Möregardh manages one of the greatest table tennis sensations in history
Chuqin Wang is the clear number one in table tennis. He leads the rankings comfortably ahead of three compatriots. However, at the Olympics, the 24-year-old experiences a disaster. In singles, he fails in the second round - to the world number 26.
When the great, the monumental upset was actually achieved, Truls Moregardh was initially incredulous for a few moments, then he fell to the floor, buried his face, and savored the moment. The 22-year-old had achieved the unthinkable at the Olympics. He had knocked out the world number one Wang Chuqin in the second round of table tennis singles. And how: With spectacular shots, he wore down the Chinese, keeping his nerve even in critical moments. Like when he lost the following two games after leading 2-0 (5-11, 7-11).
But in the end, the utterly astonished Swede triumphed with his unusual hexagonal paddle. And the hall trembled. What a massive stage that the German Dimitri Ovtcharov will also experience that afternoon when he faces the French prodigy Felix Lebrun - and the audience, who will then be in large numbers for his opponent. To the sounds of "Seven Nation Army," the 22-year-old Moregardh danced under the thunderous applause of the audience. His opponent watched this with a pained smile before the Chinese embraced the Swede and congratulated him on his great performance. A strong gesture.
Brave, aggressive, fearless
Moregardh's victory is already being hailed as one of the greatest upsets in Olympic table tennis history. In his homeland, the newspaper "Aftonbladet" raved euphorically: "Here's the big superknock of the Olympics!" It's hard to describe how incredible this surprise is. Wang Chuqin leads the rankings with nearly 8000 points. In second place is Liang Jingkun, with just over 4000 points - half as much. What overwhelming dominance. And Moregardh, who is ranked 26th, has just 1000 points - but on this day, he had everything he needed to knock out Chuqin.
Over the distance of six games and 52 minutes, the Swede played with full risk, bravely, aggressively, and never backed down. Not even when victory and the upset were suddenly within reach, he earned match balls, and finally won. With a furious forehand counter, he gave Chuqin no chance. The day before, the seven-time world champion had won his first gold medal in mixed doubles with Sun Yingsha. However, a mishap also occurred during the medal ceremony that had consequences for the singles. In the crush, a photographer accidentally destroyed his paddle. "I lost control of my emotions a bit," the angry Wang admitted afterwards.
Double bitter for Dang Qiu
With the overwhelming defeat, the great table tennis nation of China is already under massive pressure. World champion Fang Zhendong is now the last trump card for the serial champions. He plays against the Hongkonger Wong Chun Ting. Since 2008 at the home Olympics in Beijing, the seemingly invincible ones have won every Olympic gold medal in men's singles and 32 out of 37 decisions in total. Unlike World Championships, only two players per nation can compete in singles at the Olympics.
Wang's KO makes the loss for Düsseldorf's European champion Dang Qiu in the round of the best 16 (3:4 against Kazakh Kirill Gerassimenko) doubly bitter. For the Chinese industry leader seemed like an almost insurmountable quarter-final hurdle for the German top player, for whom the path to the medal round would have been significantly easier thanks to Moregard's coup.
Following his unexpected loss in the second round of the Olympic Games 2024 singles, the world number 1 Wang Chuqin admitted that his emotions got the best of him during the mixed doubles medal ceremony the day before, leading to the accidental destruction of his paddle. Meanwhile, the upset of Chuqin by the 22-year-old Swedish player Truls Moregardh in the same second round has led to a massive pressure on the Chinese table tennis team, making World champion Fang Zhendong's performance in the men's singles event crucial for their hopes of maintaining their Olympic gold medal streak.
