TABLE TENNIS: The Australian women’s table tennis team has been beaten 3-2 by Venezuela at the World Teams Championships in Kuala Lumpur, the first defeat for the team this week.

After cruising through their pool stage without losing a match, the Australians found the going tougher against the South Americans, despite the heroics of four-time Olympian, Jian Fang Lay.

Lay won both her singles matches comfortably, but Vivian Dederko lost both her matches in five-game struggles, while Melissa Tapper also came unstuck in four games.

The result means the Australians will finish the competition ranked in the mid fifties.

Meanwhile the Australian men were beaten 3-1 by Slovenia, with David Powell notching Australia’s only win of the rubber.

Kane Townsend lost a tough 5-game struggle in the opening match, while Heming Hu was unable to get on top in both his matches.

The men’s team will finish in the low forties, which team manager Scott Houston said was a disappointing result.

“We are not satisfied with our performance,” Houston said.

“Our goal was to reach the final and to secure our spot in the second division, but we did not achieve it.

“Of course we are disappointed.”

ROSS SOLLY FOR TABLE TENNIS AUSTRALIA