At the score of 2–2 in the set and leading 5–2 in the deciding set, table tennis star Truls Möregårdh interrupted a ball just after Ovidiu Ionescu had scored a point with a forehand on a serve return.
The 22-year-old Swede claimed that he had served into the net.
I'm a hundred percent sure. I would never try to (cheat), Möregårdh was heard saying in SVT's broadcast.
Did not agree
The Romanian did not seem to agree and appeared disturbed by the Swede's actions, but Ionescu was allowed to keep the point. Möregårdh responded by winning two straight points and eventually took the set 11–6 and the match 3–2 in sets.
Möregårdh was occasionally frustrated and unrecognizable. He easily won the first set 11–3, but lost the second after wasting three straight set points.
The players then took one set each before the Swede – silver medalist in both singles and team at the Paris Olympic Games – could decide in the deciding set. The set scores were 11–3, 14–16, 12–10, 9–11, 11–5.
In the second round of the Singapore Smash – one of the world tour's four grand smash tournaments – Möregårdh will face American Kanak Jha, who received a wildcard to the tournament.
Bergström advances
In the women's tournament, Linda Bergström impressed greatly against Xiaona Shan of Germany. The Swede won against the 42-year-old veteran 3–0 in sets (11–5, 11–7, 12–10).
In the second round, Bergström will face Chinese world number ten Qian Tianyi.
On Sunday, Anton Källberg also advanced to the second round. No other Swedes managed to qualify for the singles tournament.
