Möregårdh showed once again that he is back in earnest after the injury break, which meant he missed the European Team Championships.
I love playing in front of a lot of people. The audience is full of energy – and so am I. I have a lot of emotions inside me that need to come out, said Möregårdh in the organizer's interview shortly before the quarter-finals.
He immediately showed that it was all about hard work, not talk. The Swedish world number five quickly advanced to set victories 11–7 and 11–6 and impressed greatly.
Qiu came back
Dang Qiu, ranked twelfth, fought back in the third, worked his way to 9–9, saved two set points, after which Möregårdh with a backhand went to 13–11 and a 3–0 lead.
Qiu saved match points in the fourth set before extending the match and winning the set 14–12.
Möregårdh missed a match point in the fifth and lost the set 10–12. He took command in the sixth set, winning five match points and winning the first 11–5.
In the semifinals, home player Alexis Lebrun awaits.
"It's such a pleasure to play here in front of a wonderful audience. I'm really happy. It's a tough tournament. I'm playing well, moving well," says Möregårdh in SVT's broadcast.
Big prize money
If Möregårdh manages to reach Sunday's final, he is guaranteed $20,000. If he wins the tournament, the compensation is double, but above all, Möregårdh shows that he is back in earnest after his knee problems.
Several top-seeded players have already been eliminated. World number three Hugo Calderano, Brazil, disappeared in the first round – the home hope and reigning champion Félix Lebrun, world number seven, had done his thing after the round of 16.
The top Chinese athletes, such as world number one Wang Chuqin and world number two Lin Shidong, are missing. They are focusing on the National Games of China later in November – which can be compared to a domestic Olympics.
