Didukh and Andersson had met 14 times before the quarterfinal match – and the statistics were crushing. The world number one from Ukraine had won all the times.
Now Andersson was so close, so close to breaking the curse and simultaneously making it to the semifinal in class 8 and securing a medal in the Paralympic Games.
It's probably my best match ever. I've never beaten him, but today I really got close. Unfortunately, it's very tough to swallow today, says a taken Andersson to SVT after the loss.
The 31-year-old Swede, who took bronze in his debut in London 2012, started brilliantly and won the two tight sets, 11–9 and 12–10. It began to smell like a blue-yellow upset, just a month after Truls Möregårdh & Co reaped OS successes in the same arena in southern Paris.
Didukh took the third set, 11–8, and had long commanded even in the fourth. But Andersson rose from 6–9 to 10–9 – and had a match point in that position.
Andersson hit out via the net and a giant opportunity to decide the match disappeared.
Didukh took two balls in a row and forced a deciding set, where the Ukrainian continued. Andersson saved three match points, but not the fourth. Didukh won the set with 13–11 and the match with 3–2 in sets.
A tough Swedish ending to an incredibly thrilling match.
Earlier in the day, Daniel Gustafsson and Smilla Sand also went out in their quarterfinals.
