2024 WTT Contender Taiyuan 5/21-5/26

[pongfugrasshopper]

World Table Tennis

worldtabletennis.com

Many Chinese players outside top 3 will be here. Good opportunity for top female Japanese players (Miwa, Hirano, Ito, Kihara) to test themselves and possibly even win this tournament.

 

[backspacer]

So what do we think about the same tier of WTT events happening at the same time?

 

[NextLevel]

So what do we think about the same tier of WTT events happening at the same time?

Different continents, a lower tier that would historically have limited the top players who could play in either event if not for this Olympic year exemption, and Olympic qualification events on both continents that make the events more accessible to players already on those continents - to me, it is good. More opportunities to fit into the schedules of players that are already travelling quite a bit.

 

[backspacer]

Different continents, a lower tier that would historically have limited the top players who could play in either event if not for this Olympic year exemption, and Olympic qualification events on both continents that make the events more accessible to players already on those continents - to me, it is good. More opportunities to fit into the schedules of players that are already travelling quite a bit.

Yeah, I was thinking more players get to compete which is obviously good. Just wonder if there is any drawback I can't think of.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

I wonder what the thinking for Hirano was coming to this tournament. For ranking purposes, it might have been better to go to Rio De Janeiro, but perhaps she thinks (and may be right) that she has a better shot against WYD and company vs. Hayata. However, she'll probably have to go through a minefield of Chinese players. Or she could just want to test herself vs. Chinese players which might not be a bad idea heading into the Olympics. Additionally, I noticed that she and Miwa are not signed up for women's doubles. I wonder if Japan has given up on the pair and may be considering Hayata/Miwa which gives you a lefty/righty combo.

 

[NextLevel]

I wonder what the thinking for Hirano was coming to this tournament. For ranking purposes, it might have been better to go to Rio De Janeiro, but perhaps she thinks (and may be right) that she has a better shot against WYD and company vs. Hayata. However, she'll probably have to go through a minefield of Chinese players. Or she could just want to test herself vs. Chinese players which might not be a bad idea heading into the Olympics. Additionally, I noticed that she and Miwa are not signed up for women's doubles. I wonder if Japan has given up on the pair and may be considering Hayata/Miwa which gives you a lefty/righty combo.

That is interesting - might just be to preserve energy for singles play though. I think we sometimes underestimate the toll playing in multiple events at once can have on players because they do it so relatively well.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

So what do we think about the same tier of WTT events happening at the same time?

they should have 2 smash or champions at the same time too.
this way, more players can win the max points

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Main draw is out. Miwa and Miu Hirano are in the same quarter. Miwa has to get through 1 probably 2 Chinese players (Liu Weishan and Shi Xunyao) to get the quarter. Kihara and Ito are in another quarter. Kihara would have to get through Chen Yi, one of China's strongest juniors. Chen Yi is 3-2 head to head vs. Kihara, but Kihara won their last meeting actually at the 2023 Contender Taiyuan.

 

[backspacer]

they should have 2 smash or champions at the same time too.
this way, more players can win the max points

Champions wouldn't work since that's supposed to be the top 32 and it would be weird to have two "grand slams" at the same time. No sport does that, right? More feeders and contenders at the same time in different places would be good though I think.

 

[NextLevel]

Champions wouldn't work since that's supposed to be the top 32 and it would be weird to have two "grand slams" at the same time. No sport does that, right? More feeders and contenders at the same time in different places would be good though I think.

A better and still imperfect analogy is probably Masters 1000 events but I agree with you 100%. On the whole, I am not a fan of the exclusive nature of the Champions events, I think that events should not be limited to only top 32 or so players, there should always be an element of qualification beyond ranking built into the process

 

[zeio]

Grand Smash also requires the top 50 players to attend as well.

 

[FIXPOINT]

 

[FIXPOINT]

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Sora/Miwa out in 1st round of XD. Neither were that good, but Sora's body language and aloofness was very bad.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

I bet on Chen Yi and Yuan Licen on Fantasy

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

USA's Jinbao Ma beats China's Yuan Licen

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Taiwan has some promising young talent. Kao Cheng-Jui beat Zhou Kai of China. And although he lost in the 1st round of the main draw, Taiwan's 16 year old Hung Jing-Kai beat China's 18 yr old Chen Yuanyu in the qualifier to get to the main draw.

 

[backspacer]

And Lin Gaoyuan is out against Wong Chun Ting. Lots of mistakes from Lin he usually doesn't make.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Shi Xunyao of China beats Doo Hoi Kem 3-0. She will meet Miwa in R16.

 

[zeio]

Choose your difficulty level:
✅ WTT CT Rio de Janeiro 2024, 5/20-26
🟩 WTT CT Taiyuan 2024, 5/21-26

Brazil: I'm gonna do what's called a pro-gamer move.