Just a day after a photographer accidentally broke his bat, China’s table tennis number one, Wang Chuqin, faced a surprising defeat in the men’s Olympic singles on Wednesday.
Despite winning mixed doubles gold in Paris on Tuesday, Wang’s joy turned to frustration. The next day, the 24-year-old star was ousted in the singles round 32 by Sweden’s Truls Moregard, ranked 26th, in a 4-2 upset.
Moregard, overwhelmed by the victory, celebrated exuberantly before a supportive crowd. This marked a dramatic couple of days for Wang, who, together with Sun Yingsha, had clinched victory against North Korea in the mixed doubles final. Wang acknowledged that the incident with his bat slightly affected his emotional state, though he did not blame the replacement bat for his loss. He praised Moregard’s performance as exceptional.
Wang is set to participate next in the men’s team event. Meanwhile, Moregard, experiencing his first victory over Wang after eight attempts, credited his success to a strong belief in his capability to win, despite the challenging history against Wang.
Moregard, coached by his brother Malte, dismissed the idea that Wang’s performance dipped due to the bat issue, emphasizing the abundance of equipment players typically have at such levels.
Despite the setback, China remains a dominant force in Olympic table tennis, having secured most of the gold medals since the sport’s inclusion.
