Day six of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games delivered a series of unforgettable matches as the quarterfinal stage of the Men’s and Women’s Singles competitions concluded. The day was marked by historic achievements, thrilling encounters, and unwavering determination from the world’s top table tennis players.
Hugo Calderano etched his name into the annals of table tennis history by becoming the first player outside of Asia or Europe to reach the Olympic men’s singles semifinals. The South American star’s dominant 4-0 victory over Jang Woojin showcased Calderano’s status as a global force in table tennis.
“It’s an even bigger feat that I’m the first outside of Asia or Europe. I had some emotions after the match. It’s really nice to represent a whole continent. At the same time I want so much more. I want to keep going, reach the final and maybe even a gold medal.” – Hugo Calderano
Korea Republic’s Shin Yubin has also made history becoming the first player from her nation to reach the Olympic women’s singles semifinals since 2004. Her quarterfinal clash was dramatic, as she built a 3-0 lead before Japan’s Miu Hirano staged a comeback to level the score. Shin’s resilience shone through in the deciding game, securing her a place in the semifinals where she will face defending champion Chen Meng.
Felix Lebrun electrified the Paris crowd with a dramatic seven-game victory over Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju, securing his place in the semifinals and reviving French hopes of a gold medal for the first time in 24 years. Speaking about this, Felix said, “It’s been one of my objectives. I was going into this tournament as the third seed. I said I wanted to hold my own, but it’s not easy. Being there is different. We’ve got some great champions in France, but it’s been a while since we’ve had good results at the Olympic Games (in table tennis). I’m not there yet, but I’m still very proud of reaching the semifinal.”
Fan Zhendong, showing immense resilience, triumphed over Tomokazu Harimoto in a gripping seven-game battle. With the possibility of China missing out on a men’s singles medal for the first time since Seould 1988 hanging over the tournament, Fan’s victory was crucial in maintaining the nation’s strong presence in the medal race.
In the women’s singles, defending champion Chen Meng continued her dominant form with a flawless 4-0 victory over Sofia Polcanova. Chen’s performance reinforced her status as a formidable contender for back-to-back Olympic golds. Meanwhile, world number one Sun Yingsha advanced with a decisive 4-0 win against Cheng I-Ching, maintaining her strong bid for the gold that eluded her in Tokyo. Japan’s Hina Hayata ended PRK’s Pyon Song Gyong’s remarkable run with a hard-fought 4-3 victory in another seven-game thriller, setting up an exciting semifinal clash.
Tomorrow’s semifinals promise to be a spectacle of world-class table tennis. In the women’s event, top seed Sun Yingsha faces a stern test against Hina Hayata, who is looking to upset the odds and reach the gold medal match in her first Olympic Games. In the other women’s semifinal, defending champion Chen Meng takes on Korea Republic’s Shin Yubin, who has defied expectations to reach this stage.
In the men’s competition, the highly anticipated clash between Fan Zhendong and home favourite Felix Lebrun will ignite the Paris crowd. Both players have showcased exceptional form and will be eager to secure a place in the gold medal match. The other semifinal will see Truls Moregard take on Hugo Calderano in a battle between two top non-asian stars. Day 7’s action will kickstart from 10 AM (GMT+2).
The ITTF anticipates another exciting day of competition, filled with exceptional performances and historic moments as players strive for Olympic glory. Stay tuned for more updates and thrilling matches from Paris 2024 and view the draw for the rest of the competition here.
