Feng gets another chance to prove her detractors wrong

SINGAPORE — By her own admission, the past six weeks have been a trying time for world No 6 paddler Feng Tianwei (picture).

Following a dismal outing at the Rio Olympics that saw Feng and her team-mates returning home empty-handed, the three-time Olympics medallist was unexpectedly axed from the national team in October. The Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) had cited the need for rejuvenation in the national set-up as reasons for not renewing her contract.

But the 30-year-old sent a strong message back to the national sports body last Sunday by recording one of the biggest wins of her career this week — beating world No 1 and reigning Olympic champion Ding Ning (3-2) in the Chinese Super League.

Feng will get another chance to prove to the STTA that her best days are not behind her, as the paddler takes on Japanese teenager Miu Hirano (11) in the first round of the US$500,000 (S$709,210) International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour Grand Finals in Doha today.

Both players have met twice this year, with the score even at 1-1 as Feng emerged victorious at the Asian Cup in April, before the 16-year-old shocked her older rival 4-2 in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup six months later.

The Singaporean could then face either Japan’s Yuka Ishigaki or Tie Yana of Hong Kong if she qualifies for the next round.

A rematch against the top-seeded Ding of China awaits in the semi-finals if Feng makes the top four in her bid to capture the ITTF World Tour’s biggest prize for the second time. Feng last won the women’s singles title in 2010, before adding the doubles trophy in 2012 with team-mate Yu Mengyu.

"I lost to this opponent the last time, so I hope to make a breakthrough this time," she told TODAY in a Whatsapp message.

The invitation-only, season-ending tournament will see 32 of the world’s best men and women players competing for honours in the singles events, while the top 16 pairs will compete in the men’s and women’s doubles.

Singapore’s Yu had qualified for the singles and doubles with Zhou Yihan, but the world No 15 had to withdraw because of an injury.

Singapore’s other representative, Zeng Jian — who is eighth in the Under-21 world ranking — will contest the Under-21 women’s singles. LOW LIN FHOONG