Full House for First Day of Olympic Table Tennis Events at South Paris Arena
Table tennis made a thrilling start at Paris 2024 – its 10th Olympic Games. The iconic South Paris Arena 4 was transformed into a cauldron of excitement as players from across the globe battled for Olympic glory.
The French crowd, renowned for their passion, generated an electric atmosphere that reverberated throughout the venue. Their unwavering support for all players showcased the unifying power of sport.
All You Need to Know for Table Tennis at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The day marked a historic occasion as Santoo Shrestha from Nepal, Fathimath Ali from the Maldives, and Vladislav Ursu from Moldova became the first table tennis players to represent their respective nations at the Olympic Games.
On court, thrilling matches kept spectators on the edge of their seats. From the exhilarating seven-game battle between Elizabeta Samara and Solomiya Brateyko to the dominant displays of Britt Eerland and Truls Moregard, the opening day of competition delivered non-stop excitement.
Defying age, Ni Xia Lian,61, wrote her name into the Olympic record books as the oldest player to win a table tennis match at the Games, defeating Turkey’s Sibel Altinkaya.
The day concluded with a series of thrilling contests. Georgina Pota staged a remarkable comeback from 3-1 down to defeat Germany’s Xiaona Shan 4-3, while Quadri Aruna’s hopes of repeating his Rio 2016 quarterfinals performance were dashed by Eduard Ionescu, who completed an astonishing 4-3 upset in his Olympic debut. The 20-year-old Romanian saved a total of 6 match points to defeat the Nigerian (8-11, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9, 13-11). The day’s drama reached its climax with another seven-game thriller, as Australia’s Finn Luu surrendered a 3-0 lead to a determined Alberto Mino, who sealed a memorable victory amidst a jubilant Ecuadorian contingent.
A particular highlight came in the form of Prithika Pavade’s triumph over Iranian Neda Shahsavari. The Frenchwoman’s victory ignited the crowd, sending the arena into raptures. Her achievement marked a historic moment for French table tennis as she secured the first French table tennis win on home soil at the Paris Olympics.
The mixed doubles competition also produced its share of drama. The French pairing of Jia Nan Yuan and Alexis Lebrun, buoyed by the home crowd, narrowly missed out on a place in the next round, losing a closely contested match. Meanwhile, a major upset saw DPR Korea’s Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong sensationally defeat the second-seeded Japanese pair of Hina Hayata and Tomokazu Harimoto.
The energy generated by the crowd today sets a remarkable standard for the rest of the tournament. The table tennis community can look forward to more unforgettable moments in the coming days here in Paris.
Credit: ITTF