by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Immediately following, the debutant entered the arena and responded in style.

Tracey Feng accounted for Sanjana Alix Ramasawmy (11-5, 11-6, 11-1) before joining forces with Melissa Tapper to secure doubles success in opposition to Elodie Ho Wan Kau and Sanjana Alix Ramasawmy (11-4, 11-7, 11-6).

The setting was nothing new for Jian Fang Lay and Melissa Tapper, in addition to competing in Glasgow four years ago, they have Olympic Games experience; for Tracey Feng, preferred to Miao Miao, it was a whole new experience.

“I didn’t feel too nervous, I had prepared thoroughly, I was able to play my game.” Tracey Feng

Originally from Shanghai, now 30 years old, Tracey Feng, resident in Sydney, moved to Australia in 2004.

“I came to study, to go to high school and then become an accountant; my friends persuaded me to play in competitions and in 2016 I joined the national team.” Tracey Feng

A three-nil success for Australia, it was the same for Singapore, the defending champions; fielding the trio of Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu and Zhou Yihan, they accounted the Malaysian outfit comprising Ruqayyah Kinoo, Sajana Alix Ramasawmy and Elodie Ho Wan Kau without any great moments of drama.

Similarly for England with Tin-Tin Ho, Kelly Sibley and Maria Tsaptsinos in action it was a three-nil win in opposition to Guyana’s Natalie Cummings, Trenace Lowe and Priscilla Greaves, as it was for India in opposition to Sri Linka. India fielded the trio of Manika Batra, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Pooja Sahasrabudhe; for Sri Lanka, the selection was Erandi Warusawithana, Ishara Manniku Badu and Hansani Kapugeekiyana.

Play continues later in the day in the second series of first stage Women’s Team matches.