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Feng Tianwei crashes out of ITTF World Tour Grand Finals

SINGAPORE — After Feng Tianwei’s giant-slaying feat last weekend which saw the Singaporean defeating world No 1 Ding Ning in the Chinese Super League, the 30-year-old was expected to make a strong bid for the sport’s biggest prize at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour Grand Finals.

Feng Tianwei. TODAY file photo

Feng Tianwei. TODAY file photo

SINGAPORE — After Feng Tianwei’s giant-slaying feat last weekend which saw the Singaporean defeating world No 1 Ding Ning in the Chinese Super League, the 30-year-old was expected to make a strong bid for the sport’s biggest prize at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour Grand Finals. 

The US$500,000 (S$714,522) season-ending event in Qatar was also the first international tournament for the world No 6 player since October, when she was unceremoniously dumped from the national team.

But there was no fairytale comeback for Feng on Friday night (Dec 9), as she was knocked out of the women’s singles competition after a shock first-round loss (4-3) to Japan’s Miu Hirano. 

Feng, the 2010 champion, had come out firing in her match against the Japanese teenager, claiming the first two games 11-6, 11-4. But the 16-year-old proved to be no walkover, as she clawed back to win the next two games 11-9, 11-6. 

While Feng looked ready to claim victory after winning the fifth game (11-7), the veteran player could not fend off the challenge from her plucky young opponent, as Miu turned on the heat to level the score at 3-3 before winning the seventh and final game 11-4 to the delight of her fans in the arena. 

This is Feng’s second loss to the Japanese paddler this season — Feng had won their encounter at the Asian Cup in April, before Miu exacted revenge in the Women’s World Cup six months later.

With her victory over three-time Olympic medallist Feng in Doha, Miu looks set to cement her reputation as a player to watch for the future. 

At the age of 13, the teenager and her doubles partner Mima Ito won the German Open title to become the youngest winners of a doubles event on the ITTF World Tour, before repeating the feat again at the World Tour Grand Finals in the same year. 

The Asian Games silver medallist (team) made history again this year with her World Cup win in Philadelphia — she was the youngest winner of the event and the first Japanese player to win the women’s singles. 

 

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