Sweden ended up in an immediate uphill battle due to a loss in the initial double match.

Anton Källberg and Kristian Karlsson played evenly with Japan's Koki Niwa and Tomokazu Harimoto, but lost some key points, which became decisive.

Not least the set ball that had given 1-1, when Källberg got the position but smashed into the net and out.

Instead, Japan won three straight balls and went up to 2-0.

Källberg / Karlsson reduced to 1-2 but then lost fourth with 9-11 and the match with 1-3.

Falck's even victory

Sweden's number one Mattias Falck then equalized to 1-1 after a strong effort against veteran Jun Mizutani, who got the chance as Japanese number one instead of 18-year-old world four Tomokazu Harimoto.

Falck set the tone immediately by cleaning up the first set in just six minutes, 11-3.

The Swede also won the second and in the third he played his way to the match ball at the position 10-9.

But Mizutani bounced, saved the match ball and took home the set.

Then Falck was under pressure.

The Swedish world nine had high hopes for the Olympics but left the singles tournament immediately and also lost their match in the round of 16 against the USA.

But the 29-year-old showed what class he possesses when he is at his best, kept his nerves in check in the fourth set and equalized the match for Sweden through 11-8.

Challenged the world four

Anton Källberg, ranked 50th in the world, then shook Tomokazu Harimoto by winning the first set, 12-10.

The 23-year-old Swede had the 18-year-old rocking, but the Japanese eventually showed why he is world number four.

Harimoto won the three consecutive, very even sets with 11-9, 11-9, 12-10 and put Japan back in the winning position.

For Mattias Falck, it was therefore win or lose that mattered against Kuki Niwa, but that is simply not the case for the Swede in Tokyo.

Falck had a set ball in the first set, but lost to 10-12 and in the second he had no chance, 5-11.

The third set also got the worst possible start with a 0-4 deficit immediately, and he could never come back from that.

Niwa won the set with a clear 11-6 and the match with 3-0.

Japan, the third seed before the Olympics, won the quarterfinals 3-1.