WTT Star Contender Doha 2025 - 6-11 Jan 2025

[NextLevel]

You do realize most top juniors on the international circuit either don't go to school or go to some reduced or alternative version of traditional school?

No he doesn't. He thinks professional table tennis players like Timo Boll had a life when they were kids. He doesn't realize that whether they were on tour or not, many of them left home to train somewhere away from home in a modified school. No world class level otherwise.

 

[NextLevel]

Quadri vs Harimoto... time for debates about Asian vs African forehand and maybe the same for backhand lol...

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

In this backhand favored world, FH dominant KM takes out SXY 3-2.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Miyuu Kihara 3-0 SYB. Miyuu Kihara now has a 6-2 record against SYB.

 

[turbozed]

Wasn't Kihara supposed to be struggling? Pretty dominant win over SYB. Whatever she was doing to upset SYB's rhythm it was working pretty well. SYB couldn't find the table at all.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

China vs. Japan in both WS SF.

Chen Yi vs. Miyuu Kihara​

Kuai Man vs. Miyu Nagasaki​

 

[turbozed]

Shinozuka and WCT playing some exhibition style points out there

 

[zeio]

Wasn't Kihara supposed to be struggling? Pretty dominant win over SYB. Whatever she was doing to upset SYB's rhythm it was working pretty well. SYB couldn't find the table at all.

No surprise and actually in line with expectations. Kihara (5W2L before this) and DHK (3W1L) know their way around her. SYB's most recent wins in 2024 over the both of them in their poorest of form were 3-2 and they still had a chance to win.

 

[mikeytt]

Wow shinozuka was losing 9-4 in the 5th set and comes back to win 13-11 vs WCT. Great match with lots of back table rallies

 

[backspacer]

Aynone know what Bernie complained about? She even called for the referee.

 

[zeio]

Wow shinozuka was losing 9-4 in the 5th set and comes back to win 13-11 vs WCT. Great match with lots of back table rallies

2 MS titles under his belt is still different from 0 MS titles for the self-proclaimed ace in your avatar.

 

[NextLevel]

2 MS titles under his belt is still different from 0 MS titles for the self-proclaimed ace in your avatar.

Shinopi beat Karlsson 3-0 here.... maybe the Japanese coaches just did the lineup wrong?

 

[zeio]

We have seen this story of age without coaching working against younger players in many national teams in the past. This is no different. Japanese Nationals will be a better measure.

Nothing to add for Matsushima 1.33 years later. He has had plenty of coaching in the past editions of Zennihon Takkyu and selection trials. Whether or not the upcoming Championships two weeks from now will come into play in the new selection system to be announced on 1/19 (just ahead of the Championships), it could make or break his mental state down the road as the next wave from his generation is closing in. For now, XD is his lifeline and he should cherish that more than he does now.

 

[NextLevel]

Nothing to add for Matsushima 1.33 years later. He has had plenty of coaching in the past editions of Zennihon Takkyu and selection trials. Whether or not the upcoming Championships two weeks from now will come into play in the new selection system to be announced on 1/19 (just ahead of the Championships), it could make or break his mental state down the road as the next wave from his generation is closing in. For now, XD is his lifeline and he should cherish that more than he does now.

He beat Xiang Peng. You are in way too much of a rush.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

With today's win Odo/Yokoi become WR#1 in WD. Congrats!

 

[zeio]

Shinopi beat Karlsson 3-0 here.... maybe the Japanese coaches just did the lineup wrong?

And he beat Jorgic here as well, which he did in their first encounter in the final to win WTT CT Nova Gorica 2022 (also down to the wire).

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Nothing to add for Matsushima 1.33 years later. He has had plenty of coaching in the past editions of Zennihon Takkyu and selection trials. Whether or not the upcoming Championships two weeks from now will come into play in the new selection system to be announced on 1/19 (just ahead of the Championships), it could make or break his mental state down the road as the next wave from his generation is closing in. For now, XD is his lifeline and he should cherish that more than he does now.

Who is the next wave? Kawakami, Iwaida, Watanabe?

 

[zeio]

He beat Xiang Peng. You are in way too much of a rush.

Uda also beat him at WTT CT Muscat 2024 just a few months ago. If XP is comparable to LSD now, then it'd have made me change my mind. Even if JTTA awarded points for a win like this in the new selection system, Matsushima would not have gained any advantage. He needs to achieve more. At this point, he is not that much ahead of Shinozuka in MD and XD. JTTA has done all it can in Matsushima's favor.

 

[NextLevel]

Uda also beat him at WTT CT Muscat 2024 just a few months ago. If XP is comparable to LSD now, then it'd have made me change my mind. Even if JTTA awarded points for a win like this in the new selection system, Matsushima would not have gained any advantage. He needs to achieve more. At this point, he is not that much ahead of Shinozuka in MD and XD. JTTA has done all it can in Matsushima's favor.

Uda is 6 years older than Sora. Shinozuka is 4 years older. Let's stop retiring them in diapers please.

 

[mikeytt]

2 MS titles under his belt is still different from 0 MS titles for the self-proclaimed ace in your avatar.

Yes, togami has a way to go internationally. Seems to be on an upwards trend lately with good wins in the Bundesliga but we will see if he can maintain this in wtt later in the year 🤷‍♂️