Olympics-Table Tennis-China’s Ma retains men’s singles crown

By Eimi Yamamitsu

TOKYO (Reuters) -Olympic and world champion Ma Long celebrated exuberantly as he retained his men’s table tennis singles title at the Tokyo Games on Friday, beating compatriot Fan Zhendong 4-2.

The 32-year-old clinched his fourth gold medal at his third Olympics by winning 11-4 10-12 11-8 11-9 3-11 11-7.

Ma made a heart symbol with his arms as he became the first male table tennis player in Olympic history to retain his title.

“The match with Fan Zhendong is probably the only match in the world that I could play with no pressure,” Ma said, adding that the heart was meant for his son.

“We still have the team event. So I’m telling myself to control this joy so that I don’t let my guard down,” Ma told Reuters.

Ma, eyeing another gold in the men’s team event, said he hopes to maintain his level to lead Fan and Xu Xin to another victory.

“I have to keep my hunger for winning... I can play. I can persevere,” he said.

As they have at every Games since 2008, China provided all four singles finalists at Tokyo 2020, Chen Meng having beaten Sun Yingsha to take the women’s title on Thursday. No other country has ever won women’s singles gold.

In the men’s bronze medal match, Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov scraped home against Taiwan’s Lin Yun Ju, saving four match points in the sixth game before winning the deciding seventh.

The 32-year-old won 13-11 9-11 6-11 11-4 4-11 15-13 11-7, earning his fifth Olympic table tennis medal since 2008.

(Reporting by Eimi Yamamitsu; Editing by Ken Ferris and John Stonestreet and Christian Radnedge)

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Table Tennis - Men’s Singles - Medal Ceremony - Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Gold Medallist Ma Long of China, wearing a face mask, poses with his medal REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Table Tennis - Men’s Singles - Medal Ceremony - Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Gold Medallist Ma Long of China poses with his medal next to Silver Medallist Fan Zhendong of China REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Table Tennis - Men’s Singles - Gold medal match - Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Ma Long of China reacts during his match against Fan Zhendong of China REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Table Tennis - Men’s Singles - Bronze medal match - Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany reacts during his match against Lin Yun-Ju of Taiwan REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Table Tennis - Men’s Singles - Bronze medal match - Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany celebrates winning his match against Lin Yun-Ju of Taiwan Pool via REUTERS/Antonin Thuillier

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Table Tennis - Men’s Singles - Bronze medal match - Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany shakes hands with Lin Yun-Ju of Taiwan after winning the match Pool via REUTERS/Antonin Thuillier