Table tennis at Paris 2024

1. People's Republic of China - 6 Medals (5 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)

2. Sweden - 2 Medals (0 Gold, 2 Silver, 0 Bronze)

3. Japan - 2 Medals (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)

4. Democratic People's Republic of Korea - 1 Medal (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)

5. France - 2 Medals (0 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze)

6. Republic of Korea - 2 Medals (0 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze)

That was an exceptional showing from Germany. 

Annett Kaufmann is the star of the show again as she leads the Europeans to the win with wins in both her games. The 18-year-old is yet to lose any of her four singles games in the team's event so far!!!

And that is the official end of India's quest for a tabletennis medal at Paris 2024.

ANOTHER RIVETING CROSS COURT FOREHAND SMASH!!!

GERMANY HAVE THREE MATCH POINTS.

KAUFMANN SEALS IT WITH THE FOREHAND WINNER!!!

KAUFMANN TURNS DEFENCE INTO OFFENCE EXTRAORDINARILY TO TAKE THE POINT!!!

Sreeja cuts the lead to two again.

Akula is now a point away from levelling the game!!!

Kaufmann calls for the timeout.

And makes it count with the forehand topspin down the line upon resumption!!!

A riveting cross court backhand topspin from Kaufmann to take the point!!!

Sreeja keeps fighting to cut the lead to two!!!

Anothet topspin of the highest order from Kaufmann!!!

Sreeja misses another forehand topspin!!!

Kaufmann sends the forehand smash long from deep.

The GErman levels matters with an exceptional backhand.

Sreeja fights back and her quick forehand push restores parity.

A third on the trot for Kaufmann, this time with the backhand topspin.

Sreeja calls for a time out.

A slice of fortune for the Indian to get off the mark as her forehand chop clips the net and falls in play.

Kaufmann gets the first blow in the third game with a froceforced error from Akula.

AND NOW NAILS THE DOWN THE LINE FOREHAND SMASH WHILE LEANING BACK!!!

Sreeja defends the first.

But sends a chop long now to hand Kaufmann a two game lead. The Germans are one game win away form the semi-finals!!!

Kaufmann's attempted forehand topspin down the diagonal clips the net and goe slong.

SREEJA HITS A BEAUTIFUL FOREHAND TOPSPIN ON THE TURN BUT KAUFMANN REDIRECTS IT PHENOMENALL INTO THE OPEN SPACE ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!

Four game points for the German.

Yet another backhand topspin on the diagonal to get the point!!!

NOW THE BACKHAND WINNER DOWN THE LINE!!!

Kaufmann roars as she nails the backhand finish to retake lead!!!

AND ANOTHER POWERFUL BACKHAND ON THE DIAG TO OPEN UP  A TWO POINT LEAD!!!

Kaufmann sets up the cross court backhand finish perfectly with a deft chop!!!

The German fails the enxt backhand to restore parity.

Akula's counter forehand topspin goes long.

And now Kaufmann sends a backhand past the table.

Sreeja cannot defend against the forehand topspin down the centre.

A BRILLIANT CROSS COURT FOREHAND TOPSPIN FROM AKULA!!!

The points are split on Kaufmann's serve.

Akula to serve first in the second.

Gets the first point with the cross court forehand smash.

Kaufmann strikes back with a lively forehand topspin.

THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM FOR KAUFMANN AS SHE TAKES THE FIRST GAME!!!

Sreeja defends the first as Kaufmann's attempted smash does not come off.

Sreeja's down the line defence keeps her in the game again.

Kaufmann's forehand smash has too much venom and Akula's defence sails past the table.

Six game points for the German!!!

A lovely forehand smash from Sreeja to cut the lead to four!!!

Akula misses her backhand, the lead is seven.

The Indian finally snaps the streak as her down the line backhand forces an error from the German.

KAUFMANN PULLS OF THE STUNNING COUNTER TOPSPIN DOWN THE LINE!!! SIMPLY UNPLAYABLE!!!

THE LEAD HAS GROWN TO SIX NOW!!!

Kaufmann keeps marauding on though and a forehand smash makes the lead read four!!!

A three point lead for Kauffman courtesy her backhand.

Akula finally off the mark as the German sends a backhand long.

Kaufmann takes the first point in the encuounter off her own serve.

And the second witht he forehand topspin.

India keep their table tennis medal hopes alive for now.

Onto another must-win match for the Women in Blue as Sreeja Akula takes on Annett Kaufmann in a singles encounter.

Match point for Kamath!!!

SHAN MISSES HER FOREHAND TOPSPIN TO HAND KAMATH THE MATCH!!!

Shan pushes Kamath wide with her counter responses again and then wins the point with the down the line backhand.

Kamath's gorgeous down the line forehand topspin from deep restores parity!!!

Kamaht pounces on the opporutnity to attack in a flash to get within a point of Shan!!!

AND NOW NAILS THE BACKHAND TOPSPIN ON THE DIAG AGAINST THE SERVE TO RESTORE PARITY!!!

Shan misses a routing forehand smash and her lead is cut down to to.

Expertly worked out by Shan as she pushes Kamath incredibly wide with an acute angle forehand push and then gently guides the backhand down the line to seak the point.

An unorthodox backhand ppush from Shan across the board at a sharo angle against a panicked Kamath.

Shan calls for the time out.

SHE TAKES THE FIRST POINT UPON RESUMPTION WITH SENSATIONAL DEFENCE BEFORE COMING UP WITH THE FOREHAND SMASH FINISH!!!

But Kamath strikes back immediately.

Kamath's cross-court forehand topspin floats long off Shan's racquet.

The Indian now cuts the lead down to two!!! 

Kamath gets a heavy forehand topspin across but misses the ensuing backhand counter topspin.

Shan's lead has now grown to four!!!

Two smashing finishes with the forehand pen hold from Shan!!!

Kamath's cross court forehand topspin hits the net.

Kamath to serve first in the fourth.

The honours are split.

Five game points for Kamath!!!

AND SHE TAKES IT WITH THE BACKHAND TOPSPIN ACROSS THE DIAG!!!

Kamath snaps the streak courtesy of Shan miscuing her backhand.

The Indian misses her shot to keep the lead to four.

OOF, A PHENOMENAL DOWN THE LINE BACKHAND FROM SHAN!!!

The German keeps fighting back to cut the lead to four.

The honours are split on this serve.

Kamath's lead grows to five now with Shan's missed backhand.

Another ravaging forehand topspin fives Kamath a six point lead.

Kamath has rediscovered her rhtym here as she nails another forehand topspin.

A BRILLIANT INSTINCTIVE BACKHAND FLICK AGAINST THE RAPID SERVE TO GIVE KAMATH A FOUR POINT LEAD!!!

UNBELIEVABLE DEFENCE FROM KAMATH!!!

She keeps lobbing the ball in from deep and Shan ultimately miscues a straightforward finish!!!

THe Indian's lead two points now.

Shan takes the first point in the third.

Kamath restores parity with a lovely forehand finish.

NINE GAME POINTS FOR SHAN!!!

AND SHE MAKES CHILD PLAY OF THE SECOND GAME TO RESTORE PARITY IN THE MATCH!!!

Another msicue from Kamath.

THE INDIAN FINALLY OPENS HER ACCOUNT AFTER NINE STRAIGHT FOR SHAN!!!

Kamath sends her forehand topspin long to hand Shan a seventh striaght point.

A missed backhand from Kamath opens up a eight point gap!!!

Kamath's backhand hits the net again.

Now she miscues the backhand.

Shan has six points on the trot to begin game 3!!!

Shan opens up an early three poibt lead.

Make that four as Kamath sends her backhand long!!!

Kamath begins the second game with a service error.

OOF, Shan guides a backhand down the line brilliantly to take the second point too!!

ARCHANA SEALS A MARATHON GAME WITH A BACKHAND TOPSPIN!!!

This time Shan's flicked forehand finish thumps into the net.

AND ARCHANA RESTORES PARITY ONCE MORE!!!

SHAN TAKES ANOTHER GAME POINT WITH A FLICKED FOREHAND FINISH!!!

Sensational transition fromdefence to attack still keeps Shan alive in the game!!!

Shan sends her forehand topspin long.

AND THE GERMAN DEFENDS AGAIN!!!

KAMATH PUTTING UP AN EXHIBITION OF ATTACK!!!

Incredible curve on the forehand topspin from deep by Kamath to deceive Shan and catch her racket edge.

Incredible curve on the forehand topspin from deep by Kamath to deceive Shan and catch her racket edge.

Kamath hits her chop return to the net.

Advantage Shan now.

Kamath sends the forehand topspin long to force ANOTHER DEUCE.

THAT IS AN UNBELIEVABLE DOWN THE LINE FOREHAND COUNTER WINNER WHILE LEANING BACK FROM KAMATH!!!

Shan defends again with the cross court forehand topspin.

Another game point for Kamath.

Kamath cannot time her forehand topspin while leaning back under pressure. Deuce again.

Shan misses her forehand finish.

Game point for Kamath.

Kamath defends the first one with a gorgeous down the line backhand topspin.

KAMATH TAKES THE BEST RALLY OF THE GAME SO FAR TO FORCE DEUCE!!!

WHAT A RELENTLESS ATTACKER THE INDIAN IS!!!

Kamath's backhand defence goes long.

And now her backhand topspin rifles into the net.

Two game points for Shan.

Shan puts Kamath on the defensive again to take the point.

This time Kamath is allowed to take the initiative and takes the point by smashing a forehand across!!!

Kamath misses the forehand topspin.

The Indian is pushed incredibly long on the second rally, does well to keep the ball in play for as longa s she does but Shan ineitably takes the point.

SHAN WINS A SENSATIONAL RALLY TO KEEP LEAD DOWN TO TWO!!!

SHE RELENTLESSLY DEFENDS AGAINST A STELLAR BARRAGE OF BACKHAND FOREHAND TOPSPINS UNTIL THE INDIAN BLINKS FIRST!!!

SHAN WINS A SENSATIONAL RALLY TO KEEP LEAD DOWN TO TWO!!!

SHE RELENTLESSLY DEFENDS AGAINST A STELLAR BARRAGE OF BACKHAND FOREHAND TOPSPINS UNTIL THE INDIAN BLINKS FIRST!!!

Kamath's forehand rifles into the net.

But she keeps the lead as Shan's forehand is too low.

Kamath's forehand topspin off the turn goes long.

Kamath's barrage of attacks proves too much for Shan to contend with.

Kamath's backhand topspin on the diagonal forces an error from Shan.

This time she sets up the forehand finish on the diagonal with another backhand topspin.

Kamath's backhand topspin goes long.

The Indian is finally off the mark.

Shan with the serve.

She gets the first one with a forehand smash.

And the second after Kamath's down the line heavy forehand topspin goes long.

Time for the fourth game. Kamath has to win this one to keep India's hunt for a medal alive. She wins the toss against Xiaona Shan and chooses to receive first.

The two players have a ridiculous 18 yeras separating them. Kamath is the up-and-coming youngster at 23, Shan is the world-hardened veteran at 41.

Annett Kaufmann struggled in the first game to contend with Manika Batra's twiddling and change of pace with the long pips. But once the German adapted to it, she put up an attacking exhibition to turn the momentum in her favour and take Germany one match win away from the semi-finals.

An unbeleivable backhand topspin off the serve fives Kauffman five match points.

THE GERMAN TAKES IT WITHOUT MUCH ADO!!!

Batra's backhand off the long pips goes long.

This time the Indian goes on the attack and takes the point with her forehand smash!!!

Batra's backhand off the long pips goes long.

This time the Indian goes on the attack and takes the point with her forehand smash!!!

A three point lead for Kauffman now.

And another brilliant down the line forehand topspin to make it four!!!

And now the forehand topspin from Annett!!!

THe GErman hits this one around the net and it takes the edge off the table making it indefensible!!!

kaufmann's forehand topspin goes long much to her chagrin.

BUT SHE RESTORES PARITY WITH ANOTHER SENSATIONAL DOWN THE LINE BACKHAND!!!

Batra's backhand does not make it past the net.

Kaufmann hits a riveting down the line backhand!!!

Two serves from either rubber for Batra earn her two splendid points!!!

Kaufmann sends her backhand long.

Batra is on the attack with her backhand topspin but Kaufmann guides it expertly into empty space with her forehand!!

Three game points from Kaufmann.

THE GERMAN NEEDS NO SECOND INVITATION!!!

Batra takes the first with her backhand.

Kaufmann fights past the change of paces off the pips to foce Bartra onto the black rubber and ultimately net the point!!!

Kaufmann gets another with a great topspin!!!

Batra calls for a time out.

But Kaufmann marauds her as her topspin is too wide for Batra to contend with.

A raging backhand finish from Kaufmann restores parity.

Batra opens up a two point lead.

Kaufmann sends her forehand chop into the net.

KAUFMANN COMES UP WITH A SENSATIONAL DOWN THE LINE TOP SPIN TO TAKE THE POINT!!!

A long fast push from batra gets her the point.

And now a forehand topspin combo restores parity!!!