Table tennis: Chunli bows out against world no 1

11.00pm - By MARK GEENTY

The world No 1 and a 20-year age gap proved too much for a brave Li Chunli who almost certainly brought down the curtain on a distinguished Olympic career for New Zealand in Athens today.

Chunli, 42, lost her third round singles match 11-8 12-10 11-5 11-7 in 22 minutes to China's Yining Zhang, at 22 almost half her age.

Playing her fourth Olympics, Chunli was far from disappointed with the performance after rueing her cruel fate with the draw which pitted her against Zhang as early as the last 32.

"I was a little bit unlucky with the draw. I was very happy to compete with the top player, I enjoyed it. Losing to the No 1 player, I'm not very sad and I can only try my best," Chunli told NZPA.

The oldest player in either the men's or women's tournaments at these Games, Chunli hasn't ruled out a shot at a fifth Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

But she admitted it would be a huge physical effort at 46 and hinted this was most likely her swansong.

"Yes, it would be a nice way to end against the world No 1," she said.

Chunli, who had to back up from her doubles loss with sister Karen late the previous night, was well in the match in the first two games with no more than two points separating the players.

She started nervously, her first serve hitting the net, but competed well in the first game in which Zhang only built a lead near the end.

The second game was the crucial one, with Chunli leading 10-9 and serving for the game, but she hit long to give Zhang a sniff and she rattled off three straight points to claim it.

Chunli's game dropped off a touch as her opponent barely made an error.

New Zealand coach Simeon Cairns was also rueing the draw.

"In those first two games Chunli really showed her class. She could have been capable of beating anyone outside the world's top-two on that performance," Cairns said.

- NZPA