Ai Xin’s spirited run ends with silver after seven-set battle

Focused: Tee Ai Xin in action against Thailand’s Jinnipa Sawettabut during the women’s singles final match. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: National paddler Tee Ai Xin’s bid to become the first Malaysian to win the women’s singles title at the South-East Asia Table Tennis Championships ended in heartbreak after she lost a thrilling seven-set final to Thailand’s Jinnipa Sawettabut.

Ai Xin could not hold off Jinnipa’s late fightback, going down 13-15, 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11 at the Malaysian Sepaktakraw Academy to settle for silver.

The 25-year-old was disappointed to miss out on a second gold medal at the championships, saying Jinnipa’s change of rhythm in the closing stages disrupted her game plan.

Fatigue also began to take its toll on the final day after Ai Xin had competed in the team, women’s doubles and mixed doubles events throughout the week.

“I was in a comfortable position in the first four sets and was leading, but in the last three sets my opponent changed her game rhythm and I couldn’t get back into my game.

“Today was the last day of the tournament and I got tired towards the end, but it’s not an excuse for missing out on the gold,” she said.

Ai Xin said she had approached the final without putting too much pressure on herself.

“I didn’t think too much about today’s competition. I just focused on doing my best and seeing how far I could go,” said Ai Xin, who beat Vietnam’s Mai Hoang My Trang 11-2, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 in the semi-finals.

Despite missing out on the singles crown, Ai Xin had already secured the women’s doubles gold with Karen Lyne on Friday.

Malaysia finished the championships with two gold medals, winning the mixed and women’s doubles titles, while also claiming silver in the men’s and women’s team events and through Ai Xin’s singles runner-up finish.

Ai Xin will next compete in Portugal before heading to Chengdu for an invitational tournament. She will then return home for the National Championships in Ipoh from Dec 3-6.

FINAL RESULTS

Men’s singles: Nguyen Anh Tu (Vie) bt Nicholas Tan (Sin) 10-12, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7.

Women’s singles: Jinnipa Sawettabut (Tha) bt Tee Ai Xin (Mas) 15-13, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7.