# Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's singles

The Men's singles table tennis event was a part of the Table Tennis program and took place at the Peking University Gymnasium. The tournament started on August 19 and the finals took place on August 23.
77 athletes from 44 countries took part in the men's singles event. The tournament was a single elimination tournament with a third place playoff played between the two losing semi-finalists. The top 16 seeds in the tournament received a bye to the third round. Seeds 17 through 32 received a bye to the second round, seeds 33 to 51 received a bye to the first round and seeds 52 to 77 contested the preliminary round.

## Schedule

All times are China Standard Time (UTC+8).
| Dates | Start time | Round |
| August 19 | 10:00 | Preliminary round |
| August 19 | 13:00 | First round |
| August 19 | 14:30 | First round |
| August 19 | 18:45 | First round |
| August 19 | 20:15 | First round |
| August 20 | 11:00 | Second round |
| August 20 | 14:00 | Second round |
| August 20 | 19:00 | Second round |
| August 20 | 22:00 | Second round |
| August 21 | 12:00 | Third round |
| August 21 | 20:00 | Fourth round |
| August 22 | 13:30 | Quarterfinals |
| August 23 | 10:00 | Semifinals |
| August 23 | 19:30 | Bronze medal match |
| August 23 | 20:30 | Gold medal match |

## Seeds

Seeds for the draw of the Olympics were based on the ITTF world ranking list published on July 1, 2008. The top 16 seeded players qualified directly to the third round.
* Wang Hao (CHN) (final, silver medalist)
* Ma Lin (CHN) (champion, gold medalist)
* Wang Liqin (CHN) (semifinals, bronze medalist)
* Vladimir Samsonov (BLR) (fourth round)
* Timo Boll (GER) (fourth round)
* Ryu Seung-min (KOR) (third round)
* Chuang Chih-yuan (TPE) (third round)
* Li Ching (HKG) (fourth round)
* Cheung Yuk (HKG) (third round)
* Gao Ning (SIN) (third round)
* Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) (fourth round)
* Oh Sang-eun (KOR) (quarterfinals)
* Werner Schlager (AUT) (fourth round)
* Kalinikos Kreanga (GRE) (fourth round)
* Kan Yo (JPN) (fourth round)
* Michael Maze (DEN) (third round)
The players ranked from 17 to 32 qualified directly to the second round.
* Adrian Crișan (ROU) (third round)
* Jun Mizutani (JPN) (third round)
* Chiang Peng-lung (TPE) (second round)
* Yoon Jae-young (KOR) (third round)
* Jean-Michel Saive (BEL) (second round)
* Alexei Smirnov (RUS) (third round)
* Ko Lai Chak (HKG) (quarterfinals)
* Zoran Primorac (CRO) (quarterfinals)
* Jörgen Persson (SWE) (Semifinals, fourth place)
* Yang Zi (SIN) (fourth round)
* He Zhiwen (ESP) (second round)
* Chen Weixing (AUT) (third round)
* Christian Süß (GER) (third round)
* Bojan Tokič (SLO) (third round)
* Tan Ruiwu (CRO) (quarterfinals)
* Petr Korbel (CZE) (second round)

## Draw
### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match |
| 1 | Wang Hao (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Jörgen Persson (SWE) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Jörgen Persson (SWE) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 9 | | 1 | Wang Hao (CHN) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 9 | | |
| | | | | | | | | 2 | Ma Lin (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 11 | | |
| 3 | Wang Liqin (CHN) | 5 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 2 | Ma Lin (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 11 | | |
| 2 | Ma Lin (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 11 | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| | | | | | | | | 25 | Jörgen Persson (SWE) | 11 | 2 | 5 | 9 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 3 | Wang Liqin (CHN) | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Wang H (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Chen W (AUT) | 11 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 12 | | | 28 | Chen W (AUT) | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 47 | Achanta SK (IND) | 5 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Wang H (CHN) | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | Y Kan (JPN) | 6 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 15 | Y Kan (JPN) | 9 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | A Smirnov (RUS) | 11 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 11 | | | 22 | A Smirnov (RUS) | 11 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Doan KQ (VIE) | 3 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Wang H (CHN) | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23 | Ko LC (HKG) | 7 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | 11 | D Ovtcharov (GER) | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | A Crisan (ROU) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | | | 17 | A Crisan (ROU) | 11 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Lin J (DOM) | 4 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | D Ovtcharov (GER) | 4 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23 | Ko LC (HKG) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 11 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 6 | Ryu S-m (KOR) | 7 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Ko LC (HKG) | 11 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 23 | Ko LC (HKG) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | P Gionis (GRE) | 5 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | | | | 7 | Chuang C-y (TPE) | 12 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Yang Z (SIN) | 11 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 26 | Yang Z (SIN) | 14 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 48 | M Freitas (POR) | 4 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 26 | Yang Z (SIN) | 7 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 24 | Z Primorac (CRO) | 11 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 16 | M Maze (DEN) | 8 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Z Primorac (CRO) | 12 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 24 | Z Primorac (CRO) | 11 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | R Gardos (AUT) | 10 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 24 | Z Primorac (CRO) | 11 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 25 | J Persson (SWE) | 7 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 11 |
| | | | | | | | | 9 | Cheung Y (HKG) | 9 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | J Persson (SWE) | 11 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 25 | J Persson (SWE) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 37 | A Karakašević (SRB) | 8 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 25 | J Persson (SWE) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | V Samsonov (BLR) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 9 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 4 | V Samsonov (BLR) | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | C Süß (GER) | 11 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | 29 | C Süß (GER) | 13 | 6 | 9 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | J Jakab (HUN) | 7 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wang L (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | P Korbel (CZE) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 8 | | 33 | L Błaszczyk (POL) | 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | L Błaszczyk (POL) | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wang L (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | W Schlager (AUT) | 6 | 4 | 8 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 13 | W Schlager (AUT) | 10 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Yoon J-y (KOR) | 4 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 20 | Yoon J-y (KOR) | 12 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | W Henzell (AUS) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wang L (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 31 | Tan R (CRO) | 7 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| | | | | | | | | | 10 | Gao N (SIN) | 6 | 12 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Tan R (CRO) | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | 31 | Tan R (CRO) | 11 | 14 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | S Kishikawa (JPN) | 11 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | 31 | Tan R (CRO) | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Li C (HKG) | 11 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 8 | Li C (HKG) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | He ZW (ESP) | 9 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 8 | | 53 | Jang S-m (PRK) | 4 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Jang S-m (PRK) | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | | | | | 5 | T Boll (GER) | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Chiang P-l (TPE) | 7 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 10 | | 52 | Kim H-b (PRK) | 11 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | Kim H-b (PRK) | 11 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | T Boll (GER) | 9 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 4 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Oh S-e (KOR) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 12 | Oh S-e (KOR) | 12 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | J-M Saive (BEL) | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 10 | | 56 | S Toriola (NGR) | 14 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | S Toriola (NGR) | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Oh S-e (KOR) | 3 | 5 | 9 | 10 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ma L (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| | | | | | | | | | 14 | K Kreanga (GRE) | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | J Mizutani (JPN) | 11 | 7 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 18 | J Mizutani (JPN) | 11 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | D Eloi (FRA) | 9 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 14 | K Kreanga (GRE) | 5 | 5 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ma L (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ma L (CHN) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | B Tokič (SLO) | 14 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 30 | B Tokič (SLO) | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 55 | M Bobocica (ITA) | 12 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Preliminary rounds
### Top half
#### Section 1

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round |
| 59 | A Carneros (ESP) | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 11 | | 47 | Achanta SK (IND) | 6 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| 74 | A Massaad (EGY) | 9 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 8 | | 59 | A Carneros (ESP) | 11 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 7 |
| 64 | Doan KQ (VIE) | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | | | | 36 | C Legout (FRA) | 12 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 12 |
| 73 | D Zalcberg (AUS) | 8 | 7 | 10 | 5 | | | | 64 | Doan KQ (VIE) | 10 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 14 |
| | | | | | | | | | 41 | Lin J (DOM) | 2 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | 50 | T Apolonia (POR) | 11 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 10 | |
| 63 | G Tsuboi (BRA) | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 38 | P Gionis (GRE) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | |
| 68 | P Peter-Paul (CAN) | 7 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 63 | G Tsuboi (BRA) | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | | |

#### Section 2

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round |
| 61 | E-S Lashin (EGY) | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 48 | M Freitas (POR) | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | |
| 65 | P Tabachnik (ARG) | 4 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 61 | E-S Lashin (EGY) | 12 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 6 | | |
| | | | | | | | | 34 | R Gardos (AUT) | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| | | | | | | | | 51 | Ri C-g (PRK) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| 57 | C Zeng (TUR) | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 37 | A Karakašević (SRB) | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 11 | | |
| 66 | M Merotohun (NGR) | 12 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 57 | C Zeng (TUR) | 8 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 1 | | |
| | | | | | | | | 39 | P Chila (FRA) | 11 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | 49 | J Jakab (HUN) | 7 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round |
| 60 | Kou L (UKR) | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 33 | L Błaszczyk (POL) | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | | |
| 71 | S Saka (CGO) | 5 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 71 | S Saka (CGO) | 9 | 3 | 11 | 2 | | |
| 62 | W Henzell (AUS) | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 40 | J Lundqvist (SWE) | 13 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 3 |
| 76 | I Khourta (ALG) | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 62 | W Henzell (AUS) | 15 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 11 |
| 58 | Zhang P (CAN) | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | | 43 | S Kishikawa (JPN) | 11 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 |
| 70 | D St Louis (TRI) | 6 | 7 | 10 | 4 | | 58 | Zhang P (CAN) | 9 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 9 |
| 53 | Jang S-m (PRK) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | 46 | Liu S (ARG) | 9 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| 77 | M Aguirre (PAR) | 7 | 3 | 8 | 3 | | 53 | Jang S-m (PRK) | 11 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 13 |

#### Section 4

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round |
| 52 | Kim H-b (PRK) | 11 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | 44 | T Monteiro (BRA) | 6 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 5 | | |
| 69 | I Al-Hasan (KUW) | 7 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 9 | | 52 | Kim H-b (PRK) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | | |
| 56 | S Toriola (NGR) | 8 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 42 | J Monteiro (POR) | 11 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 7 |
| 67 | D Zhuang (USA) | 11 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 56 | S Toriola (NGR) | 5 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 11 |
| 54 | A Saleh (EGY) | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | | | 35 | D Eloi (FRA) | 7 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| 75 | K Davis (AUS) | 7 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 8 | | | 54 | A Saleh (EGY) | 11 | 16 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| 55 | M Bobocica (ITA) | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | | 45 | F Kuzmin (RUS) | 7 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 10 | | |
| 72 | A Norouzi (IRI) | 7 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 10 | | 55 | M Bobocica (ITA) | 11 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 12 | | |