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Sunday March 19, 2006

Table tennis teams fall in quarter-finals

MALAYSIA'S hopes of a table tennis medal in the team competition ended when both the men's and women's teams went down fighting in the quarter-finals at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre last night.

The men's team had earlier downed New Zealand 3-1 to earn a place in the last eight but they found Wales just too strong.

Chan Koon Wah took a 2-0 lead over Ryan Jenkins but could not hold on and eventually bowed out 11-8, 11-9, 3-11, 6-11, 3-11.

The pressure was on Mohd Shakirin Ibrahim and his inexperience showed against veteran Adam Robertson, who gave Wales the second point with a 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8 victory.

Kho Mao Sheng attempted a Malaysian comeback by beating Stephen Jenkins 11-6, 17-15, 11-6 but Wales went on to book a place in the semi-finals after Robertson returned to beat Koon Wah 11-4, 11-4, 11-4.

The Malaysian women's team beat Wales 3-0 in the morning to top Group C unbeaten but met their match against the China-powered Canadian team, who won 3-1.

Ng Sock Khim failed to get the better of Zhang Mo and fell 6-11, 12-14, 11-7, 7-11.

Beh Lee Wei then came back from one game down to beat Xu Hong Guang 6-10, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 but Malaysia again trailed after Chiu Soo Jiin lost 6-11, 9-11, 6-11 to Sara Yuen.

Canada clinched the winning point after Beh Lee Wei fell 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 10-12 to Zhang Mo.

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