In a shocking turn of events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Sweden’s Truls Moregard pulled off a remarkable upset, defeating the world’s top-ranked player, Wang Chuqin, in the round of 32. The result has sent shockwaves through the table tennis world, as Moregard triumphed in a thrilling six-game encounter, winning 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6. The Swedish sensation’s victory has ended the run of the newly crowned Mixed Doubles champion and propelled Moregard into the last 16, where he will face Taiwan’s Kao Cheng-Jui.
Wang Chuqin, fresh off his Mixed Doubles gold medal win, was left reflecting on his defeat. “My opponent had some changes in his serves and I didn’t respond to them well enough,” Wang admitted after the match. “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. It’s all on me, I didn’t have the ability to win today. I wasn’t enough, I’ve got to go back to reflect.”
The upset was made all the more impressive by a revelation shared by the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU). Antoine Doyen, a friend of Moregard’s, shared a screenshot from their group chat with the caption: ‼️ HE CALLED IT AND HE DID IT ‼️ According to Doyen, Moregard had confidently told his friends the night before that he could defeat Wang Chuqin, the No.1 seed, and, incredibly, he delivered on his promise the very next day.
The victory also earned praise from one of Sweden’s greatest table tennis legends, Jan-Ove Waldner. Known as one of the sport’s all-time greats, Waldner shared his thoughts on Moregard’s performance, posting, "Proud of you! All the way now. Never satisfied!" The encouraging words from a national icon highlight just how monumental this victory was for Moregard and Swedish table tennis.
As Moregard advances to the next stage of the competition, his performance has undoubtedly become one of the most talked-about moments of the Olympics so far. All eyes will now be on him as he takes on Kao Cheng-Jui in the round of 16, with Swedish fans and the wider table tennis community wondering just how far the young Swede can go.