Liam Pitchford blitzed through his first-round match at the Paris Olympics today with an authoritative display against Fiji’s Vicky Wu.

Pitchford, making history as the first GB athlete to compete in table tennis at four Olympic Games, conceded only 14 points across four games against his teenaged opponent – who was himself notching a milestone first men’s singles appearance for his country.

The Chesterfield man won the first three points of the match to set the platform from which he pulled out to take the first game 11-6 on his second game point.

That turned out to be the closest game as Pitchford’s all-round play was simply too much for Wu to counter, with the youngster struggling with the GB athlete’s serves in particular.

Allied to his controlled short game and variety and power of shots when the rallies opened up – which was not often as the longest rally of the match was eight shots – it meant Pitchford was never threatened as he went on to complete a 4-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-3, 11-2) triumph.

He next faces Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic in the last 32, in a rematch of their tie at the Tokyo Olympics, which the Slovenian won in six. The match has not yet been scheduled.

Afterwards, speaking in the media mixed zone, Pitchford said: “Obviously it’s nice to win and get that first match under my belt. I didn’t really need to do too much to get the win.

“That’s nice in the last 64 of the Olympics but the next match is going to be a hell of a lot harder and I need to get myself ready for that.

“I’m feeling good, it’s probably the best I’ve felt leading up to any of my Olympics – recovered from a couple of injuries earlier in the year, did a lot of work in the training hall and the gym.

“Not having any tournaments for three or four months wasn’t ideal, but that’s the hand I got dealt and I’ve done what I can with it. I honestly feel I’ve done what I need to do in training and in the hall and I’ll give it my best.”

On the atmosphere in the hall, he added: “I love it, that’s what we need in table tennis and that’s what the Olympics can do – there’s probably people in there who don’t really know anything about table tennis and they’re loving it and getting behind all the players. I think it’s great – it helps the players and helps the sport.”