The 22-year-old with the peculiar racket – six-, seven- or eight-sided depending on how you count – is increasingly emerging as a major Swedish medal hope in the Olympic Games in Paris.
Truls Möregårdh followed up the morning's ping-pong bomb, the 4–2 victory over Chinese world number one Wang Chuqin, by winning a thrilling eighth-final against Taiwanese Kao Cheng-Jui in the evening.
The discharge against Wang was still in both body and mind.
It was really nervous and tough. The concentration wasn't quite there. And neither was the game, says Möregårdh after the victory.
Incredible comeback
He lost the first set with 14–16 despite three set balls. He won the second with 13–11 after having two set balls against him – and where he decided with a sideline ball.
The third set was then something out of the ordinary. Kao went up to a 7–1 lead and seemed to have decided. Then the Swede won eight straight balls and eventually took the set with 11–8.
It was extremely important. And to get the second set with. I should have had the first one too. But 0–2 or 1–2 wouldn't have been good at all.
The next set didn't lack drama either. Möregårdh once again conjured up two set balls at 10–8. Then the game was suddenly stopped because the audience got excited when French swimming star Léon Marchand won his second Olympic gold in another part of Paris.
Meets Assar again
When the game finally got underway, Kao Cheng-Jui caught up to 10–10. That didn't stop Truls Möregårdh, who responded with two straight points and 12–10 in the set.
It was maybe a bit too long for the audience, but it was damn cool. At first, I thought "what's happening" but then I almost enjoyed it. But I messed up two balls after that, so it wasn't that great.
The final set was the only one without major drama. A increasingly desperate Kao had nothing to set against. Truls Möregårdh won with 11–6 and secured a spot in the Olympic quarterfinals on Thursday evening.
There, Egyptian Omar Assar awaits, who defeated Kazakh Kirill Gerassimenko in his eighth-final. Assar is ranked 22nd in the world and a player who brings back unpleasant memories for Möregårdh. The last time they met, in the World Championship last year, Assar knocked out Möregårdh with 4–2 in sets.
He's tough against us Swedes, so I feel like a "big underdog" there, says Möregårdh.
