Germany stops Australian table tennis hopes

The table tennis campaign for the Australian Tokyo Olympics ended with a bid that Germany won 3-0 in the first round of the women’s teams.

In a format like the Davis Cup of Tennis, with a doubles and four singles competitions, Australians were unable to expand their competition beyond at least three matches.

The tone was set early as Melissa Tapper and Michelle Bromley lost their doubles opening match 11-1 on a 3-0 pummel within 15 minutes.

Six-time Olympic champion Jian Fang Lay – who made it to the third round of the Tokyo Women’s singles – represented Australia’s best chance of getting back in the draw and produced omnipotence when he fell to Ying Han in five games.

Fang Lay won the second opening game after dropping another 11-9, and after each point won came the brand’s first pump.

The pair swapped for the next two games to settle, but it was all over in five minutes as Han jumped to a 6-0 lead before ending up in a 11-2 situation.

Against his back against the wall, Australia needed a Bromley win to extend the draw, but the 33-year-old from Sydney’s West didn’t match World No. 33 Xiaona Shania, losing 11-2 11-3 11-9 20 minutes.