After years of training and anticipation, Team USA marched into Tokyo with visions of medals dancing in their heads. Here is the latest news of their progress. Olympic veteran Kanak Jha lost his opening matchup matchup Kirill Skachkov of the ROC (the scarlet acronym for "Russian Olympic Committee," a punitive compromise from the IOC after the World Anti-Doping Agency discovered Russia's widespread use of performance-enhancing substances). The match featured a rare 11-0 shutout, as Jha blanked Skachkov in the fourth to tie the match. Unfazed (or perhaps motivated by Jha's violation of the unwritten rule against hanging a bagel on an opponent), Skachkov easily won the last two games to advance. First-time Olympian Nikhil Kumar enjoyed an auspicious debut, winning a play-in round against Enkhbat Lkhagvasuren of Mongolia, 4-1, before upsetting Ecuador's Alberto Miño, 4-2, in the official Round 1. Alas, Kumar's run was ended in Round 2 by fellow lanky upstart Anton Källberg of Sweden, 4-0. With all of Team USA's Y-chromosomes eliminated from singles competition, it was up to the ladies to carry the Stars and Bars. Lily Zhang, making her third Olympic appearance, was seeded directly into the second round. Zhang wobbled at first but righted the ship against Nigeria’s Offiong Edem, 4-1. In the third round, however, Zhang's progress was halted by Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei, 4-0. Juan Liu (pictured), in her Olympic debut, drew the most experienced opponent possible in the preliminary round. Across the table stood Nigeria's Olufunke Oshonaike, making her record seventh appearance. Despite the dramatic disparity in disciplinary degrees, it was the debutante Liu who advanced with a 4-1 victory over the vaunted veteran. Then, in the official Round 1, Liu defeated Spain's Galia Dvorak by the same 4-1 margin. In the second round, she drew Barbora Balážová of Slovakia, and posted an even more efficient 4-0 win. This earned Liu a Round 3 matchup with Yu Mengyu of Singapore. Yu raced to a 3-0 lead, and it looked all but over for Liu. The lefty penholder battled back, however, and secured the next two games. Liu fought valiantly to level the match, but the Singaporean Yu secured the last game, 11-8, and the match, 4-2. With Team USA's singles campaigns in tattered ruins, they now must regroup for the team events on Sunday. Lily Zhang will have a chance to avenge her loss to Chen Szu-Yu as the US women take on Chinese Taipei. Meanwhile, in the gentlemen's draw, Nikhil Kumar will get a rematch with Anton Källberg as the US men take on those of Sweden.