A gallant performance from Chan Tan-lui was not enough to see Hong Kong's women table tennis team into the final of the tournament as they made a last-four exit against against North Korea last night. Chan, the sole veteran in Hong Kong's inexperienced side, won her first singles rubber and was pressed into duty in an attempt to save the match, eventually won 3-1 by the Koreans. Defeat means Hong Kong will have to settle for bronze, but Chan was upbeat after the loss. 'This is a young team and I'm sure they will get better,' she said. 'Winning bronze here is a good achievement.' 'We played well as a team but just couldn't do it at the end. I was a bit tired in my second match and that affected me.' The Koreans got off to a flying start with Kim Hyon-hui sweeping aside Wong Ching imperiously, winning 21-9, 21-16. Chan got Hong Kong back into the match in the next rubber against Tu Jong-sil but had to call on all her experience to overcome a dangerous opponent. She won the first game 21-15 but the tenacious Tu took the second 23-21. In the decider, Chan raised her game and opened up a comfortable buffer zone early on to win 21-14. The third rubber was to prove the turning point, with Song Ah-sim crumbling against Wi Pok-sun. After a slow start, Song looked to have found some rhythm and went into a 20-18 lead, only to see Wi fight back to win the game 22-20. That win demoralised Song, and Wi capitalised in the next game, winning 21-13 to take the rubber. With Hong Kong needing to win the fourth rubber to stay in the match, coach Wong Man-wa threw Chan back into the fray to face Kim. 'She was our best player and we had to try and save the match, even though she had only rested for one game,' Wong said. The tactic seemed to have worked when Chan took the first game 21-14. But when the weariness set in, Kim upped the tempo and some crisp shots with her forehand had Chan in trouble. Kim levelled the tie by taking the second game 21-15 and completed the win in the third, winning 21-16. Earlier in the day, Hong Kong had given an indication of their potential by frightening defending champions China before losing 3-2 in their remaining group match. China had taken an early lead in the five-rubber match when Wang Nan defeated Wong 21-16 21-16. But a fightback from Song in the second rubber levelled the tie. Song defeated Li Ju 22-20, 22-24, 21-16 to make it 1-1. Hong Kong took the lead in the match in the third game when Chan held her nerve to defeat Zhang Yining 21-13, 18-21, 21-12. In the reverse singles, Hong Kong ran out of puff and China levelled the tie when Li defeated Wong 21-16, 21-12 and Wang took the decisive rubber against a weary Song 21-5, 21-9. China beat South Korea 3-0 in the second semi-final and play North Korea today.
