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Ada Li

Japan’s table tennis players have said they were closing the gap with China, but beating world No 1 Sun Yingsha was a must if they are to ever win gold.
They said their narrow defeat to China in the World Team Table Tennis Championships final last weekend has offered fresh insight into how the gap between the two sides can be closed, with one key being the need to break away from conventional styles.
Japan’s women’s team lost 3-2 to China in London on Sunday, extending their run of silver medals at the event to six straight editions, as China secured a seventh consecutive title.
Seventeen-year-old Miwa Harimoto provided the stand-out moment for Japan, stunning China’s Wang Manyu in the opening match 11-4, 11-9, 6-11, 4-11, 11-4 for her first victory over Wang after 11 previous defeats.
“I had never beaten her in 11 previous meetings, so I’m very happy to win this time,” said Harimoto, who was playing as Japan’s first singles in a World Championships final for the first time. “In the team event atmosphere, my opponent was slightly more conservative, while I was more proactive, which helped me secure the win.”

However, China’s depth once again made the difference.
Harimoto later lost to Sun 11-2, 11-4, 11-6 in the fourth match as China levelled at 2-2, after Hina Hayata was beaten in straight games by the world No 1, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 in the second match.
Hayata, who has now represented Japan at four consecutive World Championships, said the challenge posed by China’s top players remained immense.
“Facing the world No 1 and No 2, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu, I personally think they are the strongest double core in history,” she said. “My level has not caught up with them at all, and it feels like the gap has even widened.”
Harimoto also stressed the importance of overcoming Sun in particular.
“Japan lost 3-2 to China in both World Team Championships I’ve played, which is very disappointing,” Harimoto said. “From a team perspective, winning three points still feels far away. Sun Yingsha scored four points across the two tournaments, and I think if we cannot surpass her, we cannot win as a team.”
She also highlighted the scale of China’s advantage, particularly in consistency and preparation.
“Chinese players train far more than athletes from any other country in the world. Even if they make mistakes, as long as they stay composed, they almost never lose,” she said. “My win in the opening match came from taking advantage of fluctuations in my opponent’s mentality. Their overall strength remains world-class, especially their extremely low error rate.”
Despite the defeat, both players believe Japan are closing the gap on their long-time rivals.
“I feel the gap with Chinese players is narrowing, but from the perspective of winning three points as a team, we still have clear shortcomings,” Harimoto said.
Hayata pointed to the importance of developing varied playing styles, citing teammate Honoka Hashimoto – who beat China’s Kuai Man 3-1 in the third match – as an example.

“There has always been a view that defensive choppers cannot succeed on the world stage, but Hashimoto has broken that stereotype and developed a unique style of her own,” Hayata said. “Harimoto and I both play more orthodox styles, but Japan’s strength lies in each player being able to maximise their own characteristics.
“Players who are not constrained by China’s orthodox system and can break out of fixed patterns – not just in Japan but in other countries as well – have come close to beating or even defeating China. There may be a common path to breaking through.”
Japan will now turn their focus to the Asian Games on home soil, where they will aim for the gold – which probably means finally getting past China.


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ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation)

Gap with China closing, Japanese table tennis team say, but beating Sun Yingsha still key

Japan’s Hina Hayata (right) says that “if we cannot surpass Sun Yingsha (left), we cannot win as a team”. Photo: AP

Miwa Harimoto beat Wang Manyu but later lost to Sun Yingsha in London on Sunday. Photo: AP

Honoka Hashimoto beat China’s Kuai Man 3-1 playing in her “unique style”. Photo: AP

Online community attacks selection criteria for China’s Asian Games table tennis teams

Wang Manyu (left) and Sun Yingsha will almost certainly fill the first two places in China’s women team for the Asian Games in Nagoya in September. Photo: EPA-EFE

China’s mainstays, Lin Shidong (left) and Wang Chuqin, will probably lead the men’s team at the Asian Games. Photo: Xinhua

Many fans believe the spot for the player born after 2004 will go to Chen Yi. Photo: Xinhua

Japan are ahead in developing young players, such as Miwa Harimoto, fans say. Photo: AP

China’s world snooker champion Wu Yize playing ‘perfect’ game, says ex-coach Django Fung

China’s Wu Yize has a very good attacking game that puts his opponents “on edge”, Django Fung says. Photo: Xinhua

Django Fung (left) manages world No 2 Neil Robertson, among others. Photo: Handout

Django Fung (right) says Wu Yize was better than Judd Trump (left) at age 21. Photo: Handout

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China

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After another defeat at World Team Championships last weekend, Japan’s stars feel breaking away from conventional styles is likely to help


After another defeat at World Team Championships last weekend, Japan’s stars feel breaking away from conventional styles is likely to help.


World Table Tennis (WTT)

Sun Yingsha

Wang Manyu

Gap with China closing, Japanese table tennis team say, but beating Sun Yingsha still key

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}After another defeat at World Team Championships last weekend, Japan’s stars feel breaking away from conventional styles is likely to help

After another defeat at World Team Championships last weekend, Japan’s stars feel breaking away from conventional styles is likely to help