Teenager GERALDO clinches team gold for Portugal over France

Portugal's men continued what is looking like a bright new dawn for table tennis in their corner of the Iberian Peninsula with a 3-1 win over France to take gold in the men's team final at Baku Sports Hall on Monday. 

The 2014 European team champions were guided home by 19-year-old Joao GERALDO, the continent's No48, who beat Adrien MATTENET (FRA) 3-0 in the third singles match.

The 27-year-old MATTENET is ranked 32 places above GERALDO.

The first singles tie had seen Tiago APOLONIA (POR) down MATTENET in straight games, albeit with two tight scorelines and some hard-fought rallies.

Twenty-year-old Simon GAUZY, the French No1, then took FREITAS to a fifth game, but was unable to stop Portugal going 2-0 up.

GAUZY and Emmanuel LEBESSON (FRA) then beat GERALDO and APOLONIA 3-2 in the doubles before GERALDO finished off the French.

He overcame LEBESSON's long-range defensive shots and clinched his match in straight games 11-4, 12-10, 11-9 before disappearing under a pile of celebrating teammates. 

GNS pr/jp/pg