Sweden’s Stina Källberg in tears after mixed doubles semi-final loss at European Championships

Words were superfluous, because the tears running down Källberg's cheeks had already said it all.

This was a loss that stung badly.

We were so close, and it feels so sad, says Stina Källberg.

It was that close: at 2–1 in sets and 10–9 in the fourth, the Swedish pair had a chance to decide the thrilling semi-final in Ljubljana.

They didn't take it.

Lebrun/Lutz wriggled free, winning the fourth set 13–11 and then the fifth and decisive set 11–9.

“Disgustingly small margins”

Källberg, who will leave the European Championships with her first championship medal, could mostly think about what might have been.

We could just as easily have been standing here talking about a final instead. The margins are so disgustingly small, you go crazy playing table tennis. I'm tired of it, she tells SVT.

Kristian Karlsson tried to keep a cool head and support Källberg in her disappointment.

We're playing five incredibly good sets against what are probably Europe's best mixed pairs, and we're pushing them to the max.

"From a distance, I promise that we will be very proud of this bronze," he tells SVT.

Karlsson's long Thursday in the table tennis arena - with a total of three matches - began with him and Anton Källberg winning their quarter-final and securing at least bronze in the men's doubles.

Also saved match point

The Swedish pair were really out of sorts in their match against the second-seeded Germans Dang Qiu and Benedikt Duda, who took a 2–0 lead in sets and then had a match point to win in the fourth set.

But Karlsson and Källberg managed to take the match to a fifth and decisive set, where the drama continued.

The Swedes had their first two match points at 10–8, but this time it was the Germans who kept the match alive for a while longer. But on their third match point, Karlsson and Källberg clinched the win, 8–11, 8–11, 11–9, 14–12, 12–10.

In Friday's semi-final, they will face Romanians Vladislav Ursu and Andrei Putuntica.

Karlsson's long Thursday ends with an evening singles match against Finland's Alex Naumi in the second round.