Singapore sweep table tennis women singles

Singapore continued their dominance of women’s table tennis at the Commonwealth Games by winning all three singles medals as Feng Tianwei won the gold just like she had done in Delhi four years ago.
The world number four comfortably beat compatriot and second see Yu Mengyu in the final 11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2 as the competition went with seeding.
Lin Ye, who Feng had beaten in the semi-finals, won the bronze medal with a convincing 11-5, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 success over 42-year-old Australian Lay Jian Fang, to ensure Singapore got their hands on all three medals.
"To win all three medals is not easy,” insisted their coach Jing Junhong.
"Our two younger players Lin and Yu have raised their game to another level during the course of the competition. And Feng Tianwei has been an inspiration to the younger players.
"Next we will compete at the Asian Games, where the competition will be stronger. But this is definitely a good morale booster."
"I'm really happy I could defend my title after winning in Delhi,” said Feng. "I had no specific strategies for this match, since we're already very familiar with each other."
Singapore also took the men’s doubles gold medal after Gao Ning and Li Hu recovered after losing the opening game to Indians Sharath Kamal and Anthony Arputharaj to win 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5.
Yang Zi and Zhan Jie took the bronze with victory over Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford.
It sparked emotional scenes from Li who ran to the crowd at the end while for Gao it was the perfect response after losing to Kamal in the final four years ago.
“It's normal to win and lose in matches, but this time we got revenge,” said Gao. “We were more familiar with the opponents this time.
"Li's an all-round player. He's a good backhand player. All the emotions came out,” said Li. "This was my first time at the Commonwealth Games. It was not easy to win this gold and I really wanted it.”
But Singapore’s control over the sport at Commonwealth Games level was not absolute after 15-year-old Tin-Tin Ho and partner Liam Pitchford of England earned a remarkable win over Feng and Zhan Jian in the mixed doubles by a 12-10, 11-8, 11-13, 6-11, 11-5 scoreline.
With Ho and Pitchford playing Joanna and Paul Drinkhall in the final, England are guaranteed the gold and silver medals putting an end to Singapore’s stranglehold.
"It’s amazing, it’s a dream, I've got no words really,” said Ho, who has impressed throughout the Games with her tenacity and enthusiasm at such a young age. “We played really well together."
Singapore top seeds Gao and Zhan both safely made it through to Saturday’s semi-finals of the men’s singles where they will now play Pitchford of England and Kamal of India respectively on the final day of competition at the Scotstoun Sports Campus.
Elsewhere 52-year-old Li Chunli's competition is over after she lost in the women's quarter-finals with Karen Li to Feng and Yu to Feng and Yu who will contest for another medal with Drinkhall and Kelly Sibley, Lay Jiang Fang and Miao Miao and Anqi Luo and Mo Zhang.
Source: AFP