Table tennis players fall short of final

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post/Manila

A lack of experience in international matchplay was blamed for the twin semifinal defeats of the national men's and women's table tennis teams at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

Yon Mardiyono was the only team member to contribute a point in the Indonesian men's 1-3 defeat by Singapore while the women fell by the same score to Thailand.

"The players are lacking in international tournament experience. Thailand and Singapore traveled abroad ahead of the SEA Games," team manager Deddy Kurniawan Wikanta said.

"The players lost focus at critical moments," he said, adding that Indonesia's only tournament preparation was in the Asian Championship in South Korea in August.

The team of five men and five women also underwent a four- month training program in Guangzhou, China, before the Games.

The men's team quickly found themselves 0-2 down after Muhammad Hussein lost 6-11, 4-11, 5-11 to Cai Xiao Li and Reno Handoyo fell to Yang Zi 5-11, 8-11, 7-11.

Yon reduced the gap with a 11-1, 11-6, 11-8 win over Ho Jia Ren Jason but Hussein was unable to keep the tie alive, crashing to Yang Zi, 6-11, 5-11, 4-11.

Singapore will meet Vietnam, who brushed aside the Philippines 3-0, in the final on Thursday.

For the women, Istiyanti Lindawati's defeat of Suttilux Rattanaprayoon proved to be of little consequence when Christine Ferliana faltered at the hands of Nathana Komwong 7-11, 10-12, 11-13.

The Thai team took the first two matches, with Nathana Komwon beating Ceria Nilasari Jusma 12-10, 16-14, 11-9 and Anisara Muangsuk defeating Christine 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4.

Thailand meet Singapore, a 3-0 winner over Myanmar, in the finals.