WTT Contender Istanbul 2026 (10 Nov - 15 Nov 2026)

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

it hurts to see both Miyu against each other in a WD final, can't they be friends anymore ?

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Hard fought battle, but Hashimoto wins 3-1 over Hirano.

 

[zeio]

WS SF
Hashimoto WR14 (1) 3-1 Hirano WR25 (7) (8, 4, -9, 13)
Much closer than expected, given the close matches for Hirano in previous rounds.

WS QF
ZGM WR76 2-3 Hirano WR25 (6, -3, -8, 7, -8)
G1 56, 116
G3 58, 68, 69, 89 TO for Hirano, 811
All hail Coach Kihara? Hirano increased her FH usage a lot more after G1.
G4 31, 34 TO for ZGM, 36, 76[/b], 77, 117
Old habit dies hard for Hirano.
G5 10, 12, 32, 34 slight net for Hirano, 44, 45 endline edge for Hirano, 65, 66, 76, 77 ZGM served off the table, 710, 810, 811
Yet another first encounter.

WS QF
Hashimoto 3-0 Takahashi (3, 4, 6)
G2 44, 114

 

[zeio]

it hurts to see both Miyu against each other in a WD final, can't they be friends anymore ?

Not realistic in the foreseeable future.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...d-to-quit-table-tennis-1215.35128/post-580281
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/thread-about-japanese-players.38013/post-589041

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Not realistic in the foreseeable future.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...d-to-quit-table-tennis-1215.35128/post-580281
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/thread-about-japanese-players.38013/post-589041

what about in private

 

[zeio]

what about in private

From their social media, Hirano, Kihara and Harimoto are rather close now. Hirano and Kihara even said they are besties now in the last 2 episodes of Takkyu Project 2028, to the point of forgetting who really approached who first for the WD pairing.

 

[NextLevel]

That flipped in a hurry....

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

G5 10-0 for FANG Bo he nets his receive on purpose so Ricardo WALTHER misses his next receive on purpose...

 

[zeio]

MS SF
Walther WR143 (Q) 2-3 FB WR160 (WC) (6, 8, -6, -5, -1)
G5 010, 110 courtesy point is back!

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

From their social media, Hirano, Kihara and Harimoto are rather close now. Hirano and Kihara even said they are besties now in the last 2 episodes of Takkyu Project 2028, to the point of forgetting who really approached who first for the WD pairing.

Nagasaki and Kihara are not close anymore ? thats what i asked

 

[NextLevel]

WS SF
Hashimoto WR14 (1) 3-1 Hirano WR25 (7) (8, 4, -9, 13)
Much closer than expected, given the close matches for Hirano in previous rounds.

Yeah. But it felt like she had already accepted her loss but in the third game decided to try a little to preserve her honor. In her current form, if there was much more on the line, i suspect the third game would have gone like the first two.

 

[Janard]

What happened to Temu Boll towards the end??

 

[zeio]

Nagasaki and Kihara are not close anymore ? thats what i asked

And I answered you in the Japanese way. LOL

 

[J-fed]

Well we have heard the names Miyuu Kihara, Miyuu Nagasaki and so on for years to come.... just saying...

It's a strong pattern in factory sports environments.
Young prodigies that retain their edge are extremely rare outliers.
It's a bad strategy to specialize young and that's unfortunately what many do.
Sora is who is is due to his wonderful upbringing. Ideal.
Music, multi sports, non-academy & (at least perceived) freedom of choice. Perfect.

 

[J-fed]

And I answered you in the Japanese way. LOL

There's only one way in Japan?
Sheesh.

 

[zeio]

There's only one way in Japan?
Sheesh.

Good luck with your permanent residency. They want you out.

 

[J-fed]

Good luck with your permanent residency. They want you out.

No. They don't. I just don't fit the criteria. It's understandable that they don't want to give permanent residency to people with no job security.
Very inconvenient to me but far from unreasonable when you look at it from an administrative POV.
26 years here on working visas. Never any trouble renewing them. Often lots of help from the immigration service.

 

[kindof99]

G5 10-0 for FANG Bo he nets his receive on purpose so Ricardo WALTHER misses his next receive on purpose...

Walther really could not think of how to score a point from BO at the end. Walther's backhand serves were good, but he did it too much after switching to it. Walther is the kind of players that don't change/mess around playing style until it did not work.

 

[kindof99]

What happened to Temu Boll towards the end??

Got figured out. Temu is as not as flexible and versatile as Timo

 

[kindof99]

Fang Bo played a little too much on backhand rallies for the first two games and switched more for forehand more in the later part. I was wondering why he played that way at the beginning.