Adding on to this, Sakura Yokoi leapfrogs Miu Hirano with her SF finish. I think the JTTA refreshes the National Team every 6 months which is coming up in October. I don't see how Miu Hirano stays on the National Team as she doesn't appear to have a desire to play WTT. Assuming they keep the same number of National Team players, Hashimoto absolutely has to make the team so I think Hirano is the odd woman out. But they could expand the number of team members... who knows. There's also a very, very strong case for Miyu Nagasaki to make the National Team.
I think Japanese womens table tennis is the new China in table tennis.
so many 2nd tiers are coming out and beating reputable players and cementing they spot as 1st tier players.
It just shows that how many unknowns from Japan - also don't get much T-league time (due to some of the teams all-star line up), but can come out and beat some really strong players or win Feeders/Contenders.
A big part to the unknowns not being known is they not on the funding side of things, so WTT is limited.
But once they are on, they climb ranking very fast, because they get into the final rounds of these WTT, where points are decent.
I dont recall when last I saw 6 JNT inside world top 15.
right now there is 11 in top 50 and it can be more if it wasn't due to funding.
I engaged with over half a dozen of these 2nd tier womens and they all have T-League commitment (yet maybe little game time), but they are all ranked 50~150 in the world and could easily get a 1BL or Pro A contract. But T-league 25 matches is very full, so I am glad that many of them now in top 100 (or breaking top 100) in the world, and they are not high enough due to limited participation - not ability.
Japanese women's table tennis is doing well, especially in the depth side, compared to mens.
For Hirano,
I think she is resting and will restart for olympic year.
but the depth is strong.....it won't be easy
