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Thread about Japanese Players
- Thread starter Catenaccio
- Start date
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As far as I know, table tennis is not streamed on YouTube. You would have to subscribe to U-NEXT.
Schedule for table tennis at the Asian Games is as follows (times are Japan Standard Time).
<Competition Schedule>
September 20 (Sun)
Session 1 | 10:00 a.m. –
Men’s Team Event, Stage 1 (Group), Matches 1 & 2
Women’s Team Event, Stage 1 (Group), Matches 1 & 2
September 21 (Mon)
Session 2 | 10:00 a.m. –
Men’s Team Event, Stage 1 (Group), Match 3
Women’s Team Event, Stage 1 (Group), Match 3
Session 3 | 6:30 PM–
Men’s Team Event, Stage 1 (Group), Match 3
Women’s Doubles, First Round
September 22 (Tue)
Session 4 | 10:00 AM–
Men’s Team Event, First Round (Round of 16)
Women’s Team Event, First Round (Round of 16)
Mixed Doubles, First Round
Session 5 | 7:20 PM–
Men’s Team Competition: Quarterfinals
Women’s Team Competition: Quarterfinals
September 23 (Wed)
Session 6 | 10:00 AM–
Women’s Singles: First Round
Men’s Doubles: First Round
Mixed Doubles: Second and Third Rounds
Session 7 | 5:00 PM–
Men’s Team Competition: Semifinals
Women’s Team Competition: Semifinals
September 24 (Thu)
Session 8 | 10:00 AM–
Men’s Singles First Round
Women’s Doubles Second Round
Session 9 | 5:00 PM–
Men’s Team Competition Final
Women’s Team Competition Final
September 25 (Fri)
Session 10 | 10:00 AM–
Men’s Singles, Round 2
Women’s Singles, Round 2
Men’s Doubles, Rounds 2 & 3
Women’s Doubles, Round 3
Mixed Doubles, Quarterfinals & Semifinals
September 26 (Sat)
Session 11 | 10:00 AM–
Men’s Singles, Round 3
Women’s Singles, Round 3
Session 12 | 3:30 PM–
Men’s Singles, Quarterfinals
Women’s Singles, Quarterfinals
Men’s Doubles, Quarterfinals
Women’s Doubles, Quarterfinals
Mixed Doubles, Final
September 27 (Sun)
Session 13 | 12:00 PM–
Women’s Singles, Semifinals
Men’s Doubles, Semifinals
Session 14 | 7:00 PM–
Women’s Singles Final
Men’s Doubles Final
September 28 (Mon)
Session 15 | 12:00 PM–
Men’s Singles Semifinals
Women’s Doubles Semifinals
Session 16 | 7:00 PM–
Men’s Singles Final
Women’s Doubles Final
Hirano has not been playing WTT with a coach for a while now. I think ever since her comeback from the last traumatic emotional breakdown she has opted to play on her own and it is showing it works for her!
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I thought the reason why she switched T.League teams not just for being able to face the top players more often but her new T.league team has more money compared to Kinoshita so she can bring a coach with her at all events.
I see. In that case, I have no idea why she continues to have no coach on the bench. Meanwhile her best WD partner Kihara (they have now won 3 consecutive WD three weeks in a row!) has been supporting her on the sideline. I do like their friendship! Compare to Ito (the worst) and Hina (got weird after that thing with Miwa), I do feel Kihara is probably one of the most genuine ones on the team
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That and better training facilities that she can use more often.
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With the SC Astana title in hand, Miyuu Kihara will leapfrog Ito and Yokoi in the rankings. She becomes the 7th highest ranked Japanese woman behind Harimoto, Hayata, Odo, Sato, Hashimoto, and Nagasaki.
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Congratulations to Minami Ando who got married Sep 19.
x.com
安藤みなみ (@ky2_fn777) on X
山﨑さんお忙しい中本当にありがとうございました！ 山﨑さんに司会をしていただけて本当によかったです☺️最高でした♪ 引き続きよろしくお願いします🙇♂️！
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According to Zhang Cheng back in late May, so around the time Kawatsura got wind of the rumor, Hirano probably had not found a suitable coach and so thought it was a better idea to go it alone.
Even though she wasn't one of the 4 players, Kihara was there to support Miwa at WTT CS Yokohama 2026 that Miwa even thanked her in an Instagram Stories. Kihara and Hirano were the ones in the photo celebrating Miwa's birthday back in June when the majority of the JNT members was there at WTT SCT Ljubljana 2026 as well. It is telling when you keep seeing who is there and not there time after time.I see. In that case, I have no idea why she continues to have no coach on the bench. Meanwhile her best WD partner Kihara (they have now won 3 consecutive WD three weeks in a row!) has been supporting her on the sideline. I do like their friendship! Compare to Ito (the worst) and Hina (got weird after that thing with Miwa), I do feel Kihara is probably one of the most genuine ones on the team
【張本美和】0-2から逆転勝利、木原美悠の観戦に感謝のメッセージ 「来てくれると聞いてちょー嬉しかった」「またスウェーデンで会おうね」と笑顔2ショットも披露
https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/sports/1261242b96634407b253886c50727c18
(On the same day, Harimoto also updated her Instagram Stories. She shared a post by fellow player Kihara Miyuu—who did not compete in the tournament—to let everyone know that Kihara had visited the venue. Harimoto expressed her joy and gratitude by writing a message to Kihara, who had posted a photo of the two of them together and an image of Harimoto’s tournament banner: "Miyu-chan, thanks for coming to watch today!!! I was super happy to hear you were coming, and seeing you at the end really gave me a boost. Let's meet up again in Sweden!")
https://www.instagram.com/harimoto__miwa_0616/p/DZrlm0BocVu/
張本美和 Harimoto Miwa on Instagram: " みうさんとみゆうちゃんから誕生日ケーキを頂きました！！！ とてもとても嬉しいです😭 いつもありがとうございます♡"
6,492 likes, 66 comments - harimoto__miwa_0616 on June 17, 2026: " みうさんとみゆうちゃんから誕生日ケーキを頂きました！！！ とてもとても嬉しいです😭 いつもありがとうございます♡".
www.instagram.com
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Player list for Japanese selection for 2026 Asian Championships (Oct 19-25) is out.
Male: Sora, Tomo, Togami, Shinozuka, Tanaka
Female: Miwa, Hina, Odo, Hashimoto, Nagasaki
Male: Sora, Tomo, Togami, Shinozuka, Tanaka
Female: Miwa, Hina, Odo, Hashimoto, Nagasaki
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At least one of the choppers is on the team.
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If Hashimoto had not qualified, it would have been Sato since she recently overtook Hashimoto in the world ranking. However, it was too late for the Asian Championships. See post #371 for the selection criteria.
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Nagasaki: I won the selection trial after going through tough times (here and here). You will see me at WTTC 2027 as well.
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The 2027 All-Japan Table Tennis Championship (General Division) will be held from 19 Jan to 24 Jan at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
world-tt.com
jtta.or.jp
2027年全日本選手権2大会の競技日程が日本卓球協会より発表
上写真：2026年1月に東京体育館で行われた全日本卓球選手権大会（一般・ジュニアの部）より 2027年1月の全...
天皇杯・皇后杯 2027年全日本卓球選手権大会（一般の部）
【重要】日本学生卓球連盟所属選手の皆様へ：PDF （7/31） 競技日程：PDF （9/28） 個人情報、画像、映像および音声の取扱いについて：PDF （9/28） 競技ウエア広告申請：こちら （9/28） 競技ウエアチ […]
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Amazing performance by Sato 🔥
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What makes Hitomi Sato's advancement to the finals so remarkable? An explanation of the three unprecedented achievements in Grand Smash history
On the 10th, in the women’s singles semifinals of China Smash 2026, Hitomi Sato (Nippon Paint Group), ranked 13th in the world, defeated Chen Xingtong, ranked 7th, by a game score of 4-1 to advance to the final.
It is truly wonderful that a Japanese player has reached the final. However, this achievement is more than just a “Japanese player winning her way to the final.” In this article, we’ll break down the remarkable feat Sato has accomplished from three key perspectives.
Point 1: First Japanese Player to Reach the Women’s Singles Final
First and foremost is the fact that she is the first Japanese player to reach the women’s singles final of a Grand Smash tournament.
The Grand Smash is the highest-tier tournament organized by the WTT (World Table Tennis). The world ranking points awarded for winning are equivalent to those for the Olympics, and the world’s top players—both men and women—gather here.
While world-class Japanese players such as Hina Hayata (Nippon Life), Miwa Harimoto (Kinoshita Group), and Mima Ito (Starts) have previously competed in the Grand Smash, their best results to date were third-place finishes for Hayata, Harimoto, and Ito. No one had been able to break through to the final.
This time, Sato was the first to break that barrier.
Point 2: First Player Using “Non-Standard” Rubber to Reach the Finals
The second point is that this marks the first time a player using “non-standard” rubber has advanced to the singles finals at the Grand Smash.
“Non-standard” rubber is a general term for rubbers with properties different from standard reverse-pimpled rubber, including high-pimpled rubber and standard pimpled rubber. Its defining characteristic is the ability to create unique variations, such as returning an opponent’s spin exactly as it was or reversing the spin. On the other hand, it is difficult to generate strong spin and attack from one’s own side, and as modern table tennis continues to become faster, the number of top-level players who rely on non-standard rubber as their weapon is decreasing year by year.
Since the Grand Smash was established, all players—both men and women—who have advanced to the singles finals have been offensive-style players who use reverse-pimpled rubber on both sides of their racket.
In the women’s competition, Ito and Zhang Rui —who use soft-pimpled rubbers—as well as Sabine Winter (Germany), who uses anti-spin rubber, had all advanced to the semifinals; however, Sato, who uses a high-pimpled rubber on her backhand, became the first “unconventional rubber” player in history to reach the finals.
Point 3: First Finalist as a Chopper
The third point is that this marks the first time a chopper has advanced to the singles final at the Grand Smash.
A “cut player” is a player who maintains distance from the table and relies primarily on returning the ball with backspin. One of their key strengths is inducing errors from their opponent while seizing opportunities to switch to an offensive style. In Japan, Honoka Hashimoto (Denso), who also competed in this tournament, is known as a cut player.
While cut players once held a significant presence among the world’s elite, the evolution of equipment and the increasing speed of play had greatly reduced the frequency of seeing them in the upper echelons of international tournaments. This is the first time a cut player has reached the finals of a Grand Smash tournament.
In the semifinals, Sato, after the expedite rule was applied in the second game, confounded Chen Xingtong with a diverse array of techniques that blended defense and offense. She proved that a cut player who does more than just defend can hold her own against Chinese opponents.
In the final, Sato will face Wang Manyu (China), the world No. 2, who defeated Miwa Harimoto (Kinoshita Group) in the other semifinal.
In a post-semifinal interview, Sato reflected, “The moment I won, I still couldn’t quite believe it,” and looking ahead to the final the next day, she said, “Now that I’ve made it this far, I want to go into the match determined to win the title.”
She will take on one of China’s top players as she aims to become the first Japanese woman to win the Grand Slam in women’s singles.
-------------------------------------------------
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
On the 10th, in the women’s singles semifinals of China Smash 2026, Hitomi Sato (Nippon Paint Group), ranked 13th in the world, defeated Chen Xingtong, ranked 7th, by a game score of 4-1 to advance to the final.
It is truly wonderful that a Japanese player has reached the final. However, this achievement is more than just a “Japanese player winning her way to the final.” In this article, we’ll break down the remarkable feat Sato has accomplished from three key perspectives.
Point 1: First Japanese Player to Reach the Women’s Singles Final
First and foremost is the fact that she is the first Japanese player to reach the women’s singles final of a Grand Smash tournament.
The Grand Smash is the highest-tier tournament organized by the WTT (World Table Tennis). The world ranking points awarded for winning are equivalent to those for the Olympics, and the world’s top players—both men and women—gather here.
While world-class Japanese players such as Hina Hayata (Nippon Life), Miwa Harimoto (Kinoshita Group), and Mima Ito (Starts) have previously competed in the Grand Smash, their best results to date were third-place finishes for Hayata, Harimoto, and Ito. No one had been able to break through to the final.
This time, Sato was the first to break that barrier.
Point 2: First Player Using “Non-Standard” Rubber to Reach the Finals
The second point is that this marks the first time a player using “non-standard” rubber has advanced to the singles finals at the Grand Smash.
“Non-standard” rubber is a general term for rubbers with properties different from standard reverse-pimpled rubber, including high-pimpled rubber and standard pimpled rubber. Its defining characteristic is the ability to create unique variations, such as returning an opponent’s spin exactly as it was or reversing the spin. On the other hand, it is difficult to generate strong spin and attack from one’s own side, and as modern table tennis continues to become faster, the number of top-level players who rely on non-standard rubber as their weapon is decreasing year by year.
Since the Grand Smash was established, all players—both men and women—who have advanced to the singles finals have been offensive-style players who use reverse-pimpled rubber on both sides of their racket.
In the women’s competition, Ito and Zhang Rui —who use soft-pimpled rubbers—as well as Sabine Winter (Germany), who uses anti-spin rubber, had all advanced to the semifinals; however, Sato, who uses a high-pimpled rubber on her backhand, became the first “unconventional rubber” player in history to reach the finals.
Point 3: First Finalist as a Chopper
The third point is that this marks the first time a chopper has advanced to the singles final at the Grand Smash.
A “cut player” is a player who maintains distance from the table and relies primarily on returning the ball with backspin. One of their key strengths is inducing errors from their opponent while seizing opportunities to switch to an offensive style. In Japan, Honoka Hashimoto (Denso), who also competed in this tournament, is known as a cut player.
While cut players once held a significant presence among the world’s elite, the evolution of equipment and the increasing speed of play had greatly reduced the frequency of seeing them in the upper echelons of international tournaments. This is the first time a cut player has reached the finals of a Grand Smash tournament.
In the semifinals, Sato, after the expedite rule was applied in the second game, confounded Chen Xingtong with a diverse array of techniques that blended defense and offense. She proved that a cut player who does more than just defend can hold her own against Chinese opponents.
In the final, Sato will face Wang Manyu (China), the world No. 2, who defeated Miwa Harimoto (Kinoshita Group) in the other semifinal.
In a post-semifinal interview, Sato reflected, “The moment I won, I still couldn’t quite believe it,” and looking ahead to the final the next day, she said, “Now that I’ve made it this far, I want to go into the match determined to win the title.”
She will take on one of China’s top players as she aims to become the first Japanese woman to win the Grand Slam in women’s singles.
-------------------------------------------------
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
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