How it unfolded
On August 23, 2004, at the Galatsi Olympic Hall in Athens, 22-year-old Ryu Seung-min beat China's Wang Hao 4-2. Ryu was a right-handed penholder who used his backhand almost never, instead relying on footwork that carried him around into the backhand corner to play forehand shots, along with sheer power. Across the table, Wang Hao represented a new generation that had perfected the reverse penhold backhand and had entered the tournament as a favorite. Ryu avoided long rallies, going for the point on the third ball after his serve, and widened his angles to attack the corners before Wang could seize control with his backhand. This gold remains, through the Paris 2024 Games, the last time a non-Chinese player has won Olympic men's singles. Wang Hao went on to reach the final again at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, losing both times, leaving him with the record of three straight Olympic men's singles silvers.
Why it still matters
This is the last time the Chinese dynasty was actually breached in Olympic singles. Following Yoo Nam-kyu in 1988 and Jan-Ove Waldner in 1992, Ryu Seung-min became the third and, so far, last non-Chinese men's singles champion, with China taking gold at every Games from Beijing 2008 through Paris 2024. This match is also the last instance of a classical forehand-oriented penholder, rather than one relying on the reverse penhold backhand, reaching the very top of the world.