TABLE TENNIS:  Jian Fang-Lay has bowed out in the second round of the women’s singles, going down in a seven set thriller against Xue LI of France.

Lay battled back from three sets to one down to win the fifth and sixth sets and level the match.

She then raced to a 6-3 lead in the deciding set before dropping the last eight points of the match to lose 7-11, 11-13, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11.

There were several key moments in the match. Lay had four set points in the second set, leading 10-6, but she could not close it out.

Instead of evening the match at one set all, Lay found herself playing from behind and could not recover.

“I am disappointed, especially with what happened in second and last set,” Lay said.

“I was leading but didn’t finish. I wanted to win but wasn’t consistent enough. She is a very good player. At the end of the last set she was very good; she blocked the ball very well.”

In the sixth set, controversy flared when Li’s coach was red carded and forced to leave the venue.

Lay had all the momentum entering the final set, and when she took a 2-1 lead it marked the first time in the match that she was ahead. When she extended the lead to 6-3 she appeared on the cusp of an historic victory before Li rallied to win.

Lay will join Miao Miao and Vivian Tan in the teams event that begins on Friday. Australia will take on Germany in the opening round.

Kevin Diggerson in London
olympics.com.au