Table Tennis Male Preliminaries (29th January 2011) KE vs RH

Written by: Gavin Cheah
Edited by: Adriel Leong

After the exhilarating match against Kent Ridge Hall, our table tennis players were back on the 2^nd day of the preliminaries facing Raffles Hall, to battle for a spot in the semi-finals.

Jun Kiat got the ball rolling, facing Chen Yiguo from Raffles who was an ex-IVP captain. We got of to a shaky start as Raffles won 11-2. However, Jun Kiat refocused his efforts and gave his all in the second round; manging to give his opponent a difficult time before Raffles managed to win 11-5. The third round saw some intense nail biting action with Jun Kiat’s string of impossible saves, just as it seemed that Raffles was going to win the point. He was quick on the counter-attack, whenever the opportunity arose but Raffles still maintained the upper hand and won 11-4.

Jun Kiat going for the kill

IHG 2011 Table Tennis (M) KE vs KR

Written by: Gavin Cheah
Photos by: Cheng Zhenlei
Edited by: Adriel Leong

With the IHG well under way, the turn came for our table tennis players to get all fired up. They faced Kent Ridge Hall in the first preliminary round on Friday (28^th January 2011). The players were in a jubilant mood as they marched all the way to Sheares Hall, arriving well ahead of the match time scheduled at 7pm.

Female Table Tennis – Preliminaries vs Sheares Hall & Eusoff Hall

Written by: Adriel Leong
Pictures by: Sheng Jie

Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport where two or four players hit a lightweight orange or white hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets; across a large blue table. While the game objective may seem simple enough, the game certainly is not; as our KE girls showed during their matches against Sheares Hall and Eusoff Hall on Thursday (27 Jan) and Friday (28 Jan) respectively.

Kent Ridge Hall was to be the setting where our girls’ skills and the accumulation of countless hours of hard practice would be pitted against the best that the other NUS Halls had to offer in the ping pong arena.

Jan 30th table tennis (f)

KE vs RH, 2-3

Writer: Loraine Ong
Editor: Stephanie Kho

Photos by Siew Wai

The female table tennis team of KE7 went to war against Raffles Hall on a Saturday morning. The supporters were mainly made up of seniors who came down to watch it. Eager they were to know the outcome of the game and nervous were the players from KE7 and RH. The game started right after each team gathered to shout a cheer for themselves.

Determined

The first singles was played by our IVP player, Lee May. Expectedly, she won her match. It was a close fight, however, as she played against the captain of RH. She raced to the score of 11 quickly, leaving her opponent to lose all three matches played. It was a good start for KE7, boosting the morale of our team members.

Let's get started!

Shereen and Zhao Yang were the next to play in the first set of doubles. They started off on the right foot, by having a lead of 3-0 in the first game and subsequently winning it 11-6. Our players took it slow, giving the opponents many looped shots and they too, returned looped ones. Zhao Yang was good at giving unpredictable shots and the very jumpy ping pong ball caught the RH player off-guard, causing them to lose point. This happened twice during the game. Both Shereen and Zhao Yang had incredibly good concentration. When the ball bounced off the edge of the table and flew at an angle, our quick players could receive them! Awesome! However, they lost the three subsequent games 6-11, 5-11 and 8-11.

Deng Shuo is a player I might coin as a ‘smacker’. She cleverly took many opportunities to perform smacks, which is a good skill of hers. Most of the smacks (or should I say all of them) could not be returned by her opponent. She received many compliments from her team members throughout her singles match; “Hao qiu!”, “Hao qiu!” (Hao qiu means “good ball” in Mandarin, literally). Her opponent was clearly quite nervous but won the first two sets. Deng Shuo managed to win the third set 11-9 which was a close one. The points were 3-3, 4-4, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, and finally 11-9! She went on to win the next set, which meant that a fifth set had to be played. Deng Shuo was leading the game initially, till a score of 9-8, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12 and then RH quickly caught up to win it by 14-12.

Essential teamwork in a game

Xin Yun and Yu Hua braved a good fight in the second game of doubles. They appeared to be nervous at the start, but as the game proceeded, their confidence built up. They lost 8-11 in the first set, won 13-11 in the second set, and lost 6-11 and 2-11 in the following.

Zhang Wen, our captain, did excellent in her match. She won her match overall with a score of 11-7, 11-5 and 11-7. Her sense of focus was brilliant and she strategized her game well. Three cheers to the captain who did her team proud!

The girls who fought hard in the battle

Despite the fact that KE did not emerge as the overall winner, the team has clearly put up a tough fight against RH. Most importantly, many invaluable experiences were gained to make this a journey cherished by all team members.

Jan 27th Table Tennis (M)

2nd Preliminary Round: KE vs SH, 2-3

Writer: Adriel Leong
Editor: Janice Fan

Photos by Zhenlei

Optimism and confidence was in the air as our men’s table tennis team faced off against Sheares Hall (SH), for a spot in the IHG semi-finals. At 645pm, both teams were extremely hard at work, focusing on practicing the basic shots, with even a familiar face (our editor Ong Qing Liang) being spotted. Sheer tenacity and determination was evident, when the player’s 110% effort and concentration was even present in the simpler tasks of the night to come, such as the warming up segment. We were definitely about to witness an exciting match ahead.

Our first singles match started promptly at 715pm, with our foreign talent Otso, hailing from the distant nation of Finland (rumours abound that he is one of the sucessors to the Nokia empire) on exchange in NUS, facing off against a Chinese opponent. A spectator even remarked that even while the match had not started, Otso had already won in style, as he was decked in a head-band that kept his long locks of hair in place, very reminiscient of old school fashion, and armed with a CAN-DO ATTITUDE and his extremely polished accent. He showed his style of play right from the beginning, while warming up against his opponent, with his fierce, powerful shots that often left his opponent bewildered, showing promise that the first match of the game was ours for the taking. Osto, with his well placed shots and his cool, confident demeanour, comfortably took the first set 11-5, after establishing a comfortable 5-1 lead early in the game. It was certainly amusing to see a multi-national conversion take place during a time out in the match, when his Chinese and Cambodian teammates had a discussion about the style of service that he should play against his opponent, which no doubt led to the easy win in the first game. His quick style of play also gave Otso an early lead in the second game. However, a controversy soon erupted when Otso had scored 2 points on his serve, when the service was supposed to be his opponent’s; which somehow managed to go unnoticed by the umpire and hence risking the 2 point lead which he had worked hard for. Nonetheless, the umpire’s decision was ruled in our favor, and it seemed that things were certainly looking bright for us that night. Osto then cruised to a comfortable 11-9 victory in the second game. In the final match, Osto raced to a commanding 4-1 lead, before finally taking the match 11-8. It was certainly characteristic of him to see him win the match point of the game in style, when he executed a sliced-lop serve, which resulted in a weak return from his opponent, and finally causing the opponent to make an unforced error; sending the ball out of the court and winning KE our first match of the day.

Having pep talk

Our first doubles had our Dynamic duo of McVin and Jun Ying (Captain and Vice-Captain respectively), squaring off against 2 more experienced SH players. Though their partnership had been one that was forged only recently, they were in good synergy as evidenced by their shots which seemed to complement each other’s. They got off to a slow start, trailing 4-1 in the first game, as they seemed to be having some difficulty in finding momentum to the game, and reacting to the opponent’s shots, losing 4-11 in the process. Nonetheless, they came back stronger in the second game, being able to hold their own against their more experienced players who had started to get used to the game that McVin and Jun Ying were playing and exploiting their weaknesses. Unfortunately, they lost the last game 3-11, due to the sheer greater experience of their opponents. Nonetheless, they certainly exemplified much tenacity, and no one could deny that they fought tooth and nail for every single point that they managed to score that night. Great effort guys!

Tips for the guys

Our second singles, saw our resident JK facing off against Hao Shuai, who was known to be the #3 IVP player in NUS. Nonetheless, JK certainly showed his opponent that this match would be no walk in the park for his opponent, showcasing his fast reflexes and nifty foot work time and time again during the warm up, which certainly caused his opponent to pay more attention to his shots. JK’s can-do-attitude and winning-confidence was certainly on show that night, even remarking at point ‘I think I can win leh!’, with a wide-grinned smile. He got off to a slow start, losing the first game 11-3, as he fell victim to his opponent’s powerful strokes which sent JK flying all over the court in attempting to retrieve his opponent’s shots. However, he managed to read his opponent’s game, which coupled with his acrobatic attempts and long range retrievals, enabled him to hit several winners against his opponent. Certainly, there were times when even his opponent was dazzled at a seemingly impossible shot, being returned by JK, thereby catching him by surprise, losing by a smaller margin of 11-8 in the second game. JK however, managed to lead in the last game, winning the first point of the game, before his opponent rushed back to take a marginal lead of 4-5 in the middle, and 7-8 later on in the game. However, JK’s fighting spirit was always evident and hitting winners when they seemed near-unlikely, even when his opponent was leading 10-7 during the match point (while lesser men would probably have succumbed to the pressure and tension), finally losing the last game 11-8.

Focusing hard

Our last doubles match was a partnership of Sushu (Year 4) and Haojing (Freshman), who represented the most experienced and freshest player of the team respectively. While their partnership was very new, they were a force to be reckoned with, winning their earlier match on Monday. Their chemistry was certainly evident on the court; as they were getting ready to warm up, their footwork was even in perfect sync, to give the other the best opportunity and coverage of the table to return any shot that their opponent might throw at them. They cruised to a comfortable lead, scoring 4-0 in the first game; however their opponents soon caught up breaking even at 7-7. Certainly they’re raw nerves were displayed at this point, when often times they would be adviced to keep their cool. This would seem characteristic of this game, which would often be down to the battle of nerves and composure. The first game was often tied, with scores ranging from 9-9 and 10-10 at one point or another. Nonetheless, they finally managed to lead 11-10, but they’re raw nerves and their opponent’s seemingly better luck allowed victory to be snatched from their grasps, losing the first game 12-10. The second game started off tensely, allowing them to lead 1-0, due to their opponet’s foul serve. Nonetheless, lady luck didn’t seem to shine on them, causing them to lose the second game 11-8. All the stress and pressure was placed on the third game of the match, which was the determining game to see if KE had stood a chance to advance to the semi finals. The last game started off well, with our players racing to a 5-1 lead. This was followed by a request to call for a time out, which was unfortunately denied as regulations had stated that there would only be 1 time out per match, much to the confusion of our players. Nonetheless, with the lack of advice, our players still held their ground, but much unfortunately, our opponents managed to claw to 7-7. Nonetheless, they were still fighting with every inch of concentration and tenacity which they possessed, extremely evident by the loud exclaimations and outpouring of emotions which proceeded every point that was won. However, our opponents managed to draw level time and time again, at 9-9, and 10-10. We managed to however establish our lead one point at a time, even leading at 11-10 toward the end of the game, but nonetheless, the game was not meant to be ours, as we lost narrowly 13-11 of the final game in the nail-bitting finish. Kudos to our doubles team though, for they’re fighting spirit which certainly was an inspiration to all the players who were present.

Our match of the day had our IVP player Yan Han who was in full control of the game at all point, coming away with a convincing 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 victory. His years of experience was already evident when he stepped onto the court with his commanding presence and calm persona, which seemed as though he was as still as water and as tranquil as the wind. And despite his opponent’s best efforts, Yan Han was certainly reminiscent of Yoda, who would all of a sudden perform an acrobatic maneuver and score a winning shot which would leave his opponent unprepared.

In the end, Captain McVin certainly applauded the team on a job well done, and even though they were unable to progress to the semi-finals, losing merely 3-2 to last year’s champion hall was certainly no easy feat. He even mentioned in his 4 years in KE, this were certainly the best team to have come through our halls, with even a foreign talent in the form of Osto, an IVP player in Yan Han and extremely experienced players such as Captain and Vice Captain Marvel themselves. Of interesting note was how the entire team which was multiethnic with players coming from all sorts of nationalities, such as Cambodian, Indian, Chinese and even Finnish - reflective of  the cosmopolitan and melting pot diversity that KE brings- was able to bond through a simple game of Ping Pong. KE Press wishes a happy retirement to McVin and JunYing who will no longer be staying from next year, and looks forward to the fruits of their hard labour in the next  installment of IHG!

A group photo of the team

Jan 26th Table Tennis (F)

Table Tennis (F), 1st Preliminary Round: KE vs KR, 0-5

Writer: Ng Sze Hwee
Editor: Ong Qing Liang
Photos: Wang He

Hopes were high for our KE table tennis girls as they were the silver medalists of last year’s IHG. The team, led by Zhang Wen, made their way down to MPSH2 for their warm-up. The intense concentration of the warm-up sessions reflected not only our girls’ mental preparation for the upcoming battle, but also their hunger for victory.

The matches started around 6.40pm, with Ling Xue playing the 1st singles. After receiving a prep talk by Zhang Wen and Lee May, Ling Xue headed on for the first battle against KR. However, it was obvious that the opponent was much more experienced than Ling Xue and within a few minutes, KR ended the 1st set with a score of 2-11. Inevitably, Ling Xue felt a tinge of disappointment but everyone offered words of encouragement as well as valuable advice. In the 2nd set, we could see her regain her composure as she fought her opponent to a close 5-9 in the middle of the game. Nevertheless, a few unforced errors caused her defeat at a score of 6-11 to KR. The 3rd set began with Ling Xue not being at her best condition, thus losing the set at 1-11. Ling Xue definitely made the KR team sweat for every point though!

good effort ling xue!

Meanwhile, the battle was on for the 1st doubles 2 tables from the 1st singles. KE sent Deng Shuo & Xinyun. The first game saw the two evenly matched pairs fighting neck to neck for every point as the score tied at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3. As the game proceeded, KR began to widen the gap to 3-5 but that is also the time when they got nervous and hit the ball out of the playing boundaries. The tables turned as KE made use of the opportunity to catch up as well as take the lead with a score of 6-7. However, KR later fought back, winning the set at 8-11. The 2nd set started slow and steady, with KE supporters shouting “good ball” once in a while. Nevertheless, KR was unstoppable, ending the set with a smack and a score of 5-11. The 3rd set saw KE being overstrung by the heat of the competition, making a series of mistakes that ultimately cost them the game. (4-11 to KR). Good effort girls!

xinyun and deng shuo displaying some fine teamwork

The 2nd singles was one of the more exciting games as Lee May, the only IVP in KE’s team played against KR’s most experienced player. KR started really strong and fast, causing our IVP to be slightly off-form, trailing behind as the game proceeded. At a score of 0-6, KR served andLee May returned the ball with a powerful stroke and began an adrenaline-filled rally. Finally, Lee May captured an opportunity and gave a resolute smack, gaining her first hard-earned point in this 1st set. Lee May continued with her counter-attacks, taking the breaths of supporters away as she made a stunning fight, despite losing with a score of 6-11.

lee may going in for the kill!

The 2nd set of the 2nd singles started aggressively as the tempo of the game increased. Fast exchanges were seen and the game got more and more exciting with every passing minute. Supporters were kept on their toes and held their breaths, as the ball bounced from one side of the table to the other. It was a true challenge of speed, skill and accuracy—whoever made an error would break the momentum and lose the game. The set ended 6-11 to KR. The 3rd set continued with several rallies as the two veterans fought. However, the KR opponent was slightly more skilful and won the set with a score of 5-11.

Zhang Wen, the captain played the 3rd singles. She appeared calm and played the 1st set steadily. The scores were kept close throughout the game. At 8-10, Zhang Wei tried to salvage game point by adding spins to her return shots but unfortunately the ball went out of play narrowly. Hence, the set ended with 8-11. A good game played! In the 2nd set, Zhang Wen started strong and gained the upper hand but KR began to slow the tempo and caught up, subsequently winning the set as well as the 3rd set.

all ready to loop the ball

Over at the other side, the 2nd doubles, comprising of Zhao Yang and Shereen, raised the heat of the competition hall as they played a really enthralling match against KR’s pair, of which one of them is a left-hander. Zhao Yang and Shereen spotted the weakness of the left-hander, and grabbed every single chance to smack down towards her, winning several points as well as the cheers of our supporters. Realising KE’s strategy, the left hander switched sides with her partner, who took revenge by smacking back at our girls. A smug look appeared on her face, as if looking down on our players. The smug look also drew the laughters of several of the KR players as it resembled a ‘constipated’ look. Anyway, the infuriated KE girls held on and fought steadily but lost narrowly with a score of 9-11.

The 2nd set saw KE leading and the ‘smug’ player seemed to be really unhappy, sometimes picking up the ball and throwing it back unwillingly to our players to start the serve. The game proceeded with 6-4, followed by 7-4, with KE leading all the way. Morale was really high. ‘Smug girl’ attempted another smack to fight back but failed. KE claims the set with 11-7!

The 3rd set, also the last set, was a really exciting one. This time, KR made the same mistake again as the left hander succumbed to Shereen and Zhao Yang’s powerful smacks, and KE gained the upper hand at 5-2. The ‘smug player’ took revenge again with several other smacks but our girls continued to score 7-4. The crowd cheered and clapped with every point scored. As the game proceeded, KE lost the lead every once in a while and eventually, narrowly lost to KR with 8-11.

zhao yang and shereen putting up a great fight!

All in all, it was a really exciting game filled with rushes of adrenaline. Keep up with the fighting spirit and I’m sure our girls will do better in their 2nd preliminary. All the best for the next game!

the ke7 table tennis (f) team!

Jan 25th Table Tennis (M)

Table Tennis (M), 1^st Preliminary Round, KE vs. RH, 1-4

Writer: Benjamin Lim

On a warm, dry Monday evening, our table tennis team opened their IHG campaign with a match against RH. With more skilled Provincial Chinese players in the opponents’ line-up, the boys knew they were in for a tough night. Still, they didn’t allow that knowledge affect their performance. Even before the games started, the tenacity and concentration on our players’ faces as they warmed up against their team mates made it clear to all present that they were really hungry for victory. It didn’t matter who was more skilled: as long as we were hungrier, there was still a fighting chance.

And fight we did! Whether it was the cautious defensive play of Yan Han or the all-out offensive from JK, our means were varied but our end was common: To beat RH or go down fighting. For the first singles of the night, KE fielded Yan Han, our only IVP, in a bid to crush RH and boost morale for the subsequent players. Initially, things did not quite turn out the way the team had planned, as Yan Han fell victim to poor services and relentless attacks from RH to concede the first set of the game 4-11. The break seemed to help him regain his composure as Yan Han raced to an early 3-0 lead in the second set, however some fierce and precise attacking slices from his opponent that fell in the corners breached his otherwise robust defence, forcing Yan Han to reassess his defensive play as he yielded with a respectable 7-11.

Few would have been able to fight the despair that Yan Han must have felt after going down in the first 2 sets, yet the indomitable KEVIIan fighting spirit he possessed soon shone through his composed and calculated play throughout the subsequent sets. Instead of trailing the RH player, Yan Han often led him in the scores, forcing him to play catch-up. The pressure RH must have felt then showed in his frayed nerves, as he began making unforced errors, or missing the killing shots. Still, both players were about neck and neck, each seeking to exploit the weaknesses of the other. At one point, Yan Han led at 10-8 and a long rally soon broke out, with a series of attacks and parries being expertly executed by each player in turn. Although RH won this exchange, nothing shook Yan Han’s composure as he grabbed the next two sets 11-9.

The long break that elapsed before the final set was played, however, did not work to Yan Han’s advantage as it calmed his opponent’s frayed nerves whilst breaking the attacking flow he had painstakingly built up over the previous 2 sets. Despite his evidently greater hunger, he still had to surrender the last set to the superior technical skill of his opponent 2-11.

In the meantime, the first doubles game was getting on with KE represented by our captain McVin & his partner Jun Ying. From the get-go, the pair stuck to a tried and true formula with McVin preying on RH’s weaker returns while Jun Ying focused on defending the opponents’ fast kill shots. Though the strategy seemed to work well at first, some tricky short returns from the opponent found McVin unable to answer. However, our pair was evidently the more composed one, keeping consistent pressure on their opponents that found the RH players losing precious points even when victory seemed to be at hand. Eventually, after putting in their best and regrouping with some well-called timeouts, McVin and Jun Ying were forced to sign the armistice at 8-11, 8-11, 7-11. Perhaps the blame could be placed on the distracting, constipated and overly jubilant cries of celebration from the RH players or their noisy supporters; but it was clear to all KEVIIans present that had they been able to keep their composure and not been distracted, victory would clearly have been ours.

Concentration...concentration...

Having watched Yan Han’s close defeat from the sidelines, JK was convinced that defensive play failed to make the difference in the match-up. Eager to avenge his teammate, he resolved to adopt a more offensive strategy to overwhelm his opponent into submission. Whenever the opportunity presented itself, JK would pounce and attempt a kill ball. Unfortunately, kill balls must be struck in a controlled manner for precision and JK found his thirst for victory a major impediment to the accuracy of his kill shots. Before he knew it, the first match was lost 4-11, thought not to the credit of his opponent.

JK wisely decided then to review and overhaul his strategy, resulting in more balanced play from the second set onward. He now set-up returns that caused his opponent to fumble, leading to a respectable 7-11 concession in the second set. With greater confidence in the new strategy, he now played his shots calmly while his opponent found great difficulty in both adapting to and stopping this resurgence. The stress on his opponent’s face reflected in the multitude of poorly played returns that allowed JK to steal victory from under his nose 11-8.

JK all set to attack

Still, this was the deciding game that determined if RH would win, and the pressure on JK to prevent this early victory forced him to maintain an offensive streak that never left his play. Unfortunately for JK, his opponent was a good defender who parried his strong slices, setting JK up for returning counter-attacks in compromising positions. Hence, in spite of JK’s pure grit and determination, the competitive background his opponent enjoyed provided the unfair advantage, allowing them to win 9-11. Now, KE was playing for pride. RH may have won the match but they were definitely not killing our determination to do our best. We would strive with them to the bitter end!

Seeing how JK’s overtly offensive strategy overlooked execution, Otso took a more analytical and cautious approach towards his opponent. In a big surprise to those present, Otso tamely surrendered the first set to his opponent 4-11. Most of us thought he couldn’t get into the game, but he evidently had other ideas in mind. Otso’s plan was to utilise the first set to investigate his opponent’s ability and to warm up his game, whilst at the same time fooling his opponent into over-confidence. With this clever strategy, he stood a good chance of winning by outwitting his opponent. Indeed, from the second set onward, Otso took command and bossed his opponent all over the table. So unexpected was this turnaround that his opponent was left with an expression of shock on his face after watching helplessly as Otso took the set comfortably 11-8.

Otso exemplifying how to play table tennis the calm and cool way.

Both players, with nothing left to hide, now played with all they got. Again, Otso capitalized on his psychological advantage over his opponent by letting RH’s confidence get the better of them, causing them to let slip many precious points. In the end, it was a close fight that RH won only because they had the fortune of lady luck smiling down on the balls that bounced on the net that were kept in play and were impossible for Otso to return. Again, only the smallest of margins separated these 2 players in RH’s win 9-11 and 8-11. All our hopes and pride now rested with the second doubles pair to reclaim the victory that we deserved.

Truly, they did not disappoint. KE had really saved the best for last, as Su Shu & Hao Jin stepped up to face-off against the second RH doubles in what was perhaps the longest and most exciting match of the evening. Emotions ran high on both sides of the table as victory swung precariously between the 2 teams. With each point gained, the RH supporters sounded their approval, making up somewhat for the relative silence of their team. In contrast to this, our second doubles pair was a cheering squad all unto themselves, with each point won celebrated with an exuberant arm pump from Hao Jin accompanied by shouts of exhilaration from Su Shu. For all the KE residents who were watching, it was evident that a great hunger burnt in them: one that sought revenge for the defeats suffered previously.

So great and strong was this fire that it raged into their opponents’ hearts striking both fear and awe in them as they began to accumulate unforced errors whilst falling to each shot our pair played at them. But both Xu Su & Hao Jin did not allow their dominating 11-5 win in the first set get to their heads. In the midst of the first set, both were already strategizing on the fly and communicating with various under-the-table hand signals different strategies to use to up the ante.

Teamwork is the way to go!

This strategy proved both useful and necessary, as RH did not allow them to stay in one strategy for too long before breaking their formation. Both teams were relatively evenly matched in terms of skill, but RH exploited some defensive loopholes to break our boys’ game by the smallest of margins at 9-11 and 8-11. From being in a commanding position, KE was now in a precarious state of surrendering a clean sweep.

But far from feeling the pressure, Su Shu  and Hao Jin diligently worked out their mistakes and improved their game. Besides being the team who showed greater teamwork and chemistry, the long hours at training had helped keep them fighting fit. In this long battle of endurance, KE now had the upper hand. The generous girth of one of their opponents and his relatively lower endurance was now punished by our players’ precise attacking play. The strain showed on his face while the sweat rolled down from his cheeks and forehead: he was already worn out. This proved to be the key in unlocking RH’s defence as the exhaustion crumbled their will and they surrendered the last two sets 8-11. KE had won the final game!

Our table tennis team may have lost the first round, but they sure won this writer’s respect, and certainly deserve all of ours! More than anything, they preserved the pride and dignity of being a KEVIIan. Keep going, guys! We have faith in you!

What a team! Hats off to you, guys!

Jan 18th – Table Tennis F Congrats to our Silver Medallists!

Writer: Adrian
Editor: Angel

The runner-up in last year’s IHG female table tennis event, the KE team was determined to maintain their excellent record, or even better it if chance allowed. Having come thus far from the preliminaries, beating Sheares Hall and Kent Ridge Hall in the process, the team, led by captain Lee May, was eager and fired up to bring glory to KE this year.

SEMI-FINALS vs Eusoff (KE wins 3:2)

Table Tennis (F)	KE vs EH	Sunday, 18/01/09
First Singles – Zhang Wen	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	12	10
2nd Set	11	8
3rd Set	11	9
First Doubles – Mae Yue & Dawn	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	10	12
2nd Set	5	11
3rd Set	10	12
Second Singles – Woon Shyuan	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	11	2
2nd Set	11	4
3rd Set	11	3
Second Doubles – Tang Pan & Deng Shuo	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	11	2
2nd Set	10	12
3rd Set	10	12
4th Set	8	11
Third Singles – Lee May	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	11	6
2nd Set	11	4
3rd Set	11	5

In last year’s finals, the Eusoff girls beat the KE team 3-2 to win Gold. This year, the KE paddlers were back with a burning desire to avenge for their defeat.

The first singles match was played between Zhang Wen (KE) and Xiao Jie (EH). With both players at roughly equal standard, the match was closely fought throughout the first game with the lead changing hands several times. Several good top spin serves saw Zhang surging ahead early in the second game, while in the third, excellent mental resilience saw her clawing back to victory from 4-8 down. She won the match 12-10, 11-8, 11-9.

Mae Yue and Dawn (KE) were up next against Hannah and Jin Xi (EH) for the first doubles. Mae Yue was probably not in her best form as the pair lacked attacking flair and allowed their opponents to triumph 12-10, 11-5, 12-10.

Woon Shyuan (KE) extended KE’s lead to 2-1 as she trounced Vedilan (EH) 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 in the second singles match.

The second doubles match saw Tang Pan and Deng Shuo (KE) in action against Hu Xuan and Joo Kee (EH). The KE pair won the first game easily with a score of 11-2, but as their opponents warmed up and quickened the tempo, they lost the subsequent three games 10-12, 10-12, 8-11.

With the tally tied at 2-2, Lee May, the KE team captain, needed to win her third singles match against Loh Hu (EH) for the team to advance. Without much sweat, the captain cruised to victory with the scores of 11-6, 11-4, 11-5.

Hence, the final tally stood at 3-2, with the KE team emerging victorious and advancing into the finals.

FINALS vs Temasek (KE lost 1:3)

Table Tennis (F)	KE vs TH	Sunday, 18/01/09
First Singles – Woon Shyuan	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	11	6
2nd Set	11	9
3rd Set	11	7
First Doubles – Mae Yue & Dawn	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	9	11
2nd Set	11	6
3rd Set	8	11
4th Set	4	11
Second Singles – Zhang Wen	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	2	11
2nd Set	2	11
3rd Set	3	11
Second Doubles – Tang Pan & Deng Shuo	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	6	11
2nd Set	6	11
3rd Set	7	11

This year, the Temasek team boasts of having 2 IVPs amidst its players and relatively balanced strength in both the singles and doubles departments. That said, the KE team was never weak and stood equal chance to win.

Woon Shyuan (KE) was moved up to play the first singles match against Wen Yu (TH) this time round. Despite facing stiff resistance, she did not disappoint and duly delivered the first point by winning her match 11-6, 11-9, 11-7.

Mae Yue and Dawn (KE) played first doubles against Gao Fang and Min Sun (TH). The KE pair lost their first game 9-11 but bounced back to clinch the second with the score of 11-6. From the third game onwards, the TH pair changed their strategy and started attacking with their better forehand strokes. Almost defenseless against the onslaught, Mae Yue and Dawn lost the subsequent two games 8-11, 4-11.

The atmosphere in the KE camp got much tenser after that as the prospect of beating TH had been severely dented. Zhang Wen (KE) was no match against TH’s IVP star Nan Nan in the second singles match as she crumbled 2-11, 2-11, 3-11 under the powerful smashes of her opponent.

With the tie standing at 1-2 against KE, the burden of turning the tide descended upon the shoulders of Tang Pan and Deng Shuo, who played second doubles against Rui Hong and Shiang Ker (TH). Things looked hopeful at first as the KE pair matched point for point against their opponents. At 4-4 in the first game, the TH pair, with one IVP player, started pulling ahead and eventually clinched the game 11-6. Both pairs received tips and guidance from their team captains during the short break, but a few costly errors by the KE pair saw them conceding the second game 6-11. With the chance of winning slipping away, the KE pair put up a courageous fight before losing 7-11.

The final tally thus stood at 1-3, and KE once again won Silver in the table tennis female event. Despite the final defeat, the girls have certainly done a great job and brought us proud. Kudos to the KE female table tennis team!

Jan 16th – Table Tennis M & F – Females to the Semis!

Writer: Adrian
Editor: Angel

It was all over for KE in the males’ Table Tennis event. Up against the formidable teams from Temasek Hall and Eusoff Hall, our guys put up courageous fights and battled hard to the best of their abilities before conceding victories to their opponents. Here is an account of the event.

MALES vs Temasek (KE lost 0:5)

Table Tennis (M)	KE vs. TH	Friday, 16/01/09
First Singles – Ze Hao	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	4	11
2nd Set	5	11
3rd Set	3	11
First Doubles – Dat & Thach	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	8	11
2nd Set	14	12
3rd Set	2	11
4th Set	5	11
Second Singles – John	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	9	11
2nd Set	9	11
3rd Set	11	6
4th Set	7	11
Third Singles – Yue An	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	6	11
2nd Set	6	11
3rd Set	8	11
Second Doubles – Jun Kiat & McVin	King Edward VII	Temasek Hall
1st Set	8	11
2nd Set	11	6
3rd Set	9	11
4th Set	11	8
5th Set	7	11

Having several IVPs amidst their paddlers, TH was the team to beat for anyone wanting to win the champion. Our guys certainly knew they faced an uphill task, but they were not intimidated and were determined to steal a few games off their opponent.

The first singles’ match was played between Ze Hao and Mu Cun, the IVP captain from TH. It was pretty much a one-sided affair as Mu Cun quickly raced to victory, living up to his top billing. Ze Hao was trounced 4-11, 5-11, 3-11.

Next, KE’s captain, Dat, paired up with his vice captain, Thach, to play against Qi Ling and Yan Han from TH in the first doubles’ match. Several unforced errors cost Dat and Thach the first game as they lost 8-11. The second game was perhaps the most closely fought game of the night. With his strong and accurate smashes, Dat established a 9-5 lead, but the crafty opponent soon caught up and the game was deuced at 10-10. The next few rallies saw both pairs fighting point for point, and the game was deuced twice more before the KE pair prevailed 14-12 when the TH pair returned a ball into the net. However, the next two games saw Dat and Thach losing to the TH pair 2-11, 5-11, who had better coordination and teamwork.

Another IVP player, Freddie, was the opponent for KE’s John in the second singles’ match. In this battle of two attack-minded paddlers, powerful smashes were traded frequently, with several spectacular saves made by both players drawing loud cheers from the spectators. John stretched his IVP opponent to the distance before losing 9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 7-11.

The second doubles’ match saw Jun Kiat and McVin in action against TH’s See How and Jia Chin. With both pairs’ skills at comparable levels, this closely-fought match was stretched into the rubber game when Jun Kiat and McVin leveled the tie at 2-2 from behind. The TH pair ultimately won the match 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7.

Yue An faced off with San Duo from TH in the third singles, which saw San Duo emerging victorious with the scores of 11-6, 11-6, 11-8.

Overall, KE lost to TH 0-5. Though our guys were overpowered by their far more superior opponents, they certainly can lift their heads high as they have put up great fights. The guys have also collected valuable experience through their matches and they are definitely clearer now of the gap they have to bridge if they are to be in greater contention next year.

MALES vs Eusoff (KE lost 2:3)

Table Tennis (M)	KE vs. EH	Friday, 16/01/09
First Singles – John	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	11	7
2nd Set	11	9
3rd Set	6	11
4th Set	11	8
First Doubles – Jun Kiat & McVin	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	9	11
2nd Set	5	11
3rd Set	5	11
Second Singles – Dat	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	11	8
2nd Set	11	9
3rd Set	11	2
Third Singles – Ze Hao	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	6	11
2nd Set	11	7
3rd Set	4	11
4th Set	3	11
Second Doubles – Thach & Ziming	King Edward VII	Eusoff Hall
1st Set	5	11
2nd Set	6	11
3rd Set	3	11

One of last year‘s semi-finalists, EH boasts of a pretty well-balanced team with strong players in both the singles and doubles departments. Though tipped to be less daunting than TH, our guys knew very well that EH was not to be underestimated and only their very best effort could prevent the opponent’s advance into the next stage at their expense.

Paving the way for a good start was John, who was moved up to play first singles this time against Wee Sern (also another John) from EH. Right from the beginning, John unleashed his aggressive, powerful smashes to counter Wee Sern’s fast serves. He successfully maintained his early lead and won the first game 11-7. The second game saw Wee Sern changing strategy to counter John’s smashes with his own counter-smashes. Despite falling behind at 4-8, John was not throwing in the towel yet as he forced Wee Sern to smash the ball out of the court by adding spins to the ball. He gained several points in a row to draw at 9-9. Capitalising on repeated errors of his opponent, John capped a superb comeback to seal victory with a score of 11-9. A slip of focus cost John his third game as he lost 6-11, but he quickly established an early lead of 5-0 in the fourth and last game to claim victory with a score of 11-8.

Jun Kiat and McVin played first doubles against EH’s Chun Yin and Wei Phon. The first game saw both pairs toiling laboriously to fight point by point as the scored tied at 5-5 and then 9-9. From the second game onwards, the EH pair gained the upper hand after successfully reading Jun Kiat and McVin’s game and went on to attack their weaknesses. The KE pair lost 9-11, 5-11, 5-11.

In the second singles’ match, Dat, the KE captain was in action against Jian Hong, an extraordinarily aggressive player from the EH team. Jian Hong scored a few points in a row using his lethal combo of serving short and then smashing the ball hard and long upon the first return. Despite trailing behind, Dat, being the composed and steady player he always is, kept trying various strategies to counter Jian Hong’s combo until he successfully found one. Cheered on by the KE supporters, Dat quickly reclaimed the points one by one and won the first two games 11-8, 11-9. In the third game, Jian Hong became desperate to break Dat’s momentum by upping the tempo but Dat stayed cool and remained steadily in control. Through a great plethora of attacking and defensive skills, Dat crushed his visibly shaken opponent to a swift victory with a score of 11-2.

The second doubles played by Thach and Ziming succumbed to Aik Ming and Witono from EH with the scores of 6-11, 11-7, 4-11, 3-11. Thach, obviously not in his best form, committed a series of unforced errors to surrender the last two games tamely.

With the overall tally tied at 2-2, it was down to the third singles to decide the winner. The burden fell on Ze Hao, who was pitted against Donald, an IVP from EH. Donald soon proved to be a class above Ze Hao by thumping him 11-5, 11-6, 11-3.

KE thus lost narrowly to EH 2-3 in the second preliminary match. The outcome also meant the end of KE guys’ table tennis team’s campaign in this season’s IHG.

—————————————————————————————–

Writer: Jing Wen
Editor: Janice Fan

The table tennis girls did an excellent job last Friday evening. They won Sheares, and then Kent Ridge subsequently. The detailed scores are as follows:

FEMALES vs Sheares (KE won 3:2)

Table Tennis (F)	KE vs. SH	Friday, 16/01/09
First Singles	King Edward VII	Sheares Hall
1st Set	11	4
2nd Set	11	5
3rd Set	11	5
First Doubles	King Edward VII	Sheares Hall
1st Set	11	9
2nd Set	4	11
3rd Set	11	8
4th Set	8	11
5th Set	4	11
Second Singles	King Edward VII	Sheares Hall
1st Set	11	5
2nd Set	11	5
3rd Set	11	5
Second Doubles	King Edward VII	Sheares Hall
1st Set	6	11
2nd Set	9	11
3rd Set	7	11
Third Singles	King Edward VII	Sheares Hall
1st Set	11	1
2nd Set	11	3
3rd Set	11	3

FEMALES vs Kent Ridge (KE won 3:2)

Table Tennis (F)	KE vs. KR	Friday, 16/01/09
First Singles	King Edward VII	Kent Ridge Hall
1st Set	11	9
2nd Set	11	7
3rd Set	9	11
4th Set	11	5
First Doubles	King Edward VII	Kent Ridge Hall
1st Set	2	11
2nd Set	3	11
3rd Set	6	11
Second Singles	King Edward VII	Kent Ridge Hall
1st Set	11	3
2nd Set	11	3
3rd Set	11	3
Second Doubles	King Edward VII	Kent Ridge Hall
1st Set	11	6
2nd Set	11	7
3rd Set	13	15
4th Set	6	11
5th Set	6	11
Third Singles	King Edward VII	Kent Ridge Hall
1st Set	11	7
2nd Set	11	6
3rd Set	11	3

Success did not come easily for our table tennis girls. It was a result of the many trainings held during the semester and the hard work put in by all the members. It could be said that everyone did their best on Friday evening, despite the game being a long-drawn one that started at 7pm but ended past midnight.  By the time the second round started, it was already 12 midnight, and most of the audience had gradually left MPSH, leaving only the team members and a few people on duty. Despite all of that, the girls continued to fight hard for KE. Especially Deng Shuo, who had a rather serious stomachache earlier in the day, but still played for us that night.

The two continuous wins that night were important, because it meant that we’re now off to the semis. Our dearest table tennis girls, thank you for your great job! KE is proud of you!