Annett Kaufmann is desperate, her colleagues are crying uncontrollably
In the bronze medal match at the Olympics, the German women's table tennis team goes in as underdogs. These expectations are not met. In part, because the previously phenomenal Annett Kaufmann falters this time. In the end, they suffer a quick defeat against South Korea.
The German women's table tennis team dreams of a medal in the bronze medal match. Their opponent is South Korea, who proves to be too strong early on Saturday morning. The team, led by the 18-year-old Annett Kaufmann, loses 0-3. Kaufmann, who had previously won all her matches, reaches her limits. She gets off to a terrible start against Lee Eunhye, which sets the tone for the rest of the match. She never finds her rhythm.
"It's tough right now," Kaufmann said tearfully after the match. "But when I'm back home and have a break from table tennis, I can see the positive side too. But the disappointment is big." Coach Tamara Boros is "really proud of the girls. Fourth place is good for us too." The entire team cried in the ARD interview, with Kaufmann being the only one able to speak.
In the previous days, the 18-year-old Kaufmann had captivated with magical shots and fearless play. Teammate Shan Xiaona was amazed: "She's a wonder, really. She's at her first Olympics, and she's playing so well at 18." But against Lee Eunhye, she was miles away from the form that had made her a highlight in the Arena Paris Sud 4 alongside French prodigy Felix Lebrun. She struggled with the world number 44's serve and looked increasingly lost. During a timeout, she reacted desperately to her teammates' tips, but nothing worked.
Double misses big upset
This was also the case in the final singles match. The injured Shan Xiaona was no match for Jeon Jihee, who won 3-0 in sets. Jeon Jihee secured the first Olympic medal for the South Korean women's table tennis team since 2008 with her clean performance.
At the beginning of the doubles, alongside Yuan Wan, Shan Xiaona was doing well. After a tough fight, they lost to the favorites, coming back from a 0-2 set deficit and even saving a match point. It was bitter: In the deciding game, they led 7-4, but then made some easy mistakes, allowing the South Koreans to suddenly become confident and aggressive again.
First time without a medal since 2004
The last time a German women's team won a medal at the Olympics was in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, when they won silver. Despite this, reaching the bronze medal match was still a success, as they overcame severe setbacks. Nina Mittelham, the highest-ranked German player in the world rankings at 17th, had to withdraw from the individual competition in Paris due to a herniated disc injury. Top player and defensive specialist Ying Han could not travel due to an Achilles tendon injury. Shan played with a herniated disc injury.
The German Table Tennis Federation ends the Paris Summer Games without a medal, which last happened in 2004 in Athens. Additionally, the international career of Timo Boll comes to an end. His match against Sweden's Anton Källberg in the quarter-finals of the team event was his last appearance on the big stage.
The German women's table tennis team planned to celebrate a medal in Paris, but South Korea's strength in the bronze medal match was overwhelming. Despite Annett Kaufmann's exceptional performance leading up to the match, she struggled against Lee Eunhye in Paris, failing to replicate her previous form.
