Koen Pang, 23, and Ser Lin Qian, 19, achieved their first World Table Tennis (WTT) podium finish as a mixed doubles pair, as they emerged runners up in the event at the WTT Feeder Istanbul 2025, going down 3-2 to the Japanese pair of Shunsuke Okano and Kyoka Idekawa.

The pair, whose last competition together was at the WTT Contender Taiyuan 2025 in April, where they reached the Round of 16, looked to give Singapore her first Mixed Doubles title of the year when they raced into a 2-0 lead after winning the first two sets, 12-10, 11-9.

However, the Japanese pair found their rhythm and won the final three sets by 11-9, 11-9, 11-5 to take the title.

Pang and Ser, who were the 3rd seeds in the competition, had stormed to the final without dropping a set, winning 3-0 in three straight matches.

First, they beat the Indian-Brazilian pair of Sarth Mishra and Laura Watanabe 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 in the Round of 16, before repeating that feat against Alexander Chen of Austria and Choi Haeun of Republic of Korea in the Quarterfinals, winning 12-10, 11-4, 11-6.

In the semifinals, they were up against the 2nd seeds from India, Akash Pal and Poymantee Baisya, and comfortably beat them 14-12, 11-8, 11-4. That run looked to continue in the final against the Japanese, but it was not meant to be.

Pang said, “I think we played well, but they played better in the last three sets. We kept it close in the third and fourth sets, but while we tried, we could not find a way past them. Looking back on this competition, I have learned to be more daring in the crucial moments and to take more risks.

The pair will next play in the WTT Feeder Cappadocia II, which starts tomorrow, 16 September.