Over and out too quickly for Sibley

Sibley was overlooked for Team GB’s singles berth so was competing in Friday’s team event alongside Joanna Parker and Na Liu against the North Korean duo of Sun Myoung Ri and Jong Kim.

After Parker and Liu lost their singles matches (3-1 and 3-0, respectively), Sibley was paired with Parker for the doubles but went down in straight sets (11-2, 11-7, 11-3).

“The experience as a whole was amazing,” said Sibley. “Just waiting in the back before we came out you could hear the other teams come out and there was a polite round of applause and then as you stepped out the crowd all went crazy.

“The hairs on the back of my head immediately stood up and it is one of those moments that will stay with me forever.”

The North Koreans are ranked eighth in the world and it would have required a huge upset for the British trio to advance to the second round.

But after years of blood, sweat and tears to get to that point, Sibley was upset at the quick manner of their exit.

“I was very disappointed and a bit gutted really,” she said. “We knew it was going to be really tough, they are seeded eight and we don’t know much about them.

“We watched them in the practice hall and had been preparing years for that moment so it is disappointing.

“They were typical Asian style - very quick and spinny - so I knew that was going to happen but when you actually play it is really, really spinny.

“After this we will have Europeans and World Championships and we will take a couple of days to reflect and see what we have learnt.”

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