Singapore women annex TT title for fourth time

Jaipur, June 2 (UNI) After going down in the first singles, defending champions Singapore rallied back to beat Malaysia 3-1 to annex the women's team title for the fourth time in the 17th Commonwealth Table Tennis championships at the SMS indoor hall here today.

The star-studded Singapore team were shocked in the very first singles match as Bei Bei Sun, ranked 19th in the world, lost to Malaysia's 211th ranked Lee Wei Beh in a gruelling five set encounter 8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 8-11.

Eighth ranked Yue Gu Wang then took command, grabbing two matches, besides a victory earned by her teamamte Paey Fem Tan in the third singles. Yue Gu Wang was stretched to full five sets by Sock Khim NG in the second singles before the former managed to win 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 5-11, 11-8.

Paey Fem, ranked 84th, also did not start well as she lost the first set against a much lower ranked ranked (301st) opponent Soo Jin.

But Paey regained her composure to win the next three sets and the match 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-8. Singapore thus gained a 2-1 lead in the match.

Yue Gu dropped the third set against Lee Wei in her return singles before prevailing over 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4.

This is the fourth title victory for Singapore in this edition of the championship. Hosts India had already finished as joint runners-up yesterday.

UNI