World Team Cup 2019

karupinkun said:

I cant remember a game of SYS where she was an easy victim ever. Maybe her last lost against Ito, where she collapsed in the last set, but come on...

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True but she never had occasion to play most important match in her life one hour after loosing another match.

In any case, Ito is probably offended by the defeat ....Although the game was completely equal .....

Despite the fact that the Chinese have studied the Ito game literally under a microscope, Ito can play with the Chinese on equal terms ... I remind you, SYS-nr. 3 in the current ITTF rank ...

A little bit off topic. Why both winner and runner-up of Women’s side got a barrel of something (no idea what it is), while Korea men’s team only got a coupon?

Junting said:

A little bit off topic. Why both winner and runner-up of Women’s side got a barrel of something (no idea what it is), while Korea men’s team only got a coupon?

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That barrel of something is...
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-Team-Cup-2019&p=295014&viewfull=1#post295014

As for the latter, Japan and Korea are at odds?
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...9-(World-Tour)&p=286510&viewfull=1#post286510

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geop...-south-korea-are-odds-us-wont-get-involved-it

Interesting reward from ZENNOH!
Maybe it is just because Japan is the home country, and also ZENNOH is sponsoring Japanese TT team.

Vlad Celler said:

In any case, Ito is probably offended by the defeat ....Although the game was completely equal .....

Despite the fact that the Chinese have studied the Ito game literally under a microscope, Ito can play with the Chinese on equal terms ... I remind you, SYS-nr. 3 in the current ITTF rank ...

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Well I think Ito was even better. In crutial moments she did not change her tactics and missed some important shots. Sys was just trying to put the ball back, Play more spin and this long serves . She prevailed and was just like timo Boll playing point by point.
If you just imagine it was just one point which could make it all different...

Sali said:

Well I think Ito was even better. In crutial moments she did not change her tactics and missed some important shots. Sys was just trying to put the ball back, Play more spin and this long serves . She prevailed and was just like timo Boll playing point by point.
If you just imagine it was just one point which could make it all different...

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++++++++++++++

1st time Ito was ahead, and by 2 games, in the final of a major. She played impeccably in the first 2 games. She started missing from G3 and onward. A fantastic start in G5, she remained ahead practically all the way until the endgame. In conclusion, Ito, Hirano and Hayata are still stronger when trailing, which has been observable for 2 years. They aren't used to leading by a comfortable/wide margin. They've mastered the catch-up game and now is the time to take the next step.

Served into the net here.






Serve went off the corner.

Takkyu_wa_inochi


.....Hirano + Hayata. ....
Absolutely right! Ito must play two singles!

Perhaps Ito was feeling the squeeze. Both of them screwed up a few serves.

Still, I see some good in all the bad. In Ito's case, she was warned right at the beginning of G1 and then faulted soon after. Unlike what happened in German Open, she didn't let it get to her this time around and changed her serves immediately. She also dealt with SYS's long serves much better this time. Those are a big pluses.

JNT's facial expression change = commercial for Zennoh
Rice(?) brings happiness!

I thought Ito's serve and rally placement were a bit too same-y.
Always forehand short and cross-court

Janard said:

One thing that has been bothering me this tournament during the post-match interviews... is the host not Japanese? Because there are always meanings lost from the English to Mandarin (Lady 1), Mandarin to Japanese (Lady 1) and Japanese to English (Lady 2) to and fro translations.

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Interpreting in real-time is already so difficult and pulling it off with 2 interpreters among 3 languages?

Shine said:

...As for her smiling, One may question if she was concentrating her fullest at that moment of all moments, but I feel that in previous days when she's beaten the top CNT, she was always smiling and smirking that way, I don't know if it's entirely a way for her to assure herself that things are under control, or a sinister psychological trick hoping the opponent looks at her and get despondent, But I think it's the former.

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I can't remember exactly when and where, but Ito has explained her smiling/smirking when cornered as a way to remain positive.

No one has mentioned it yet, but game 5, the point at 10-7 SYS ball clips the net causing Ito to miss her FH. No apology from SYS (at least not seen on ITTV stream, maybe Japan TV had a different angle to capture that in case SYS did apologize for the net ball.)

From that point onwards, Ito's BH and serves (her strengths IMO) lets her down. She losses the 10-8, 10-10 and 10-11 points on missed BHs, none of which are particularly difficulty to make except for the weight of her countries expectations on her shoulders. She misses proper contact on her 10-9 serve and that ball sits up high with poor ball length for an easy SYS BH winner down the line.

Ito played well but in typical CNT fashion, SYS played much more disciplined and in better control of herself in the end.

NoFootwork said:

No one has mentioned it yet, but game 5, the point at 10-7 SYS ball clips the net causing Ito to miss her FH. No apology from SYS (at least not seen on ITTV stream, maybe Japan TV had a different angle to capture that in case SYS did apologize for the net ball.)

From that point onwards, Ito's BH and serves (her strengths IMO) lets her down. She losses the 10-8, 10-10 and 10-11 points on missed BHs, none of which are particularly difficulty to make except for the weight of her countries expectations on her shoulders. She misses proper contact on her 10-9 serve and that ball sits up high with poor ball length for an easy SYS BH winner down the line.

Ito played well but in typical CNT fashion, SYS played much more disciplined and in better control of herself in the end.

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There were lots of nets and edges throughout the match with no apology. Adam pointed out that it might be the match tension.

NextLevel said:

There were lots of nets and edges throughout the match with no apology. Adam pointed out that it might be the match tension.

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Then of course it might also be somewhat related to SYS recidivism in the matter, infamously stealing matches as well as general lack of sportsmanship. Ito might well have given up on niceties in the face of that.

All right, dug it up.

Ito said the smile was added in 2017 as a form of mental control. TV Tokyo even calls it "Team Mimaism."

2018/9/5
https://www.nhk.or.jp/sports-story/detail/20180905_3176.html

ツアー最終戦となるチェコオープンの試合。ここでも伊藤選手はコーチと意見を積極的に交わしていました。

さらに、自分のミスから劣勢になった時、伊藤選手の顔には、「笑み」が。

「なるべく笑う。イライラしても口角を上げる」

意識的に笑うことで、気持ちを静めようとしたのです。この試合、相手と張り合うことなく、柔軟なレシーブを見せてポイントを重ね、勝利を掴みました。

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2018/11/5
https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/tabletennis/news/2018/11/003108.html

　加えてスウェーデンオープンの試合中、伊藤はミスが続いたり相手に流れが傾きそうになったりする場面で意識的に口角を上げ、時には笑顔すら浮かべていた。これもメンタルをコントロールするための秘策のひとつ。伊藤がよく強さの秘訣を聞かれ「卓球を楽しむこと」と答えるが、どんなに苦しい状況でも下を向かず、発想の転換でピンチを乗り切ることを心がけている。その精神は「チーム美誠イズム」とも呼べるもので、練習中や試合前も笑いとユーモアが絶えない。

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2019/1/3
https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/shizuoka/shizuoka_kiwame/list/2019/CK2019010302000055.html

　－試合では意識して笑みを作っているようだ。

　苦しい時でも口角を上げるように意識している。一七年の良くなってきた時期から始めた。相手は何を考えているかが分かりにくく、やりづらいのでは。

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