Former world number one Dimitrij Ovtcharov has fought his way to the semi-finals of the Olympic table tennis tournament and can hope for his second individual medal.
The last German remaining in the individual shot on Wednesday in the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium a 0: 2 set deficit and defeated the Brazilian Hugo Calderano in a gripping test of strength with 4: 2 (7:11, 5:11, 11: 8, 11: 7, 11: 8, 11: 2).
Ovtcharov found himself in a duel with his club colleague at Fakel Orenburg in Russia just in time for his game after making many avoidable mistakes for a long time.
The dream of a second Olympic medal in the individual after bronze in 2012 in London lives on for the world number eight.
Ovtcharov will now meet Rio winner Ma Long from China in the semifinals on Thursday (9.00 a.m. CEST in the FAZ Liveticker for Olympia, on ARD and on Eurosport).
In the second duel for a place in the final on Friday (2 p.m. CEST in the FAZ live ticker for the Olympics, on ZDF and on Eurosport), the Chinese world number one fan Zhendong from China competes with Lin Yun-Ju from Taiwan.
Germany's table tennis star Timo Boll failed in the round of 16. Boll and Ovtcharov can still get a medal with the team. You face Portugal on Sunday.