WTT Contender Muscat 2023

[tackyfh]

Togami just lost to Matsushima 1-3, now I finally gets why so many ppl dubbed him the next genius after Tomokazu. His shots wasn't as rough as Togami but much more stable and his tactical game was also better.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

still not convinced about Sora. I think he lacks power. He's not the next Mizutani, rather the next Niwa

 

[zeio]

It's easy to forget his stumbles, and his domestic results have been...

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Well, Matsushima just beat one of Japan's top players on an international stage so there's that. He also took down Quadri this tournament and a number of other really good players in other senior WTT tournaments (Freitas, LSS, Cho Seungmin, and Dima) and has beaten a number of Chinese juniors such as highly touted Wen Ruibo. At 16 yrs. old, he's gonna have his ups and downs, but lots of upside.

 

[zeio]

still not convinced about Sora. I think he lacks power. He's not the next Mizutani, rather the next Niwa

As yours truly projected (and feared), Sora-kun's current height is far from 170cm, but at 165cm, essentially the same as Miwa-chan.

Miwa 165cm, Miwa's brother 176cm, Shinozuka 165cm
http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=91479&PID=1130563
https://www.butterfly.co.jp/catalog/2023ss/72/
https://tleague.jp/player/detail.php?player=30006&year=2023

Sora 165cm
https://tleague.jp/player/detail.php?player=10079&year=2023
https://tssystems.jp/athlete_sora-matsushima/

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

As yours truly projected (and feared), Sora-kun's current height is far from 170cm, but at 165cm, essentially the same as Miwa-chan.

Miwa 165cm, Miwa's brother 176cm, Shinozuka 165cm
http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=91479&PID=1130563
https://www.butterfly.co.jp/catalog/2023ss/72/
https://tleague.jp/player/detail.php?player=30006&year=2023

Sora 165cm
https://tleague.jp/player/detail.php?player=10079&year=2023
https://tssystems.jp/athlete_sora-matsushima/

I could be wrong, but it looked like he had a couple of inches on Miwa when I was watching their doubles match. Sometimes website data doesn't get updated for growing young men .

 

[zeio]

A couple of centimeters at best. The news from 1/2023 say Sora stands at 168cm. Miwa is 166cm from news in 5/2023. For comparison, Hayata is 166 or 167cm, depending on different sources.

https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202301250000953.html

幼少期から注目されてきた有望株は身長が168センチにまで伸び「パワーだったり、普段（これまで）だったら届かない場所が届く。打ち合いになっても、打ち合える実力にはなってきたかなと思います」と成長を実感する。準決勝は吉山和希（愛知・愛工大名電高）と対戦。26日は一般の男子シングルス初戦（4回戦）、及川瑞基（木下グループ）と組む男子ダブルスも4回戦を控えており「全試合勝てたらいいかなと思います」と最高の1日にする。【松本航】

https://hochi.news/articles/20230125-OHT1T51152.html?page=1

　成長したのは技術だけではない。初めて決勝に進んだ小学６年時の身長は１４８センチ。小柄な体が目立ったが、毎食にサラダを取り入れるなど食生活から改善。中学３年間で２０センチの急成長を見せ、握力も１０キロほど増した。「守備範囲はもちろん、パワーだったり、届かない場所が届くようになった。打ち合える実力もついた」。シニアの選手にも負けないパワーとリーチを身に付け、この数か月間で五輪メダリストの吉村真晴や丹羽孝希にも勝利した。

https://www.sankei.com/article/20230515-4XP2QHWXXJIJLKXFGMTA2CCC5Q/

昨年末、１４歳にして世界ユース選手権Ｕ－１９（１９歳以下）で木原美悠（木下グループ）に次ぐ準優勝を果たし、今年１月の全日本選手権では兄と同じ年齢でジュニアの部を初制覇－。１６６センチまで伸びた身長とともに、競技面でも急成長を続けるホープが、波乱含みの大会で躍動した。

https://number.bunshun.jp/premier/articles/16442

　このところの急成長ぶりが結果に表れた。張本は昨年12月に世界ユースU19女子シングルスで準優勝。今年3月にはシニア大会の「WTTスターコンテンダー・ゴア」に出場し、20歳の長崎美柚と組んで出た女子ダブルスで初優勝を飾ったほか、女子シングルスで4強入りを果たしている。身長は166cmまで成長。得意のバックハンドドライブの威力が増しており、伸び盛りの勢いを全農カップにぶつけた。

 

[NextLevel]

A couple of centimeters at best. The news from 1/2023 say he stands at 168cm.

https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202301250000953.html


https://hochi.news/articles/20230125-OHT1T51152.html?page=1

Many people still grow at his age, regardless of what the reality is.

 

[NextLevel]

still not convinced about Sora. I think he lacks power. He's not the next Mizutani, rather the next Niwa

All things relative, Lin Gaoyuan lacks power too. In the end, the whole package is the key, and Sora competed favorably with Lebrun and Wen Ruibo. And Niwa, who made quite a couple of WTTC and Olympics quarterfinals, is still far ahead where a lot of Japanese have gotten to.

 

[NextLevel]

I hope I'm wrong, but Hayata seems tired to me. I guess the thinking is there's just a few WTT tournaments left in the year, and she probably won't be entering Paris Trial #6 so she's got nothing to lose.

I think the goal is also to become the Japanese WTT ranked #1 and that while Lanzhou was an unfortunate setback, she should be able to replace her lowest results with better performances.

 

[bachikho]

Well, Matsushima just beat one of Japan's top players on an international stage so there's that. He also took down Quadri this tournament and a number of other really good players in other senior WTT tournaments (Freitas, LSS, Cho Seungmin, and Dima) and has beaten a number of Chinese juniors such as highly touted Wen Ruibo. At 16 yrs. old, he's gonna have his ups and downs, but lots of upside.

do you have sora - ruibo clip please?

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

do you have sora - ruibo clip please?

Sora is 3-1 Head-to-Head vs Wen Ruibo. Here is one of his wins... a very close match:

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

All things relative, Lin Gaoyuan lacks power too. In the end, the whole package is the key, and Sora competed favorably with Lebrun and Wen Ruibo. And Niwa, who made quite a couple of WTTC and Olympics quarterfinals, is still far ahead where a lot of Japanese have gotten to.

well we will see. Japan was lucky to have Mizutani, then Harimoto. Sora is very good at his age, but i don't think he'll be as good as those 2, not even as good as Niwa. I'll be happy to be wrong on him.

And let’s not forget Sora is already 16.5 yo.
He’s won nothing. Not even Japan junior champion. At the same age Harimoto already beat Ma Long, Zhang Jike , Mizutani got into WTTC QF and got many prestigious titles.

I wish Sora the best but IMO Harimoto is much better than him and it will stay that way. I just hope Sora will prove better than Togami Shinozuka and co because Tomo is a bit alone in Men’s team

 

[d3nium]

Pitchford beats Matsushima 3-1 and will play Kallberg in the semi final, who himself had a great win over Harimoto in the previous round.

Hugo vs Gauzy is the other semi final

 

[Shine]

Harimoto is dropping down the rankings at this rate, he was second, then third, now he's fourth, soon he may be fifth or sixth. He needs Hugo to not win this tournament, and he needs a mesmerizing performance at Frankfurt. 1065 points expiring at the end of the month, and more expiring in late November.

 

[NextLevel]

well we will see. Japan was lucky to have Mizutani, then Harimoto. Sora is very good at his age, but i don't think he'll be as good as those 2, not even as good as Niwa. I'll be happy to be wrong on him.

And let’s not forget Sora is already 16.5 yo.
He’s won nothing. Not even Japan junior champion. At the same age Harimoto already beat Ma Long, Zhang Jike , Mizutani got into WTTC QF and got many prestigious titles.

I wish Sora the best but IMO Harimoto is much better than him and it will stay that way. I just hope Sora will prove better than Togami Shinozuka and co because Tomo is a bit alone in Men’s team

Not having a national title is red flag for sure. But I am fairly confident that two years ago, Sora was the world U15 junior champion beating Felix Lebrun in the final. Though my memory could be wrong. They won doubles together as well I think.

Early international senior results are important. But I think Sora is getting there with his play in Rio and here. He is still young enough to show a lot.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

well we will see. Japan was lucky to have Mizutani, then Harimoto. Sora is very good at his age, but i don't think he'll be as good as those 2, not even as good as Niwa. I'll be happy to be wrong on him.

And let’s not forget Sora is already 16.5 yo.
He’s won nothing. Not even Japan junior champion. At the same age Harimoto already beat Ma Long, Zhang Jike , Mizutani got into WTTC QF and got many prestigious titles.

I wish Sora the best but IMO Harimoto is much better than him and it will stay that way. I just hope Sora will prove better than Togami Shinozuka and co because Tomo is a bit alone in Men’s team

It's funny you say "already 16.5 yo". Tomo kind of spoiled everyone by beating quite literally the best player in the world as a 14 year old. His achievements as a 14/15 yr. old is a once in a lifetime event. But it's still amazing to me for players like Shinozuka and Matsushima to beat solid pros while still in grade school.

 

[NextLevel]

Harimoto is dropping down the rankings at this rate, he was second, then third, now he's fourth, soon he may be fifth or sixth. He needs Hugo to not win this tournament, and he needs a mesmerizing performance at Frankfurt. 1065 points expiring at the end of the month, and more expiring in late November.

As long as he is one of the top 2 non-Chinese, it doesn't make a difference. He would need both LYJ/Felix and Hugo to overtake him to get a Chinese QF as a possibility. And even then, maybe he would welcome the challenge.

 

[NextLevel]

It's funny you say "already 16.5 yo". Tomo kind of spoiled everyone by beating quite literally the best player in the world as a 14 year old. His achievements as a 14/15 yr. old is a once in a lifetime event. But it's still amazing to me for players like Shinozuka and Matsushima to beat solid pros while still in grade school.

Jun Mizutani beat Wang Liqin (a slight bit over the hill) in 2010 when Mizutani was 21. Sora has a lot of time lol.

 

[NextLevel]

Diaz trying to make a statement... can she sign the document?