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PARIS: Across the net from each other, they crumbled to the ground almost simultaneously.
The Singaporean and the Japanese, the favourite and the underdog, the victor and the vanquished.
In a 62 minute epic which swung one way and then another, it was the finest of margins – two points to be precise – which separated Yeo Jia Min and Aya Ohori.
And despite a brave battle, it was Singapore’s Yeo who would taste defeat in the round of 16.
At the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, world number 20 Yeo stretched her opponent but lost 21-11, 14-21, 22-24 to the world number 10. This meant she was eliminated from the Paris Olympics.
“I’m sad that I couldn’t get the win for Singapore today,” said a crestfallen Yeo, who had been up 20-19 in the final game.
“I wasn’t really tired (when I fell to the ground at the end), it was more like disappointment. Maybe I wanted it too much and then I couldn’t control my emotions.”
Before Thursday, Yeo had faced Ohori three times in her career and had never beaten the Japanese player. Her last meeting with Ohori was in March this year.
“I always go on court and believe that I can win. This time I was also in better shape and my injury was not holding me back,” said Yeo. “I knew I had some chance (in this game).”
Despite the loss, Yeo equalled the best finish by a Singaporean women’s singles player at the Games. This was by Gu Juan in 2012, who was also eliminated in the round of 16.
This is 25-year-old Yeo’s second Olympics appearance – she was eliminated in the group stages in Tokyo three years ago.
Earlier in the day, Yeo’s compatriot Loh Kean Yew progressed to the quarterfinals after he upset China’s world number six Li Shifeng.
The world number 12 will face Denmark’s world number 2 Viktor Axelsen on Thursday.
Catch the widest coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on mewatch. Go to www.mewatch.sg/paris2024 for more details.
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