HANOI - Singapore's table tennis men's singles defending champion Koen Pang was knocked out in the SEA Games group stage on Thursday (May 19).

Pang, 20, lost 3-1 (11-5, 8-11, 17-15, 14-12) to Thailand's Sanguansin Phakpoom in his final group stage game at the Hai Duong Gymnasium.

While disappointed, he vowed to learn from the experience.

The world No. 113, who plans to train full-time and hopes to break into the top 100 soon, said: "I feel devastated not because of the result but because of the way I played today's match.

"I couldn't control my nerves and let them get the best of me today. I didn't expect the result to be like this but... I know where my weaknesses are and what to work on."

Pang, who completed his national service on May 10, won the mixed doubles gold with Wong Xin Ru as well as the men's team and doubles bronze.

Compatriot Clarence Chew, 2017 and 2019 runner-up, is still in the running to win the elusive singles gold after he topped his group. He faces Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Tuan in the semi-finals on Friday.

The 26-year-old won the men's doubles title with Ethan Poh in their third SEA Games together while he also has a silver (mixed doubles) and bronze (men's team).

In the absence of women's singles defending champion Lin Ye, debutante Zeng Jian is the only remaining Singaporean in the event.

Fellow debutante Zhou Jingyi was knocked out on Thursday by Malaysia's Ho Ying, who won 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5).

Zeng, 25, will play Thailand's Orawan Paranang in Friday's semi-finals.

The finals of both men's and women's singles will be played in the evening.

The Republic's paddlers have won two golds, three silvers and two bronzes so far.

Their nine-Games gold streak in the women's team was halted by the Thais in the finals while Zeng and Zhou settled for silver in the women's doubles, losing to Thailand again.