London 2012 Olympics: Susan Egelstaff battles hard but Sato takes the win

The Scot benefited from some dubious line calls as she took early control but Sato, who initially seemed rattled after complaining about decisions, recovered to win 18-21 21-16 21-12.

Egelstaff had an opportunity to push for victory in the second game but, at 16-15 down, her opponent produced a fine drop shot and did not look back as she closed out a place in the last 16. It was still a valiant effort from world number 38 Egelstaff against a player ranked 22 places above her, more so as the Briton had recovered from a serious leg injury to compete.

Egelstaff broke away in the first game with a run of six successive points but Sato complained increasingly furiously over two line calls.

For the second one, at least, it seemed she had a point after an Egelstaff shot that appeared to land just out was called in.

Perhaps still bothered by the incidents, she made a number of mistakes and Egelstaff brought up five game points. The Glaswegian lost three of them but converted at the fourth attempt to establish an early advantage.

Sato was on the wrong end of another controversial line call early in the second game. Although she complained again, this time Sato maintained her composure to open up a six-point lead.

Egelstaff refused to bow and forced Sato into errors again and clawed back within one. Sato’s body language suggested she felt nothing was going her way but mistakes on Egelstaff’s part then allowed her to level the match.

The third game was tense but Sato began to look the more convincing player and eventually powered away.

The Scot said she was proud of her performance and had no complaints about the result. The 29-year-old missed four months of the qualifying campaign after shattering her thigh bone last October.

She said: “I’m disappointed to lose but I feel like I gave it everything. I don’t think I could have given any more. I played really well but I couldn’t have done anything else.”

Egelstaff felt some of Sato’s antics bordered on gamesmanship but was not concerned and did not let the line controversies affect her.

She said: “I got some excellent line calls! I am not calling the lines, what can you do? I complain as well sometimes. Good players are not going to let runs of points go against them, they are going to try something.

“I coped with that okay. Sometimes it can be a distraction but it is part of sport, gamesmanship. I’d probably do the same.”