second game, she took a 4-0 lead only to be pegged back once again.

The 34-year-old raised hopes of a comeback when she took the fourth game, but Han, a silver medallist in the women's team event at Rio 2016, was not to be denied as she forced more mistakes out of the higher-ranked player.

Feng's compatriot Yu Mengyu fared better in an earlier match as she beat American Liu Juan 4-2 to advance to the quarter-finals, where she will meet Japan's world No. 10 Kasumi Ishikawa.

Meanwhile, home hopes of a men's singles medal were dashed in the round of 16 as Slovenia's world No. 28 Darko Jorgic beat fourth-ranked Tomokazu Harimoto 4-3 (10-12, 11-9, 11-3, 10-12, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7) while Germany's world No. 8 Dimitrij Ovtcharov ousted 17th-ranked Koki Niwa 4-1 (11-4, 7-11, 11-0, 11-7, 11-9).

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