Chinese paddlers ease to fourth straight Olympic men's team gold

Fan Zhendong of China celebrates during the table tennis men's team gold medal match between China and Germany at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

TOKYO, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's men's table tennis team defeated their German opponents to win the country's fourth consecutive gold medal in the sport at Tokyo 2020 here on Friday.

As their female counterparts had done on Friday, the Chinese men's team maintained its 100 percent win record in the event since its Olympic debut at Beijing 2008.

Ma Long, who also won the men's singles gold medal in Tokyo, paired with Xu Xin to dispatch the German duo of Patrick Franziska and Timo Boll in straight sets.

World No. 1 Fan Zhendong met great resistance before securing a full-set victory over Dimitrij Ovtcharov to move China further ahead.

Ma wrapped up China's gold medal after beating Boll 3-1.

Hosts Japan settled for a bronze after beating South Korea 3-1 earlier on Friday.