Truls Möregårdh was merciless in his semifinal against Benedikt Duda. Saturday evening's meeting between the Swedish world seventh and the German world tenth ended with a 4–0 blue and yellow victory in front of the table tennis audience in Malmö.
On Sunday, the final awaits the Chinese world number one Lin Shidong.
The world number one from China against me from Sweden is almost too good to be true – to end the tournament like that. Hopefully, it will be a big upset by me, so I can live on that for the rest of my life, says Truls Möregårdh to SVT.
”What I train for”
Möregårdh took double Olympic Games silver in Paris last year, but says he is experiencing his best week in his life.
When the game feels this good and everyone I want to watch is here and watching. And everything is going well. Weeks like this are what I live for. This is what I train for every day,
He has never beaten Lin Shidong.
I have been relatively chanceless the times we have met. He is a world number one for a reason.
The German Duda had no chance against the Swedish world seventh, however. After a strong start, Möregårdh won the first set 11–7. It went a bit tougher in the second set, where Duda had the grip for a long time. But when it got tight, Möregårdh was the strongest – and turned to a set victory 11–9.
It was great to get a 2–0 lead, feels like he got more and more uncertain for every ball that was played, says Möregårdh.
Möregårdh continued strongly, took the third set 11–7 and then the fourth set 11–6 for a 4–0 victory in the match.
Lin Shidong, on the other hand, had problems in his semifinal. The Frenchman Simon Gauzy, ranked 32nd in the world, led 3–1 in sets and also had the grip far into the fifth set.
But Lin Shidong managed to turn around and won in the end with 4–3, after 11–7 in the decisive set.
”Need all support”
Now Truls Möregårdh hopes for an upset victory in Sunday's final – with the help of the home crowd.
I think he will have a very tough time here on my home ground, says the Swede and continues:
I need all the support and help I can get. It's the world number one I'm facing.
The winner of the tournament will receive a prize check of over 960,000 kronor (100,000 dollars).
