By Krystal Hu
PARIS, Aug 7 (Reuters) – China showcased their table tennis dominance on Wednesday as their men’s team knocked out fifth-seeded South Korea with three straight wins at the Paris Olympics.
Ma Long teamed up with Wang to win the opening doubles contest 3-0 and praised his teammate’s skill and mental strength.
“Wang Chuqin had a good hit rate today. I told him he’s doing well, so he didn’t have to rush things even when it’s not always going well in the games,” said Ma.
Germany’s women’s team will continue their Olympic journey after their decorated men’s team, led by Timo Boll, were knocked out by Sweden on Tuesday.
Annett Kaufmann, 18, secured two valuable points for Germany, helping them clinch a spot in the semi-finals where they will face Japan.
Kaufmann, a first-time Olympian, demonstrated remarkable composure, gaining crucial points at key moments.
She edged out the U.S. team in a closely contested deciding game in the round of 16 and on Wednesday, she again triumphed over higher-ranked Indian players Manika Batra and Akula Sreeja, as she continued her transformation from a reserve to Germany’s top singles pick.
“It’s unbelievable. I think it´s the feeling everyone who wants to play in the Olympics dreams of,” said Kaufmann.
A big Taylor Swift fan, she added that one of Swift’s songs comes to mind at key moments in matches.
“‘Shake it Off’. Shake off the nervousness, the hate, the emotions. Just concentrate. She’s truly an inspiration. If you catch me, I sing all the time, not loudly, but with my lips,” Kaufmann said.
(Reporting by Krystal Hu in Paris Editing by Toby Davis)
