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Chinese 24-year-old table tennis star Wang Chuqin's Olympic dream took a stunning turn in less than 24 hours.
Just a day after clinching the mixed doubles gold with partner Sun Yingsha, Wang's world was upended.
In a chaotic scene following the victory, a photographer accidentally damaged Wang's primary paddle.
Visibly upset, Wang tried to ask for an explanation. His coach tried to hug him in an effort to console him and ask him to stay calm.
"At that moment, I lost control of my emotions a little. I couldn’t understand why the photographers would do that," Wang said, still visibly affected by the incident.
"I guess they didn’t mean it. I can’t do anything now that it’s already happened. I believe I’ll still be able to play well with my backup bat. Maybe this is fate."
The incident left the world number one visibly distraught, but he managed to compose himself and vowed to compete with his backup paddle.
However, the emotional turmoil and subsequent switch to a less familiar equipment seemed to impact Wang's performance significantly.
In a shocking upset, he was eliminated from the men's singles competition by Sweden's Truls Moregard.
For the 22-year-old Moregard it was his second ever victory over a Chinese player in international competition.
An ecstatic Moregard celebrated by shouting to the crowd, dancing on the floor, and drawing energy from spectators chanting his name.
"I have almost never taken a set against Wang, so it's crazy to win here. I think how I played in the tactical game was really clever, and I didn't feel that he had his best day at the beginning," said Moregard.
As Wang continues his Olympic journey with the team event against India starting Aug. 6, the full impact of this dramatic episode on his performance remains to be seen.
