PARIS : Sweden’s sleep-deprived Truls Moregard won a tense match against Denmark’s Anders Lind to help beat their neighbours 3-0 and reach the men’s table tennis team quarter-finals on Monday.
Moregard, who won silver in the singles, split the first two games with Lind. After trailing in the third he levelled at 11-11 but lost it 13-11. Exhausted, Moregard did not lift his head for a minute after an extended rally.
However, he regrouped, gained momentum and made a comeback to win the next two games 11-5 11-9 and triumph 3-2.
The Japan women’s team, led by bronze medalist Hina Hayata, cruised into the quarter-finals by beating Poland 3-0.
Unlike singles and mixed doubles matches, where the winners are determined by the best of seven games, team matches follow a best-of-five format. Each team consists of three players, and matches end when a team has won three games.
Moregard, who celebrated his silver with a small family dinner the night before, said he was tired after a hectic week in which he became the first Swede to get on the podium in table tennis since 2000.
“You will not stand here without fighting with everything you have. So this is what I did today. I’m low in energy but really tried my best, and very nice to get the win,” he said.
Lind, who made an incredible comeback to the sport after nearly being paralysed in a car accident and being told by doctors he might never walk again, expressed his disappointment with the loss but also praised Moregard.
“I just told him I think he’s amazing and he has made something he can be proud of for the rest of his life,” said Lind.
In another close match, India beat Romania 3-2. The Romanians fought back after losing the first two matches but Adina Diaconu could not overcome Manika Batra in the deciding match, sending the Indians into the quarter-finals.
Taiwan advanced by defeating Egypt 3-0.
