Wang Chen falls short in quarter final
August 21, 2008
Wang Chen of the U.S. advanced further than any player ever had but fell short of a victory in the quarter final round against a talented Li Jia Wei from Singapore. Wang had secured her spot in the quarter’s after defeating South Korea’s Kim Kyung-Ah 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5. Wang fell to her knees in tears of joy after the victory.
The 34-year-old Wang did not appear to have the skills to knock off Wei in the biggest match of her life. Wang, came to Beijing ranked 23rd in the world vs. Wei who is seven years her junior and came into the tournament ranked sixth in the world. Wang fought hard but simply did not seem to have the tools, she eventually lost 15-13, 11-6, 12-10, 13-15, 11-4.
Wang was quoted after the match; “In terms of energy I couldn’t keep up. This morning wore me out and I didn’t sleep this afternoon and I felt so tired,” said Wang. “I think if I could have played this game tomorrow I could have done better.”
The best finish prior to this praiseworthy accomplishment was when Gao Jun reached the round of 32 in the singles and doubles play in Athens. In the eyes of many, Wang went out on top against the odds and expectations. Wang intends to retire from the sport, marking this as her last official run. She will return home to NYC to run her successful table tennis club.
