中国の卓球世界１位が敗退 前日にラケット折られる騒動 パリ五輪

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】パリ五輪は３１日、卓球男子シングルス２回戦が行われ、世界ランキング１位の王楚欽（中国）が同２６位のトルルス・モレガルド（スウェーデン）に２－４で敗れる波乱があった。王は前日に出場した混合ダブルス決勝でラケットが破損するアクシデントに見舞われていた。（写真は、パリ五輪、卓球男子シングルス２回戦。勝利を喜ぶスウェーデンのトルルス・モレガルド）
　王は孫穎莎とのペアで混合ダブルスを制した後、試合後の写真撮影で殺到したカメラマンにラケットを誤って折られ、直後には「少し感情をコントロールできなかった」と怒りをあらわにしていた。
　卓球選手にとって使い慣れたラケットとラバーは死活問題になるが、モレガルドに敗れた後の取材では「試合にあまり影響はなかった」と敗戦を予備のラケットのせいにすることはせず、「ただ相手が非常にいいプレーをしただけ」と語った。今後は男子団体戦に出場する。
　一方、番狂わせを演じたモレガルドは、コートに倒れて歓喜し、勝利に信じられないといった様子で顔を手で覆った。
　王との過去の対戦では８戦全敗だったが、「きょうは勝てる気がしていた」と明かし、「今までは１ゲームを取れたかどうかという感じだったのに、この五輪で勝てるなんて信じられない」と喜んだ。
　また、「選手は少なくともラケットは１０本、ラバーは５００枚持ってきているはず。だからラケットを失ったかどうかは関係ない。自分はどのラケットがメインで、どのラケットが３本目かも知らない」と述べ、王の調子は１００パーセントではなかったが、それとラケットの問題は関係ないとコメントした。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/08/01-21:49）

China's table tennis world number one Wang Chuqin suffered a shock defeat in the men's Olympic singles on Wednesday, a day after having his bat broken.
Wang won mixed doubles gold on Tuesday in Paris but his elation quickly turned to anger after a photographer accidentally snapped his bat while jostling to take a picture.
Less than 24 hours later, Wang went out in the round of 32 of the singles after a 4-2 defeat to Truls Moregard of Sweden.
The 26th-ranked Moregard sank to the floor in disbelief and put his hands on his head, before doing a tour of the crowd, who rose in appreciation after roaring on the underdog throughout.
It capped a mixed couple of days for Wang, 24.
With his playing partner Sun Yingsha they beat North Korea in the mixed doubles final, but Wang admitted he lost control of my emotions a little after his bat was broken.
A familiar bat and its grip can be of vital importance to table tennis players.
Wang though refused to blame his replacement bat for his stunning defeat to the unheralded Moregard, 22.
It didn't really have an influence on the match, he told AFP.
It was just that my opponent played really, really well.
Wang will next compete in the men's team event.
The triumphant Moregard said he had a feeling I could beat him today, having never done so before in eight previous attempts.
I've almost never taken a set against Wang so it's crazy to win here at the Olympics, the Swede, into the last 16 for the first time, told AFP.
Moregard, who is coached by his older brother Malte, said Wang was not at his best -- but said it had nothing to do with the Chinese player's bat.
I think you have 10 rackets at least and 500 rubbers here, so it doesn't matter if you lose your bat. I mean, I don't know which one is my first or third, so it doesn't matter, he said.
Wang may have lost but China are the undoubted superpower of table tennis and came to the French capital having won 32 of the 37 available golds since it became an Olympic sport.