Table tennis players fall short of final

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.