All members of Ghana's national Table Tennis team, the Black Loopers, were eliminated in the opening round of the Accra 2023 African Games.
Although Ghana started the day brightly in the women's singles, the lack of preparation soon showed in the subsequent results.
In the women's singles, Celia Baah Danso's three-set win over Kenya's Nasimuyu Lisa was Ghana's first win of the opening day.
Her joy was short-lived as she was eliminated by the same margin in the next round, this time, to Algeria's Nasri Malisa.
Bernice Borquaye's was Ghana's next victory, defeating Liberia's Loretta Davis in three straight sets.
Shortly after her victory, Eva Adom-Amankwaa survived a late scare to beat Angola's Albino Isabel De Oliveira in three sets to two win.
Cynthia Kwabi's contest with Kenya's Nufula Sifa was more straightforward as she produced a ridiculous mix of technique and aggression in a straight sets (3-0) win.
Meanwhile, Egypt's Hesham Ismail Alhodaby ended Joanita Borteye's campaign with a three straight sets win at the round of 64.
In the round of 32, Bernice Borquaye suffered a three-straight-set loss to Camerooon's Hanffou Nana Sarah.
Eva Adom-Amankwaah was the next round of 32 casualties when she lost by three sets to two to Madagascar's Hanitra Karen.
Cynthia Kwabi offered a glimmer of hope to team Ghana when she progressed to the round of 16 with a three-set to one win over Angola's TAVARES Ruth Da Conceição.
However, her tournament ended when she was eliminated by 15-year-old and reigning African women's singles champion, Goda Hana. The Egyptian won by three straight sets.
In the men's singles, one of Ghana's brightest tennis prospects, 15-year-old Israel Aklie, suffered a shock first-round exit when he lost three straight sets to Nigeria's Matthew Kuti.
While the Ghanaian struggled to deal with Kuti's signature killer spin hits, his real undoing was the many unforced errors.
There was more positive news for Ghana in the first round as Idris EL Mutasim Sudan fell to Samuel Akayade in a 3-1 win. Akayade recovered from a sloppy second set to assert control with some impressive baseline shots.
Within minutes of Akayade's win, Emmanuel Commey recorded Ghana's second victory when he dispatched Uganda's Joseph Francis Sebatindira in a three-set to one win.
Next, Ernest Quarcoo also eliminated Liberia's Pyee Bogton Junior in three straight sets.
In the round of 64, Ernest Quarcoo was eliminated by Tunisia's Sta Khalil proved superior in a three sets (4-1) win. Quarcoo struggled to cope with the Tunisian's mix of speed and technique.
Emmanuel Commey outdid himself to defeat DR Congo's Mingashanga Bertin.
The biggest surprise was team captain Bernard Joe Sam's meek performance in the straight-sets loss to Egypt's Adel Mohamed Shouman Mohamed. Uncharacteristic of Sam, he made too many unforced errors.
In the men's round of 32, Samauel Akayade's tournament ended when he lost three straight sets to Algeria's Stephan Laurent.
Next, DR Congo's Idowu Saheed dispatched Emmanuel Commey in three straight sets.
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