Return of International TT Matches

Han Ying needs to attack

Should've called a TO in G2. Not like they'll get another chance.

Where are they taking Chen Meng?

driversbeat said:

Where are they taking Chen Meng?

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Call of nature? Nope, locker room to change shirt.

zeio said:

Call of nature? Nope, locker room to change shirt.

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Reminds me of Liu's wardrobe malfunction in 2017

CM 3-1
HY: "Quality is too high."

CM 3-2
CM: "That shot is giving me a hard time."

CM's TO at 6:7 HY serving.
CM: "I'm dropping all those points..."
MLin: "Don't worry..."

zeio said:

Should've called a TO in G2. Not like they'll get another chance.

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HY: Shut it, noobs!

Janard said:

Ito and SYS: Thank you Han Ying for tiring out CM.

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HY: Justice!!!

I think Han Ying used up all her luck in Rio. An edge and a net cord for CM in this game.

HY: Mission accomplished.

Eerland taking over the main host's job and addressing the audience. She's the one who achieved the biggest breakthrough this tournament.

zyu81 said:

Lol, imagine being 26 (whether or not that's her real age) and yet time is ticking. Chinese team is no joke.

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We're just getting started!

zeio said:

Fu Yu 39
Han Ying 36
Ni Xialian 56

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zyu81 said:

Some thoughts:
- Unexpected results are expected as tournament play gets back into swing. Training without matchplay for almost a year will throw things off.
- Japanese players just always seem to peak early. Wonder if it has to do with the typical long-term development strategy
- That being said, waiting on the next generation to come and rescue them, at least in Hirano's case, may be futile. Ishikawa is hopeless, but it seems early to give up on Hirano.
- Not sure that Kihara or Nagasaki are the saviors
- CM winning in straight games previously doesn't mean much here. Totally different stage, different day, anything can happen. Sun can definitely put up a good fight or even win

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On Japanese players peaking early, that may have to do with their table tennis culture. They're big on tricks, a general belief in the "surefire way to win." Which brings up the next point, Hirano is the first one to break the custom. She didn't start the technical revolution by rehashing those tricks. In various TV programs in 2016 and 2017, Hirano was recognized by Ito and Hayata to be hardworking and always the last to leave the training hall. Former Japanese coach, the Korean national 呉光憲(Oh Kwanghun) even labeled Ito as "天才肌(innate talent)" and Hirano as "努力家(hard worker)" in an interview. Ito and Ishikawa have stated on TV that they don't like multi-ball training but have picked it up after witnessing what Hirano achieved. What happened to Hirano later on is not just her problem, but also the lack of experience on JTTA's part in dealing with the sudden fame garnered after World Cup 2016, ATTC 2017 and WTTC 2017. From that point on, they just didn't know how to handle the concerted counterattacks from CTTA, especially on the psychological level. Hirano thought she couldn't lose to anyone other than the CNT. She lost so much in the 2nd half of 2017 that she stated on TV "I don't feel like playing table tennis" and "table tennis is not fun anymore." In Apr 2019, she admitted "just by playing fast" doesn't work anymore. Still, in Jun 2019, she pointed out:

http://sports.sina.com.cn/others/pingpang/2019-06-06/doc-ihvhiqay3856236.shtml

　　“在我赢完之后，日本选手在面对中国队时就不像原来那么恐惧。大家都想去战胜中国队，他们现在不仅敢赢，而且都有了赢的意识，以前是完全不敢去赢的。”

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"After I won, Japanese players were not as scared of CNT as they used to be. Everyone wanted to overcome CNT, and not only do they dare to win now, they also have the will to win. In the past, they didn't even think about winning."

Though in the same interview, her coach Zhang Cheng opined:

　　张成感慨道，“就是现在没有了那种非去不可的态度。”

　　“我觉得最主要的是，她成名太早了，然后现在没有目标、没有动力，你现在很难从她眼中看出以前的那种想要做什么的坚定。”

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"She doesn't have that 'who else but me' attitude anymore."
"I feel it has to do with her early fame, and now she has no goal, no motivation. You hardly see that determination in her eyes now."

Moving on to Kihara and Nagasaki, they'll have to settle with being sandwiched by Ito, Hirano, Hayata and Miwa Harimoto. Fun times ahead.

Han In, age 37, WR25
Eldest player at age 37 in this tournament
Europa's strongest cutman




Ito: Chop chop!






And...

TV Tokyo doesn't care about the final and is replaying the 3rd place match...

SYS: I'll spot you a point at 11:10 and still take it after being down 6:10.

CM: Right back at you. 1:5, 7:5, 7:6, 11:6.

Janard said:

WR#1, famed for her FH drives and power, took 7 games to off HY. WR#2 easily dispatched HY in 4 straight games. Something's amiss here.

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Ito skips the tedious loop-chop rallies and just goes straight for the smash. Not too surprising although I thought mrs.Tiger would put up a better fight this time.

Chen Meng must have eaten Han Ying on the way to the final. She can't wait to put on a crown that isn't titled "Ms. Open"

CM: Hasta la vista, ZYL!

1st World Cup to my name at age 27.

Post-match:
CM: "I'm actually very lucky as the World Cup spot was not mine to start with..."