Table tennis – Chinese defending champion Chen beats Swedish rival, North Korea’s Pyon advances

PARIS – Chen Meng, the reigning Chinese table tennis singles champion, advanced to the round of 16 by beating formidable Swedish player Linda Bergstrom 4-1 on Tuesday.

Bergstrom, known for her defensive chopping style, refused to give Chen an easy slide to victory. Her technique, less common in Asia these days, surprised Chen in the first game, which Bergstrom won 11-8.

Despite the initial setback, Chen quickly recovered.

“Although I lost the first game, I had basically understood how to adapt to the opponent’s turn on the court. So the most important thing was to make decisive shots and trust my own judgment,” Chen said.

North Korea, whose mixed doubles team made history by reaching the final, saw its singles player Pyon Song Gyong eliminate 11th-seeded Germany’s Nina Mittelham in a gruelling 4-3 battle that lasted more than an hour and 10 minutes.

Spaniard Alvaro Robles, who faced a higher-ranked rival in Brazilian Hugo Calderano, also played a thrilling match. Calderano, ranked number 4, eventually won and earned a place in the round of 16 with a score of 4-2. REUTERS