Singapore’s Izaac Quek and Koen Pang fell short of a guaranteed Asian Games 2026 table tennis doubles medal after losing their men’s doubles quarter-final match on Saturday, 26 September.
The Singapore pair were beaten 3-0 by Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hiroto Shinozuka, with the three games ending 11-9, 12-10 and 11-9.
The quarter-final exit means Quek and Pang will not progress to the medal rounds in the men’s doubles event.
Close Sets Against Japanese Pair
Despite the straight-games defeat, the match was closely contested, with Singapore pushing the Japanese pair throughout.
Quek and Pang lost each game by narrow margins, including two 11-9 finishes and a second game that went beyond 11 points before Japan closed it out 12-10.
Harimoto and Shinozuka are among Japan’s leading table tennis players, with Harimoto having previously won medals at major international competitions.
Quek Also Exits Singles Event
Earlier on Saturday, Quek was also eliminated from the men’s singles competition.
The Singapore paddler lost 4-2 to Japan’s Sora Matsushima in the round of 16. Quek managed to take two games from Matsushima but could not force a deciding seventh game.
Singapore’s women’s singles players Ser Lin Qian and Zeng Jian also exited the round of 16.
The results leave Singapore’s remaining hopes in the table tennis competition dependent on other events still ongoing.
