The Upset That Shook Paris
Fresh from his mixed doubles gold medal triumph just 24 hours earlier, Wang Chuqin entered his Round of 32 clash as the overwhelming favourite. But Moregard had other plans. The Swedish sensation produced the performance of his life, defeating the then-World No. 1 and newly-crowned Olympic champion 4-2 (12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6) in a result that sent shockwaves through South Paris Arena 4.
Wang Chuqin’s reaction afterwards captured the brutal nature of Olympic sport: “My opponent had some changes in his serves and I didn’t respond to them well enough. I definitely felt very down coming off the court. I had such a high yesterday from winning the mixed doubles gold. To go from that to this low, I guess this is what competitive sport is about.”
Little did anyone know at the time, but this victory would be the catalyst for Moregard’s incredible journey to the silver medal.
French Magic and German Heartbreak
The home crowd was treated to another spectacular upset as 17-year-old Felix Lebrun delivered a masterclass against six-time Olympic medallist Dimitrij Ovtcharov. In an epic seven-game thriller, the young Frenchman showcased nerves of steel to defeat the German legend 4-3 (11-9, 15-13, 12-10, 8-11, 3-11, 8-11, 11-7).
“The pressure was high today, and he fought back to even it at 3-3,” Felix reflected afterwards. “But I think I managed it well and handled the key points. I started the match very well, and I handled the key points well with the crowd too.”
The victory marked the end of Ovtcharov’s quest for a seventh Olympic medal, whilst launching Felix Lebrun towards what would become France’s most successful Olympic table tennis campaign ever.
Generational Clash and Brazilian Brilliance
In one of the most heartwarming stories of the day, 61-year-old Luxembourg veteran Ni Xia Lian faced World No. 1 Sun Yingsha in a match that perfectly captured the Olympic spirit. Despite the 4-0 result in favour of the Chinese star, the veteran’s participation in her sixth Olympic Games earned standing ovations and reminded everyone of sport’s enduring appeal.
Meanwhile, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano broke French hearts by defeating Alexis Lebrun 4-1, showcasing the impressive footwork and adaptability that would carry him to the quarter-finals for the second consecutive Olympics.
As Day 5 concluded with the completion of the Round of 16, the quarter-final line-up promised even more drama. Sofia Polcanova had powered through with a dominant 4-0 victory, becoming the first quarter-finalist of the Games. Defending champion Chen Meng had overcome ‘Supermom’ Britt Eerland in a hard-fought battle, whilst India celebrated as both Manika Batra and birthday girl Sreeja Akula advanced to create history for their nation.
