Minutes after they’d contested a brutal 74-minute match for group placings, Anna Tatranova lent a shoulder for Tiffany Ho to lean on, helping her cramping opponent limp off the arena.

Ho’s agony was evident over the last few points as she willed herself to complete a match which had slipped away from her; Tatranova might well have felt shattered for failing to convert her 13-6 lead in the third. Yet, as the two players exited the court, there was no animosity; the 21-year-old Frenchwoman, noticing her Australian opponent’s physical agony, helped her walk off court.

“That’s a really meaningful gesture because not many players would do that,” Ho said. “That means a lot, so thank you for helping me.”

While the two teams – Australia and France — were out of the reckoning for the knockout stage, and were playing for third place in Group C, there had been no lack of hunger or intensity, and a fair-sized crowd had warmed up to the contest. France had taken the opening mixed doubles, and with Tatranova coasting at 13-6 in the third, it all but looked over for Ho.

The diminutive Australian chased down every shuttle, and soon it had become a charged affair, every inch fought over. Ho collapsed in agony and tears after the last point was won.

Ho’s victory was the only one for Australia with France winning the other four, but two other matches had swung on small margins.

“We don’t get to play too many big tournaments because my ranking is not so high, so being able to win a match in such a big hall, with such a big crowd, and win a point for my team means a lot,” said Ho. “Each point I was telling myself to do it for the team, and it gets emotional because I really wanted to win that one.

“She’s really good strong attacking player. With the drift her attack is really hard to get back, she also is a runner, gets every shot back. It came down to who made less mistakes. She played so well the whole game. And at the end, helping me, because I could barely walk.”

“Not the result I hoped,” Tatranova smiled. “Happy with my level today, but for sure I can do better. I’ll learn and come back stronger.”