"He put a lot of pressure on me," Fan said of Moregard. "Had I had one bad serve, today's outcome could be different.
"I can see I've grown and progressed with the confidence to deal with a situation like this," added Fan, whose coach Wang Hao, twice an Olympic silver medallist himself, lifted him up high in celebration after the win.
Moregard, who came to Paris thinking his journey would finish in the second round but ended up being the runner-up, became the first Swede to get on to the Olympic podium since 2000, having knocked out Fan's teammate and world number one Wang Chuqin.
"He's just really showed he's the best player in the tournament", Moregard said of Fan.
Fan, arguably possessing the best backhand in the world, faced a resilient Moregard who played with good variety. However, the Swede's inconsistent use of the chop block cost him valuable points and he lost the last two games 11-8.
In the bronze match, 17-year-old Lebrun beat Brazilian Hugo Calderano to win France's first table tennis medal since 2000 to delight the home nation.
He avenged the defeat suffered by his older brother, Alexis, who lost in the round of 16 to Calderano, by winning 4-0.
"It's incredible, this is the first time that I cry for joy. Normally, I'm not very emotional but it's true that it's a dream since I was a little boy. It's a moment I will remember my whole life," said Lebrun, who danced in celebration with his brother and teammates.
Published 04 August 2024, 15:04 IST