Olympic Games | 2 Aug 2021

Sweden beat USA to reach the quarterfinal of the Olympic tournament

Success for Sweden but on the tenth day of play, Monday 2^nd August, for France, Poland and Romania at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, it was disappointment. 

Sweden, the no.5 seeds, recorded a 3-1 success against the United States, the no.14 seeds, to book their quarter-final place.

Anton Källberg and Kristian Karlsson beat Nikhil Kumar and Zhou Xin (11-6, 11-5, 11-5) to give Sweden the ideal start but then there was a setback. Mattias Falck lost to Kanak Jha (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 14-12).

Matters level, Anton Källberg overcame Zhou Xin (11-7, 11-8, 11-8), before Kristian Karlsson beat Kanak Jha to conclude the contest (12-10, 11-5, 11-6).

Alas for France it was the end of the road in both the men’s team and women’s team competitions, but they could take great heart in the efforts of Simon Gauzy and Prithika Pavade.

A 3-0 reverse was the outcome for France, the no.8 seeds, at the quarter-final stage of the men’s team event against China, the top seeds.

Most significantly, Simon Gauzy extended Fan Zhendong the full seven games distance (10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7).

Earlier, Ma Long and Xu Xin had beaten Alexandre Cassin and Emmanuel Lebesson to give China the ideal start (11-6, 11-5, 11-7). Xu Xin overcame Emmanuel Lebesson (FRA) to conclude matters (11-8, 11-5, 11-6).

Outstanding from Simon Gauzy it was the same from Prithika Pavade on her 17^th birthday, as France, the no.13 seeds, experienced a 3-0 defeat when facing Singapore, the no.6 seeds

The teenager won the first two games against Feng Tianwei, before experience counted and the Singaporean secured the next three (8-11, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-3). Meanwhile, playing her first ever match in the Olympic Games, Stéphanie Loeuillette partnered Yuan Jia Nan in the doubles; they were beaten by Lin Ye and Yu Mengyu in straight games (11-6, 11-5, 13-11).

Yu Mengyu overcame Yuan Ji Nan (11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8) to conclude matters.

Brave efforts, it was the same in the women’s team opening round from Poland, the no.11 when facing Korea Republic, the no.7 seeds. A 3-0 defeat was the outcome in a contest that was much closer contest than the score line may suggest.

In the opening doubles Choi Hyojoo and Shin Yubin overcame Natalia Bajor and Natalia Partyka by the very narrowest of decisions (11-6, 12-10, 11-13, 4-11, 13-11). 

Similarly, in the contest that brought the fixture to a close Shin Yubin had to stave off a spirited recovery by Natalia Bajor. Shin Yubin won in five games (11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5).

Sandwiched in between, Jeon Jihee overcame the classic defensive skills of Li Qian in straight games (11-4, 11-8, 11-3).

Likewise, for Romania, it was disappointment after a brave effort; the no.8 seeds, they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Hong Kong, the no.4 seeds.

Daniela Monteiro Dodean and Elizabeta Samara gave Romania the perfect start. They beat Lee Ho Ching and Minnie Soo Wai Yam by the narrowest of decisions (11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11) but that was the sum total of European success.

Doo Hoi Kem beat Bernadette Szocs (11-5, 11-5, 11-6) and Daniela Monteiro Dodean (11-3, 11-2, 14-12). Crucially, Lee Ho Ching (HKG) overcame Elizabeta Samara (ROU) in the third match of the engagement (11-9, 11-8, 12-10).

On Thursday 3rd August, the women’s team semi-final between Japan and Hong Kong will be staged; also, both men’s team and women’s team events will be concluded.

In the men’s competition Japan meets Sweden, Germany confronts Chinese Taipei; in the women’s, Germany is also in action, they face Korea Republic, China opposes Singapore.