KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian women's table tennis team had to play second fiddle to Singapore again in the Commonwealth Games final.
In the final match for gold today, Malaysia went down 3-0 to Singapore, who were powered by China-born players, at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
Nonetheless, credit to Beh Lee Wei's girls for their great run to the final where they managed to win two sets against Singapore.
Gold again eluded coach Lee Wei who played in the Malaysian team that lost 3-0 to Singapore in the 2014 Commonwealth Games final in Glasgow.
Doubles Ho Ying and Karen Lyne Dick were the first to take to the table and they gave the China-born pair of Zhou Jingyi and Zeng Jian a scare by winning the first set 11-7. But the Singapore duo stormed back to take the next three sets 11-4, 11-6, 11-5.
Alice Chang was next up against world No 16 Feng Tianwei, and the Malaysian could not match the China-born player and went down 9-11, 1-11, 7-11.
Ho Ying, ranked 556th in the world, put up a gallant fight against world No. 70 Zeng Jian before going down 3-11, 4-11, 11-8, 5-11.
Lee Wei said: "Singapore, with their China-born players, were far too superior for us.
"But I am happy that we managed to win two sets in the final. It's a good indication that our players have made progress.
"Reaching the women's team final was a bonus for us as we had targeted only a bronze in these Games.
"I want my players to continue playing well to finish on the podium in the women's singles and doubles," said Lee Wei.
Australia defeated Wales 3-0 for the women's team bronze.
At the 2018 Games in the Gold Coast, Australia, Ho Ying and Karen won the women's doubles bronze.