Australia’s Lily Phan has claimed her first victory on the table tennis courts of Singapore’s Indoor Stadium after knocking off Guyana’s  Adielle Rosheuvel.

Phan took out her African opponent in straight sets, winning 11-5, 11-5, 11-6, as the 15 year old turned the tables on her four opening day defeats.

“I think I played my best today,” Phan said.

“I was bit unlucky with some of the illegal service calls but I did my best.”

After being knocked out of the top 16, Phan moved into a playoff for positions 17-32 but wasn’t able to get past Belarus’s Katsyarina Baravok in her first B playoff match, going down in four sets 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4.

Following her win against the African, the Vietnamese born Aussie finished the second day of competition with a second defeat in the classifications, going down to Celine Pang of France in a tightly fought contest, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10.  

Phan matched it with the European and had a couple of opportunities to take the second and third sets, leading 10-8 in both, but wasn’t able to finish Pang off.

“I just couldn’t get that last shot,” Phan said.

“That is the difference between us and the Europeans who live the sport.”

While the results didn’t all go her way, Phan knows the tournament and the Youth Olympic Games experience itself has been nothing but positive.

“It has been amazing. In my first match I was all nerves playing in front of over a thousand people. I feel like I have played my best, gave it my all and am proud.”

While the crowd did raise the roof when the host nation’s players took to the court, there were a couple of Lily’s fans that could be heard above the rest when she entered on court.

“My mum and dad were in the stands and they thought I did my best. As long as I fight and don’t give up they’re always proud.”

Matt Bartolo
AOC