Europe Smash Sweden August 14-24 2025

[NextLevel]

Wow, Rassenfosse beat Gauzy the only previous time they met internationally?

 

[turbozed]

It shows the CNT has been "profiling" Hashimoto. Will only get harder for Hashimoto but it also creates a good distraction for the other JNT women. Whether they could take advantage of depends how willing they are to cooperate as a team, which I think is at the lowest point in recent times.

Agree 100%. Having to train for Hashimoto does take time and focus away from dealing with other threats. Should only be a small bump in the road for the CNT women who have a large surplus of dominance to spare.

Only a matter of time before Hashimoto is no longer able to get it done against the higher echelon CNT women, so while it lasts we can enjoy one of the last (if not maybe the last at this rate) competitive choppers in the game.

 

[turbozed]

Wow, Rassenfosse beat Gauzy the only previous time they met internationally?

It was a few years ago and Rassenfosse has improved a lot since then. So it was strange that he was such a big underdog in this matchup. But maybe the oddsmakers know something we don't.

Also people in chat referring to Rassenfosse as "facebook guy" made me lol

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Not even close to Han Ying? Serious question, you know women's TT more than I do...

Han Ying used to play in T-League and actually had a losing record. Japanese players know how to play against choppers. In contrast Honoka was league MVP one year and had a very dominant record. She also had a strong record throughout her entire T League career. Han Ying is a fine player of course but does not have the offensive arsenal that Honoka has.

 

[NextLevel]

Han Ying used to play in T-League and actually had a losing record. Japanese players know how to play against choppers. In contrast Honoka was league MVP one year and had a very dominant record. She also had a strong record throughout her entire T League career. Han Ying is a fine player of course but does not have the offensive arsenal that Honoka has.

Han Ying played in the T-League well past her prime as well. Just saying. The nuance is not all one way.

 

[NextLevel]

It was a few years ago and Rassenfosse has improved a lot since then. So it was strange that he was such a big underdog in this matchup. But maybe the oddsmakers know something we don't.

Also people in chat referring to Rassenfosse as "facebook guy" made me lol

Well the oddsmakers had it right lol... Rassenfosse couldn't handle the serve or the away from the table bombs.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Han Ying used to play in T-League and actually had a losing record. Japanese players know how to play against choppers. In contrast Honoka was league MVP one year and had a very dominant record. She also had a strong record throughout her entire T League career. Han Ying is a fine player of course but does not have the offensive arsenal that Honoka has.

Hashimoto also does not have the Olympic, WC, or WTGF medals that Han Ying has. So I guess a lot can depend on your criteria for GOAT.

I would be hesitant to compare the results of how someone performed in a domestic league especially when both participated in two different eras of their careers, for different teams, at different times.

From the source I can find (please link me if you have a reliable one), Han Ying has over 50% win percentage in T league history, and her stint in the T League has come mostly after the prime of her career. Many of her matches were against formidable internationally known players. Much of Hashimoto's extremely high winrate is buoyed up by defeating unheard of domestic players but I don't follow enough to know the dynamic of why that is.

 

[vik]

because he had a lot of margin against his previous opponents. and probably those matches weighed even more on his injury.
Tomo is a fighter. he likes to play even in these conditions because he knows he can learn also from those matches

Why does he play with injury? It started on La smash a getting worse. Why his father no longer couching him?

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Hashimoto also does not have the Olympic, WC, or WTGF medals that Han Ying has. So I guess a lot can depend on your criteria for GOAT.

I would be hesitant to compare the results of how someone performed in a domestic league especially when both participated in two different eras of their careers, for different teams, at different times.

From the source I can find (please link me if you have a reliable one), Han Ying has over 50% win percentage in T league history, and her stint in the T League has come mostly after the prime of her career. Many of her matches were against formidable internationally known players. Much of Hashimoto's extremely high winrate is buoyed up by defeating unheard of domestic players but I don't follow enough to know the dynamic of why that is.

HY wouldn't have the opportunities to play Olympics WC if she were in China. Kinda the same problem Honoka has in Japan.

From https://tleague.jp/ranking/player.php?player=30039&year=2018

2018-19 42.9%
2019-20 66.7%
2020-21 64.7%
2021-22 36.8%
2022-23 30%

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Shi Xunyao now 6-2 H2H vs. Kuai Man 👀

 

[ThePongCommenter]

HY wouldn't have the opportunities to play Olympics WC if she were in China. Kinda the same problem Honoka has in Japan.

From https://tleague.jp/ranking/player.php?player=30039&year=2018

2018-19 42.9%
2019-20 66.7%
2020-21 64.7%
2021-22 36.8%
2022-23 30%

42.9% doesn't tell much of the story. Her only full match losses in 2018-2019: 3-2 to Yuan Xuejiao a solid CTTSL player, 3-1 to Lee Ho Ching, and 3-0 to Feng Tianwei. Players at the time who were formidable international stars (or would be if given the chance in Yuan's case). After that, two successful seasons strictly looking at win rate and then post-Olympics soft retirement.

It is true that HY likely wouldn't have the chance to represent Japan at the Olympics, but, likewise if Han Ying were in her prime playing the majority of her matches against T League opposition such as Kahae Akao, Anne Uesawa, Yukari Sugasawa, Li Rensijia, Yurika Taira, Madoka Edahiro, Kyoka Idesawa, Manami Imaeda, Saya Yamamuro, Mika Tamura, and Moe Namura, I think she likely would have been able to put together an MVP caliber season as well.

I'm quite familiar with a small handful of lower level T League talent and they tend to trend around 2450-2500 USATT equivalent. I am pretty confident Han Ying would tear through them in her prime if given the chance. As to why Hashimoto tends to face those players in T League and Han Ying didn't seem to, I have no idea. But GOAT discussions are always difficult to find a fair way to compare.

 

[NextLevel]

What do people think of this math equation applied strictly to the current moment:

Lim Junghoon * Shin Yubin == (Only Good for Doubles)^2

 

[NextLevel]

Shi Xunyao now 6-2 H2H vs. Kuai Man 👀

I wouldn't be surprised (and I am purely speculating for the clone police) if Kuai Man was the reason Xunyao Shi was allowed to play on the first team. A second team player always beating a first team player and never making the team is blatant favoritism.

 

[mamedium]

Not even close to Han Ying? Serious question, you know women's TT more than I do...

my question is: when will CNT have a Hashimoto clone for their training?

 

[NextLevel]

my question is: when will CNT have a Hashimoto clone for their training?

They don't need one. Men can do the job pretty well and are likely doing the job behind closed doors.

 

[NextLevel]

Upset alert. "No chance for LA 2028" is up on Tongtong 2-1.

 

[Dr Evil]

If Winter keeps this up we're all going to be facing more anti players soon.

 

[staysmart]

Seems like she finally mastered the anti. And her FH is punishing.

 

[NextLevel]

If Winter keeps this up we're all going to be facing more anti players soon.

The disparity between forehand and backhand is not common enough for that to happen. Her forehand and footwork is truly super special, and being able to generate against backspin makes it unreal. And her counter is really strong too. All in all, it would be hard for a player without her athleticism to make it work.

 

[Dr Evil]

The disparity between forehand and backhand is not common enough for that to happen. Her forehand and footwork is truly super special, and being able to generate against backspin makes it unreal. And her counter is really strong too. All in all, it would be hard for a player without her athleticism to make it work.

Won't stop them from trying.