Commonwealth Games, Singapore win table tennis gold
In the table-tennis events at the 19th Commonwealth Games in the Indian Capital city of New Delhi, the women’s team title was won by Singapore, the reigning World champions in table tennis.
The Singapore team duly fulfilled its pre-tournament favourites tag on Friday 8th October, 2010. The host nation, India, was beaten by Singapore by three matches to nil at the final hurdle. The most professional performance was given by Feng Tianwei,
Wang Yuegu and Li Jiawei by the virtue of, which the world’s favourite were able to lift the women’s team title.
From the very beginning, four days before the match, Singapore fielded their leading players. It was the policy they followed from start till end which was an effective strategy in winning the title.
In the first contest of the fixture, Petite Mouma Das had to face Feng Tianwei. It was not an exaggeration by Mouma when she described her opponent Tianwei as the favourite of all. It can be easily understood by current ITTF World’s Women Ranking list in,
which Mouma stands at 211, Feng Tianwei has secured no.3 position.
Mouma Das hoped that the partisan crowd would lift her to new heights, which would in turn perhaps discourage Feng Tianwei.
Mouma had anticipated this situation from the previous week’s match in which a Singaporean had been affected by the crowd in her match against Kasumi Ishikawa of Japan in Dubai at U.A.E World Team classic. In Al Nasr Stadium, she had to face a straight games
defeat against the teenager from Japan.In the Yamuna Sports Complex, when Mouma Das won the third, the crowd roared in ecstasy and she celebrated as though she had won the gold.
Feng Tianwei was not at all disturbed by her adversary’s supporters and the crowd’s roar but remained focused. She was calm and concentrated on winning the title and this attitude of her’s gave Singapore the start they craved.
Feng Tianwei versus Mouma Das was in fact a remarable game with score 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-7
Wang Yuegu and Shamini Kumaresan came into the arena next. Throughout the event, Shamini Kumaresan had excelled and achieved new heights. Sha had moved to a new level by her great performance throughout but again Wang Yuegu, it was a step too high to climb.
Wang Yuegu recorded a victory of straight games. She remained too fast from the beginning and was always the first to attack. She remained a dominant player from start till end of a practically one sided game. The splendid match of
Wang Yuegu versus Shamini Kumaresan ended with a score of 11-7, 11-7, 11-5.
Nevertheless, Shamini Kumaresan and her colleagues rejoiced and enjoyed the occasion. Television cameras, a marvelous show court and a partisan crowd all together made the event a more splendid one.
The Indian players reveled in the atmosphere. It was the scenario that motivated the third Indian Poulomi Ghatak against her World’s favourite opponent Li Jiawei. She won the first game by the virtue of this encouraging atmosphere. She won it by 12-10 but
her illustrious opponent beat her in the next three games. Li Jiawei against Poulomi Ghatak had a lead of 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 in the next three games.
Finally, it was a defeat for India but they felt a great pride and honour in reaching the finals and facing the World’s favourite. It was nonetheless a splendid occasion for the Indian players and they were proud of having reached the finals. The favourites
had prevailed and excelled, never seriously challenged.
The current World Champions, Singapore, are also the Commonwealth Champions now, which makes them undeniably the best in the world. For fans around the World, and especially from Singapore, not only was this an entertaining match, it was also a matter of
pride.
Tags: