Daily Shincho quotes the opinion of a table tennis watcher, criticizing Ito's comment on the WT.
女子卓球“団体3枠目”は15歳「張本美和」に決まるのか？ 大魔王「伊藤美誠」が勝てなくなった根本的な理由
https://www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2024/01301700/?all=1
https://www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2024/01301700/?all=1&page=2
特徴を見失ってしまった
ただし、こんな意見もある。指摘するのはある卓球ウオッチャー。
「東京五輪やリオ五輪の際、同学年で伊藤のよきライバルであった平野や早田は代表になれず悔しい思いをしたものの、サポートメンバーとしてチームに帯同、練習相手や球拾いなどで貢献してきた。いくらシングルスの優勝が目標で、そのシングルスに出られないからと言って、団体戦に選ばれても出るかどうかわからない、というのは、他の選手に対し礼を失し、ワガママと受け取られかねません。もちろん、そのくらいの気持ちで戦ってきたという覚悟のほどはよくわかるのですが、選手として口にしてはいけないことのように思えてしまい、残念です」
いずれにせよ、伊藤にとって正念場なのは間違いない。それにしても、日本のエース・伊藤はなぜ勢いがなくなったのか。卓球担当記者はこう分析する。
「伊藤の卓球は、ラリーを長引かせ徐々に良い展開にしていくタイプではない。一撃必殺のスマッシュ“みまパンチ”に代表されるように、なるべく短いラリーで勝負するのが得意。ただ、3年前の全日本で石川佳純に粘られて負けたことや、その後、中国選手に敗戦が続いたことなどから、ラリーでも勝てる方向にモデルチェンジを試みました。ところが、元々ラリーの力はそう高くなかったことや、相手から研究されたことも相俟って自分のプレイスタイルの特徴を見失ってしまったのです」
伊藤か張本か
こうなると、団体戦要員としての推薦枠の選出は非常に難しくなる。伊藤に代わる有力候補に浮上しているのは、男子のエース・張本智和の妹で、全日本準優勝と躍進した15歳の張本美和だ。
張本は昨年後半からメキメキと力をつけ、中国のトップ選手と互角に渡り合ってきた。いま卓球王国・中国が最も警戒する選手だ。全日本の決勝では、日本の不動のエースとなった早田にはおよばなかったものの、昨年の五輪選考会では早田や伊藤、平野にも勝利している。半年後のパリ五輪開催時には、日本のエースにのし上がっているかもしれない。そのくらいの安定度やポテンシャルの高さなのだ。今年、全日本での「きょうだいV」はならなかったが、きょうだいでの五輪代表は現実味を帯びてきた。一方、それでも伊藤を団体戦枠に選出すべきとの声もある。それは、五輪メダリストとしての実績、他国にはあまりないプレイスタイルが効果的だと指摘されることによる。
伊藤か張本か――。2月5日、日本卓球協会はパリ五輪代表候補3枠目も含め五輪代表選手を発表する。
Losing sight of her characteristics
However, there are also other opinions such as the following, a table tennis watcher points out.
"Back at the Rio Olympics and Tokyo Olympics, Hirano and Hayata, who were in the same grade and good rivals of Ito, were disappointed not to be able to make the team, but they accompanied the team as support members and contributed by playing as practice partners and picking up balls.
No matter how much your goal is to win the singles championship, even if you can't compete in the singles, if you say you don't know whether you'll be able to participate even if you're selected for the team event, it's disrespectful to other players and can be seen as selfish. Of course, I understand how determined she was to fight with such feelings, but I feel like this is something that a player should not be allowed to say, which is unfortunate."
In any case, there is no doubt that this is a critical moment for Ito. In any case, why has Japan's ace Ito lost her momentum? A table tennis reporter analyzes as follows.
"Ito's table tennis is not the type where she prolongs rallies and gradually improves them. She is good at playing in rallies as short as possible, as exemplified by her one-hit smash "Mima Punch." After losing to Ishikawa at the Zennihon Takkyu 3 years ago, and losing to China's players after that, she tried to change her game (TL's note: "model change" in the original article) in a direction that would allow her to win in rallies. However, her rallying ability was not that high to begin with. Combined with the fact of being studied by her opponents, she lost sight of the characteristics of her own play style."
Ito or Harimoto
As such, it is very difficult to select the 3rd team member which is by recomendation. One player who has emerged as a strong candidate to replace Ito is Harimoto Miwa, the 15-year-old younger sister of the men's ace Harimoto Tomokazu, who made the leap to become runner-up at the Zennihon Takkyu.
Harimoto has been rapidly gaining strength since the 2nd half of last year and has competed on equal terms with China's top players. She is currently the player that the table tennis kingdom of China is most concerned about. Although she was unable to match Hayata, who has become Japan's undisputed ace, in the Zennihon final, she also defeated Hayata, Ito, and Hirano at last year's Olympic selection trials. By the time the Paris Olympics are held in 6 months, she may have become Japan's ace. That's how stable (TL's note: consistent) and high the potential is. Although "Siblings V" did not take place in Japan this year, it has become a reality for the siblings to represent in the Olympics. On the other hand, some say that Ito should still be selected for the team event. This is due to her track record as Olympic medalists and the fact that her play style, which is not found in other countries, is said to be effective.
Ito or Harimoto? On February 5th, the JTTA will announce the Olympic players, including the 3rd member for the Paris Olympics.
