Heartbreak for India in women's TT after loss to Malaysia

Defending champions India crashed out of the women's table tennis team event, losing to unseeded Malaysia 3-2 in a nerve-wracking contest at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Saturday.

The see-saw fight went to the decider with the teams locked 2-2. It came down to the deciding singles between India's Reeth Tennison and Ying Ho of Malaysia. Reeth led 2-1 but Ho stormed back to win 12-11, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 9-11.

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There were disappointed faces in the Indian camp while the Malaysian girls came together for a victory huddle. Four years back, the Indian women had pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the Games, beating powerhouse Singapore to win the team gold medal.

It started on the wrong note for India with Malaysia's Karen Lyne and Li Sian Chang beating Sreeja Akula and Reeth Tennison in the opening doubles. The Malaysian doubles pair won 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6.

Defending singles champion Manika Batra drew level beating Ying Ho 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 11-3. Manika started well to pocket the first two games but Ho fought back and then it was the Indian who was at her dominating best in the decider. Batra broke away from 5-3 and increased the tempo to keep the pressure on Ho, eventually getting the victory.

National champion Akula put behind the doubles loss to come up with an impressive 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 rout of Chang in the third match of the tie. It was a big relief for India to take a 2-1 lead.

However, Malaysia bounced back and this time it was Batra who had no answers to the pace and guile of Karen, going down 11-6, 11-3, 11-9 in the second singles.

In the deciding final match, Reeth Tennison lost to Ying Ho, eliminating India in the last eight.

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