Tokyo Olympics: "The Dictator" Ma Long Retains Table Tennis Crown To Make History

Tokyo 2020: China's Ma Long became the first table tennis player in Olympic history to win men's singles gold for a second time.

China's table tennis king Ma Long on Friday became the first player in Olympic history to win men's singles gold for a second time. The 32-year-old captain and talisman of the all-powerful Chinese team defeated younger compatriot Fan Zhendong 4-2 in the final in Tokyo. The defending champion has now won four Games golds overall, having also claimed team titles with his country at London 2012 and Rio 2016, underlining his status as one of the best players table tennis has ever seen. Just like immediately after the all-Chinese women's final the night before, Ma and Fan -- the top two seeds -- unfurled a large Chinese flag as they celebrated another one-two for their country. Bronze went to Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov after he saved four match points in defeating 19-year-old rising star Lin Yun-ju of Taiwan 4-3.