Japan's Mima Ito competes against China's Sun Yingsha during the table tennis women's singles semifinal at the Summer Olympics, on July 29, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Recently crowned table tennis mixed doubles Olympic champion Mima Ito had her hopes of a women's singles gold medal shattered Thursday when she was comprehensively defeated by China's Sun Yingsha in the semifinals at the Tokyo Games.

       Third seed Ito was outplayed in every department in the day's second semifinal at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, going down 11-3, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 to her second-seeded opponent.

       Sun will play Chen Meng in an all-Chinese final later in the day after the top seed beat Singapore's Yu Mengyu in straight games 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 11-6. Ito faces Yu for the bronze medal.

       The 20-year-old Ito enjoyed a good spell at the start of the second game and twice led by six points, but she looked deflated after Sun rallied to take the game and dominate the rest of the match.

       "I was unable to turn the match around. I paid the price for not being able to close out the second game," said Ito. "It's bitterly disappointing. It's not like my form is that bad."

       "But this is where I am at right now and I just have to try and regroup for the next game."

       Victory in the third-place playoff against Yu would see Ito become the first Japanese woman to win a table tennis singles medal at the Olympics.

       She has already made history in Tokyo, teaming up with veteran Jun Mizutani to give Japan its first-ever Olympic gold in the sport after a stirring comeback in the mixed doubles final on Monday.

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