It was a negative second day for the table-tennis teams yesterday in Montenegro, with the women’s team suffering defeats against Monaco and Montenegro, and with the men’s team soundly beaten by Luxembourg.

The women’s table team started the day with a defeat against Monaco 3-1. Viktoria Lucenkova gave Malta the first point in the first singles beating Ulirica Qust in five sets. Lucenkova won 11-7, 4-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-3.

Monaco however drew level by winning the second singles match when Xiaoxin Yang defeated Anthea Cutajar 4-11, 5-11 and 2-11, showing that she is a span above the rest. Monaco then took the lead by winning the doubles.

The pair Qust and Yang defeated Anthea Cutajar and Viktoria Lucenkova in three sets 4-11, 7-11, and 9-11. Yang gave Monaco the decisive point when she beat Lucenkova in the third singles match.

Lucenkova had a good start winning the first set 11-8, but Yang came back winning three sets in a row 11-8, 11-5, and 12-10 to hand Monaco the victory.

The Maltese girls suffered another defeat this time against Montenegro 3-2. Sascha Genovese lost the first singles against Ivona Petric 3-11, 6-11, 5-11, but Viktoria Lucenkova levelled matters beating Culafic 11-9, 11-3, 11-5.

The doubles match was an exciting one with Lucenkova and Anthea Cutajar losing 11-4, 11-7, 4-11, 7-11, 7-11. In the third singles Lucenkova made it 2-2 beating Ivona Petric 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 11-7 and the match had to be settled by the final singles between Sascha Marie Genovese and Snezana Culafic, with the latter winning 11-7, 11-3, 11-1.

The men’s team also suffered a defeat against Luxembourg. Andrew Gambina was beaten in the first match by Eric Marc Glod 5-11, 6-11, 3-11, and Daniel Bajada was beaten by Calin Ciociu 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 6-11.

The third and decisive point was obtained by the Luxembourg pair Eric Glod and  Calin Ciociu who beat Daniel Bajada and Gabriel Grixti4-11, 11-9, 6-11, 4-11.