Wang Chuqin, China's world No. 1 table tennis player, celebrated his first Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles with teammate Sun Yingsha but faced a setback when his prized paddle was accidentally broken by a photographer. The incident occurred as Wang posed for photos, leading to his paddle being stepped on amid the excitement. Despite being distraught, Wang downplayed the impact of the incident on his performance, which resulted in an unexpected early exit from the men's singles tournament against Sweden's Truls Moregard. This defeat marked the first time since 2004 that China would not secure gold and silver in the men's singles event. Wang attributed his loss to his own mistakes rather than the broken paddle, emphasizing his commitment to continue competing in the team event. Moregard expressed his surprise at the victory, noting his previous challenges against Wang.