Medal joy for Chesterfield's Liam Pitchford at Commonwealth Games

Chesterfield table tennis star Liam Pitchford added gold and silver medals to the bronze previously secured at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Paul Drinkhall (left) and Liam Pitchford with their doubles gold medal. Photo: Getty.Paul Drinkhall (left) and Liam Pitchford with their doubles gold medal. Photo: Getty.
Paul Drinkhall (left) and Liam Pitchford with their doubles gold medal. Photo: Getty.

Pitchford had won bronze in the team event and just missed out on gold when losing to India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta in the men’s singles final.

Despite Pitchford winning the first set, Achanta bounced back to seal a 4-1 victory and take gold.

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Prior to that, Pitchford had got one over Achanta as he teamed up with Paul Drinkhall in the doubles and edged a 3-2 comeback victory over Achanta and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran in a replay of the Gold Coast 2018 final that also saw Pitchford and Drinkhall victorious.

Pitchford admitted he felt relieved following the win, saying: “It was a really tough match. We played an unbelievable last set.

"Honestly. Probably the best doubles we played when we needed it. That's what great doubles players do - and we did it.

"It feels unbelievable to be at home. This feels better than Gold Coast for me."

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On losing his singles final to Achanta, Pitchford said: “It was a difficult match.

“He played unbelievably well and credit to him.

“For the first set and a half I didn’t really know where to play against him, he knew where I was playing every ball.

“I probably got caught up in trying to hit the ball past him and he was just waiting.

“He just played tactically well against me today and I couldn’t really do anything.

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“I don’t think I played particularly badly but I didn’t know where to play the ball against him. I need to go back and do my homework for next time.

“If you told me even a week ago that I’d get a silver medal in the singles, I would have bitten your hand off.

“People don’t know what goes on behind the scenes and it’s been tough. I’ve been close to not even stepping out on the court.

“To come and get to a final and give everything, I just didn’t have anything left today.

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“I'm proud that I came out and I got a silver medal. Disappointed with losing but silver is better than nothing.

“It's a credit to me that I’ve gone out and tried to keep pushing. I’ve found me again and I’ve just enjoyed being out there and hopefully, that can continue.”