BIRMINGHAM, July 29 — Hours after the national women’s table tennis squad suffered a 0-3 defeat to Australia in their opening Group 3 match, the men’s team rose to the occasion to turn the tables in their Group 4 opening fixture.

Senior paddler, Leong Chee Feng put on a heroic performance as he scored two points for Malaysia and helped the national team defeat the Aussies 3-1 in the event held in the National Exhibition Centre Hall 3, here, today.

After surviving a five-set thriller against Xin Yan in the second match, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, the 24-year-old paddler returned to action much stronger with a three-set victory against Finn Luu, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8, in the fourth and final match.

Knowing that Australia had a chance to tie the match after they closed the gap to 2-1 following Nicholas Lum’s victory over Choong Javen in the third tie, 11-5, 13-11, 11-13, 9-11, 11-6, Chee Feng admitted that he did not feel any pressure in trying to stop an Aussie comeback.

"I just played my best and used everything that I learned in training,” he told Bernama when met after the match.

Javen, who combined with Wong Qi Shen, delivered the first point for Malaysia after beating Finn Luu-Nicholas Lum, 11-9, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11, 11-8.

Chee Feng and company will be back in action against Mauritius while the girls will have a chance to get their first win here as they are slated to meet Maldives, with both matches to be held later today. — Bernama