INQUIRER Sports

SINGAPORE -- An ugly spat has erupted between two of Singapore's top Olympic hopes, with badminton ace Ronald Susilo reportedly mulling legal action against former lover and table tennis queen Li Jiawei.

Susilo, once ranked world number six but now languishing at 17, is seeking a share of a car and a condominium the pair bought together when they were an item, the Straits Times said.

The claims sparked a furious response from world number eight Li on Monday that he was trying to ruin her Olympic dream.

The newspaper said Susilo, who shot to fame when he upset world number one Lin Dan at the Athens Olympics in 2004, had consulted lawyers and was seeking the payoff after his five-and-half year affair with Li ended in January.

Li, who is tipped to lead the Singapore national team to an Olympic gold in August, said she was stunned.

"Does he want to affect my chances of winning a medal or my moods?" she asked through the newspaper.