The Chinese team celebrate after winning the men's team match of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games table tennis events at the Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 17, 2016. [Photo/IC]

To follow up Ma in the second game, Xu Xin, the sole penholder in this Chinese squad, stumbled against Japan's top male paddler Jun Mizutani, conceding the first set 12-10 and the second 11-9 though having pulled back five scores in a row from trailing 5-1.

The 26-year-old world No. 3 reopened the game in style, leading 6-0 into the third set before letting go just three points of 11-point format.

Tying it 2-2 with a 11-7 fourth set, Xu led 10-8 in the fifth and decider but Mizutani, ranked sixth in the world, served to tie 10-10 before taking it 12-10 to force at least four games.

The following doubles went also intense as Xu, pairing up with China's another active Grand Slam winner Zhang Jike, easily surrendered the first set 11-4 before launching a hard-working comeback 11-6, 11-9, 11-5.

Ma then came up on court again to play Japan's 21st-ranked Maharu Yoshimura and just proved his flying form, rounding up the match with a 11-1, 11-4, 11-4 win.

Though losing the final, Japan won their first silver medal in men's event to better Mizutani's fresh record of taking a bronze in the men's singles six days ago.